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WTA TENNIS MEDIA CONFERENCESeptember 21, 2014Na LiNA LI: First of all, thank you for coming here. I'm also very happy to meet you here. I thank the China Open to provide me this place to share with you my thoughts, my feelings. So I have this opportunity to say good-bye to all of you. I think this press conference is special, so the floor is yours, the media. Q. As for the top 10 players, to retire, it is a difficult decision. When did you make this decision? It is quite hard to make this decision. NA LI: I think people are interested in this question. When you are a top-10 player, a few of them will choose to retire. In March this year, my knee had some problems. Back then I thought about retirement. In July I had surgery and tried my best to get back to my form and I want to get back to my form. In China we have Wuhan and the China Open. The operation was quite different from the first time in terms of my age and physical condition, quite different. Of course, it is very, very hard for me to make this decision. It is harder for me to win the Grand Slam title. But I think it is the right time for me to say good-bye to all of you because I cannot take the top-level competition in tournaments. Last week, maybe Thursday and Friday, I told my group and my team this big decision. Q. We want to know your plans after retirement. You said you want to open your Li Na tennis academy. Do you have a specific time to open this academy? Where is the location? Will you invite Carlos to be at this school as a coach? NA LI: I think tennis is what I love and like throughout my life, so I want to help more children, the next generation, in tennis. Right now, we have contact with some schools. As for a specific time, we'll wait and see, it depends. As for Carlos, in my professional career, he is the important guy. He helps me a lot. If it is possible, I would love to invite him to be the coach at my academy. Q. What is your latest plan? Will you be a housewife and spend time with your husband or family or do you have some other plans? NA LI: As for the professional player, in the past time, it was a luxury spending time with your family members. Over these years, I feel sorry for my friends, family members and husband, especially on holidays. As for the next period of time, I will take a rest, maybe for two months. I would like to be there with my family members. Q. What is your evaluation of your professional career? NA LI: I'm quite satisfied with it. I feel proud of my career. I think it is the best time for me to retire from it. I do not have any regrets. When I made this decision, I asked myself, If I retire, will I feel regret? My heart told me, Of course not, that I tried my best in my career. Q. At the age of 16 you said your dream was to be in the top 10. Right now what do you want to say to the youngsters? NA LI: In retrospect, I think I did not do a great feat. I mean, but many people might say, You've done a great job. I want to tell everyone that you have your dream, and you should stick to it. Q. Can you tell us what is your next goal? NA LI: I will try my best to help tennis in China. I will try to launch my Li Na academy school and have many children. I will help the children in tennis. Also I will help those HIV-affected children, underprivileged children. I would like to help them. Q. You said you want to launch this Li Na academy school. In your future, what is the level of tennis after your retirement? Who can succeed you? NA LI: Actually, I think in the near future there are many opportunities for me to hold this press conference. So I feel optimistic about China's tennis development. You can see in China, at least 10 competitions are held in China. In the past, there were only one or two. As for children, they have more opportunities to play against the top-level players. They can fight against them. As for the Chinese tennis industry, I'm optimistic about it. About my successor, I think there's no point of comparing me with others. I believe different people will fight for their dreams. Q. You have become the symbol of the new kind of Chinese athletes who break away from the state-sponsored systems and succeed on your own terms. You sounded grateful to a lot of coaches in the system. Has your view on the Chinese sports system evolved or changed over the years? Would you encourage more Chinese athletes to break free and make it on their own terms? You're more than just a sports woman. You have become an icon, a symbol. People appreciate your sense of humor, your strong personality. Do you think your success can be replicated? When will we see the next Li Na in China? NA LI: Over these years we talk about systems. To be honest, I don't like the words 'going it alone.' Actually, these words are given by the media. I want to say I want this professional life in my career. Many people have misunderstandings what was it. When I write this open letter, these are my true words and true feelings. I think if I did not spend those days in the national team, I would not have this platform to have my own team afterwards. I have to say really thanks so I can have a team around with us, the best team. I would like to say I miss the time when I stay on the national team. The western people didn't have the chance of living together, training together, so I think we have a lot of friendship. Yeah, that's it. Q. When will we see the second Li Na in China? NA LI: Keep eye on and they be coming, even more better than Li Na. I hope that you can pay close attention to Chinese tennis. Maybe the next player will do better than me. I believe that. Q. In the past you promoted that you came from this little town, Wuhan. This town is holding now this Wuhan tournament. A lot of people are waiting for you there. What a pity you decide to retire. Some people do not understand. Many players are your old friends. Many of them like to see your hometown. How would you welcome them? NA LI: Different people have different opinions and ideas. No matter what I do, they will believe what they want to believe. No matter how hard I try, no matter what I am doing, there are always opponents and naysayers. In my open letter, as I mentioned previously, I sincerely want to thank those people. I'm still very happy to see those top-level players in Wuhan to join the Wuhan tournament. It is their first time to host such a competition in Wuhan. This evening I will be back in Wuhan. Actually, we have many communications, personal communications, with each other in private. So right now I have more time and energy to introduce to them those scenic spots in Wuhan, about the food and snacks. I can help introduce them to those foods. Q. Just now you said that when you say good-bye, it is a mixed feeling. I have two questions. Just now some friends asked you about your professional career. You said you are satisfied with it. I think the happiest moment is when you launched this open letter on the blog or Facebook. There are a lot of greetings for you. Jankovic would like to be paired with you for doubles. Is it possible for you to go back to the court to create this pair? NA LI: Actually, the answer is over the past few years... It's been about 15 years for me to love tennis. As for the past two years, I began to understand myself. I began to understand tennis. I began to learn that I should not feel regretful about myself. I enjoyed the past two years most and those are my happiest moments. As for the doubles, I have decided it is not possible. I have decided to retire. I would like to get involved in the next period of my life. I'm kind of surprised because I received so many greetings and blessings. Q. Just now you said that you will not be back to play doubles. Will you become a coach? NA LI: At my academy, I will not train one or two players. I would like to pay more attention to their basic physical trainings. Q. Maybe some of the contracts are outstanding, so how will you handle them? NA LI: When the sponsors heard about this news, they want to continue this contract. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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