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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2016

Shuai Zhang

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

S. ZHANG/S. Halep

6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You looked really emotional on the court. Explain to us how you feel and how you felt throughout the match.
ZHANG SHUAI: Yeah, feeling very exciting. Play against Simona Halep on Margaret Court, so this my first time on this court. Always on center court I play really well, so yeah.

Yeah, I play really well today. Yeah, play against the great player. I feeling no more nervous, you know, because nothing to lose. So play like hundred percent good, yeah.

Q. How much on your mind was the fact you never won a match before at a Grand Slam in the main draw?
ZHANG SHUAI: Actually I already forget how many time because so many time before everybody tell me this is 10 time. Next time for sure you win. But already, like, I don't know how many time already. So doesn't matter.

I just try my best, yeah.

Q. Does it feel especially good to get the first win against No.2?
ZHANG SHUAI: Yeah. First time to win the top-two player, yeah.

Q. Second time.
ZHANG SHUAI: But Grand Slam, I mean, so yeah.

Q. You said always on the big courts you play well. Why do you think that is?
ZHANG SHUAI: Feel more exciting and so many people supporting me watching the match, so feeling more relax, yeah. I want to show how good I am, yeah.

Q. We just heard from Simona. She said she thought you were in good form because of the qualification rounds. Do you think that held you in good stead tonight?
ZHANG SHUAI: Yes. I think the last three match help me a lot for confident, yeah. Especially last round, final round, play against Razzano. Very tough match. 8-6 in the final set.

So give me a lot confident and the feeling very good, yeah.

Q. How much of a hole in your career did it feel that you hadn't won a Grand Slam match? You were in the top 50, but the Grand Slams hadn't gone your way. Was that something you thought about a lot or not?
ZHANG SHUAI: Actually I don't really my loss or win in Grand Slam. Because when I'm top 30, I win a lot tournament. I play a lot great match. I beat a lot great player.

So if not play really well, cannot like top 30 or top 50 player. So I believe in myself, yeah.

Q. You were ranked in the top 50. Last year looked a bit more difficult. Can you talk a little bit about last season and what some of the struggles were.
ZHANG SHUAI: Yeah, last few months I'm already 200, my ranking, so very tough. I feeling very sad every day. I almost retire.

But, you know, so many people help me, so give me the help. My coach, my parents, my team, also national team. My sponsor, always try to help me, give me more motivation.

So, yeah, I'm training hard, more hard than before. Yeah, I didn't think in two months I can win the top-two player. Feeling like dream coming true, yeah.

Q. When did you consider retiring?
ZHANG SHUAI: Before three months. Before the Asia season. Yeah, after US Open. Feeling so sad. Couldn't win one match even. Ranking from 30 drop to 200 only few months, so feeling so sad.

Yeah, I'm feeling I come back soon.

Q. Was there anything specifically that your coach or family or anyone said to you when you were thinking about retiring that made you keep playing?
ZHANG SHUAI: Before when I have this thinking, everybody say, No. C'mon, you're great player. You can come back soon. You have to keep going.

But I feeling sad. I didn't know how can keep going. But when even say, Okay, retire, no problem, nobody said, No. But I'm feeling no, I want come back. I want try one more time, only one more time, yeah. If no good, I say, Okay, I will try last tournament Australia Open. If Australia Open not good, maybe finish tennis.

But I never think I can win in the here, win the first round.

Q. How much did it mean to you to have your parents with you here? Everyone was emotional after your win.
ZHANG SHUAI: Before, my father never come to watch I play. This is first time he travel with me. And also my mom. So this is big-time for me. Because I think, Oh, maybe this is last time in Australia Open, so I wanted they coming to maybe see last match in Melbourne.

I want they come to see the last 20 years what I'm do. This is my life already like 20 years. They never see. So I want they feeling what I'm do. So, yeah, this is so lucky my parents coming and I win.

Q. Do you think maybe that's why you were able to play that well?
ZHANG SHUAI: I think maybe good time for my parents retire soon and they're coming with me (laughter).

Q. Will you take them with you for the rest of the year then?
ZHANG SHUAI: I'm really enjoy the tennis right now. I don't want to think too much right now. I just want focus for next match, yeah.

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