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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 24, 2016

Shuai Zhang

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

S. ZHANG/V. Lepchenko

6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Seemed like every part of your game was working perfectly tonight. How did you feel on court and how did you feel about the match?
ZHANG SHUAI: I just want to show the best of hang Shuai in this match. Before the match I think this is in my life maybe last match. I'm try to make me do my best in the match.

I want to try my best. I want to show the best of Zhang Shuai. I think I did a great job today, yeah.

Q. Was that the best Zhang Shuai?
ZHANG SHUAI: This is the best of Zhang Shuai today, yeah.

Q. You face a pretty fierce competitor with Madison Keys next. How will you prepare for her? Does it make you nervous?
ZHANG SHUAI: Right now I just finish the match 20 minutes. I don't have time to thinking next match. And also we play a lot of time, many time, so we know each other.

No more nervous for me because I already play six match in this court this tournament. I'm enjoy the tournament right now, yeah.

Q. You said after your first match that you didn't sleep very well, couldn't eat. Were you better after the second match? Did you feel more normal?
ZHANG SHUAI: Yeah, right now is normal. I think if I want win, I must be sleep well, eat well. I need more quiet.

So this why I play very well today, much better than last match I think, yeah.

Q. Lots of Chinese women have done very well at Melbourne Park. Have they ever given you advice on how to perform here at all? Have you had any tips from them?
ZHANG SHUAI: Yeah, you know, this time because I'm the locker room B, outside locker room is trophy. Every time when I go into there, I watch the trophy. I really want one day I can win this tournament.

Normally I start here play not really well. This year I play amazing. I want to keep win, yeah. Zheng Jie, she always very lucky. She play well in Australian Open. But this year she didn't come. This year I use her lucky locker. I don't remember the locker number, but she said, Okay, I give you my lucky locker. I hope you can lucky this year, yeah.

So I think from her a lot lucky this year, yeah.

Q. Your English name I've read is Serena. Can you tell me when did that start and did you choose the name?
ZHANG SHUAI: No, I don't know why some people call me Serena. I'm not Serena. (Smiling).

Yeah, when I was young, my coach give me one English name, Rose, but I don't like it so much. Only some call me Rose. Right now everybody call me Shuai. Much better, I think.

I'm not Serena. So, yeah. Better call me Shuai, I think, yeah.

Q. Where did you get the name Serena from?
ZHANG SHUAI: No. I don't know.

Q. Have a lot of the players come up to you during the week to maybe congratulate you?
ZHANG SHUAI: Yeah, so many girlfriend come to hug me. So proud of me, so exciting and happy. Everybody say I make everybody cry, you know. So, yeah, because I think so many player in the tour, we know each other very much. Very good friend.

They thought I would not win one match in the Grand Slam, so I think so many players so happy many to see I'm win the first round. So, yeah, just tell me, Good luck, keep win.

Q. When Li Na left the tour, was there a feeling among the Chinese girls that they lost a leader?
ZHANG SHUAI: I'm just focused by myself. I don't want to think so much about other player because, yeah, tennis is - how to say - yeah, we from same country. So happy we have Li Na. Country can also win the Grand Slam. But I also can even one match win in Grand Slam. So, yeah.

I don't have time to think about other player, yeah.

Q. Deep down in your heart, do you think you can win here, lift the trophy? Do you believe it?
ZHANG SHUAI: Before, no. But today maybe yes.

Q. Because of how well you played? Why do you believe it now?
ZHANG SHUAI: Because right now I already win six match, yeah. Six great player. I really want to win one day. I really want to win Grand Slam.

Q. Do you think what was missing was confidence?
ZHANG SHUAI: I think confident from when win one match, one match, one match. Not only confident. If you always lose, I think so tough get confident, yeah.

So in this year I already win seven match, so of course I have more confident right now.

Q. What is your parents' reaction to all this?
ZHANG SHUAI: I think before many time only me and my coach, two person, or one fitness coach with me. So feeling like two more people coming this year feeling like more strong my team, and also lot of friend come. Also a lot of Chinese people come.

I play like feeling like in China. Every time many people watch me play, I play really well. I feeling more exciting. I want keep this feeling, yeah.

Q. Have they given you some feedback about how you've been playing?
ZHANG SHUAI: Yes, they give me a lot. Nothing pressure. Before a lot pressure. Right now after I'm say, Okay, give me more pressure, maybe I'm retire better. Right now no more pressure, yeah.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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