CHINA OPEN

September 28, 2014

Shuai Peng

THE MODERATOR:  Questions in English.

Q.  This is your second tournament playing with Hlavackova.  Do you think you play well together?
SHUAI PENG:  Well, actually till now was not bad.  First tournament we make semis.  We win today.  We never like play anytime with each other before.  So I think it's a good start, yeah.

Q.  You started your match pretty strong.  Then they won four straight games.  What went through your head as they rallied back?
SHUAI PENG:  Nothing to my head at the time.  It just like tennis, the match was like this.  Sometime you up.  Then when opponent fight some point, and we didn't make it, they come back.
The good thing is we still win today.

Q.  With Li Na retired, does that put more pressure on you as you head into the tournament?
SHUAI PENG:  Please, no more this question because all almost last couple weeks I answer all like this with the pressure, come to No.1.
I just want to practice hard, focus my match, try what I can do, do what I can do.  All the wish best for her after when she retired.
Yeah, I just want to be like normal.  Nothing like special, yeah.

Q.  After you won the match, a lot of fans came to the court and you tossed a towel to one of them.  Was that planned on your part or you just thought to do that in the moment?
SHUAI PENG:  They are yelling, Please give me the towel, please give me the towel.  We feel is nice towel when we talk on the player lounge.  They thought this year they make a special towel.
When I throw to them, I tell them first, Don't falling down, when they catch it, yeah.
THE MODERATOR:  Questions in Chinese.

Q.  Can you evaluate your performance today?  What is the reason why you choose this partner in Wimbledon?  Maybe this partner is similar to your previous partner.
SHUAI PENG:  The first question, what is it?

Q.  What is the evaluation on your first performance, about your partner.
SHUAI PENG:  It is our second match.  Martina and I, we played once in Wuhan.  I know her quite well.  During the first set, it was smooth.  After 5‑2 with the new balls, I had some errors.  So our opponents fought back.  Fortunately, by the end of the first set, and in the second set, we played well.
Before the breakup, I went to Canada.  Of course I have to find a partner for Wuhan.  When I went in Canada, she asked me whether we can team up for Wuhan.  I said okay.  So in Wuhan we teamed up for Wuhan.  Then I asked her again about the China Open in Beijing.  She replied okay, so we teamed up for Wuhan and the China Open.

Q.  As for the WTA Finals in Singapore, next year's matches, will you find other long‑term partner for yourself?
SHUAI PENG:  Next year we will not have the Olympics points competition.  That is the year after next, in 2016.  When I was asked in Wuhan, we would like to play these matches together.  We thought about teaming up to form this long‑term relationship.  Wuhan is our first match.

Q.  As for your new partner, what is the change and difference between you two in terms of your play?
SHUAI PENG:  I think for us, we don't know each other.  I'm very happy to team up with her in Wuhan.  In the semifinal we played well, but our opponents out‑performed us.  Our opponents were strong, winning a lot of Grand Slam titles.
We hope through competition we can play better in terms of our cooperation.

Q.  After the US Open in terms of your training, do you have new plans for your training?
SHUAI PENG:  There's no changes in my training.  For a very long period of time I would like to strengthen my body condition, to improve my speed and strength.  I want to do a lot of training.  I do not do it after the US Open, but for a long period of time, for the whole year this year, I changed to a new coach for energy and strength.
After a period of collaboration, we know each other better.  My coach gives me a lot of assistance and help in terms of energy training.

Q.  Coach Alan Ma, what is his role in your team?  Is he your coach or he is just the interim coach?
SHUAI PENG:  Actually he never left my team.  We began to know each other 10 years ago.  Over these several years, in many cases when I played well, I should give the credit to him.  He gave me a lot of support and help.
Right now he came to the courts from the back office.  Previously the French coach recommended him to me.  As for Thomas, he was a coach for me for a very short period of time.
After trying some coaches, our thoughts may be changing.  In the past, I hoped he could be a full‑time coach.  But right now I think it is not necessary.  He can give me a lot of assistance and help even if he's not the full‑time coach for me.
So right now he's still my coach, but he's not the full‑time coach for me.

Q.  In singles and doubles, what is your concentration and energy?
SHUAI PENG:  I play more singles than doubles.  But my performance in singles is not as good as that of doubles.  My performance in doubles is better.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports