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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 22, 2019

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

TODD MARTIN: So that everybody understands what we're here for, my name is Todd Martin. I'm the CEO of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

It's my pleasure to introduce the induction class of 2019 for the Hall of Fame. We have two of the three inductees of the class of '19 with us. I'll tell you a little bit about them and about the honor of induction into the Hall of Fame.

Induction into the Hall of Fame will happen later this summer in July, our summer in the U.S., July 20, in Newport, Rhode Island at the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Induction represents the ultimate honor in our sport. It signifies the sum of an individual's career in tennis and the excellence that it embodied. Certainly the three inductees this year resonate excellence in everything they've done.

The three inductees are: Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Mary Pierce, and Li Na.

Yevgeny Kafelnikov is the first Russian singles major champion. He won the French Open in singles and doubles, the Australian Open in singles, and is a former world No. 1 on the ATP World Tour.

The two WTA greats:

Mary Pierce, former world No. 3, the winner of singles and doubles at Roland Garros, at her home slam, as well as the singles here in Australia, and also the mixed doubles champion at Wimbledon.

Marry, congratulations.

MARY PIERCE: Thank you.

TODD MARTIN: Also Li Na, former world No. 2 in singles, the first-ever Chinese major champion. She won the singles also at Roland Garros and here in Melbourne: a common thread between all three of our inductees.

Beyond that, she's also the inspiration of the growth of tennis in China. I can only imagine how many people have experienced the sport of tennis that wouldn't have if it weren't for Li Na's accomplishments.

I'm certain all of you are excited to be able to ask some questions of our inductees. I proudly turn the floor over to you.

Q. Mary, how different do you see your career now, now that you've had the time and space away from it, than maybe how you saw it when you hung up your racquet?
MARY PIERCE: That's a good question. I didn't hang up my racquet actually. As everybody knows, I stopped because I had a knee injury, wasn't able to come back after that.

I'm just very proud. I think when I look back to my career, see everything I've done, where I've come from, I'm just amazed. I think from a little girl in Florida, just went to go be with her friend after school, happened to pick up a racquet and hit a few balls, to be where I am today is absolutely incredible and amazing.

I'm very, very proud.

Q. Li Na, how does it feel for you to have this accomplishment, to have gotten to the Hall of Fame?
LI NA: So I will speak Chinese and she will translate.

(Translated from Chinese.) It's great honor to be nominated for induction for 2019. A great appreciation to the International Tennis Hall of Fame and all the friends and all the supporters in my career in tennis. I'm very pleased to be here to receive this honor.

Q. Li Na, you had a lot of memorable matches here. Some come to mind with Safarova, Azarenka, Clijsters. What stands out as your most memorable win and toughest loss at the Australian Open?
LI NA: (Translated from Chinese.) The most memorable here in Australian Open was 2011, women's final. Although I lost it, that give the confidence to myself, and the inside of myself say, I could. I was one step away to champion of the Grand Slam. The best memory here is 2011.

Q. Mary, how do you compare and contrast your two major singles wins? The one you were 19, and the other five years later in Paris.
MARY PIERCE: So when I won here in Melbourne, I was 20 actually. I think that the French Open finals that I lost the year previously really helped me a lot, gave me experience of what it was like to be in a Grand Slam final. I was very nervous for my first one.

Coming into my second Grand Slam final here about six months later, something like that more or less, I kind of knew what to expect as far as dealing with the emotions, stress, how to prepare for that match.

Obviously winning that one, it's your first one, it's just an amazing feeling because that's your dream come true, it's what you want to achieve.

It was actually one of my goals as I started out the year, '95, was to finish in the top five and hopefully win a Grand Slam tournament. I did it in the first month of the year. I finished No. 3, I won here, so I had to reassess my goals for the year. It's a very special feeling because it's your first one.

Obviously winning the French Open for me was my dream in tennis, watching it on TV with my dad, him saying, This is the one you want to win.

You're playing in front of your home crowd, they're cheering for you, there's no better feeling. To have won the French, which was always the toughest one to compete at, deal with the expectations, the pressure, the stress, the media, I always found it very difficult.

To finally be able to win that one for me was, I guess you could say, all the years from 10 years old when I started tennis till 25 when I won, so 15 years of the hard work, the suffering, the sweating, the tears, all the difficult moments, it was all worth it in that one moment when you win championship point and your dream comes true.

Q. Mr. Todd Martin, Li Na is the first player from Asia to receive the honor to join the Hall of Fame. What are your thoughts on her contribution to the sport, and also the influence for future generations?
TODD MARTIN: Well, I think the Hall of Fame is not just a body that recognizes the greats of the game, it's the steward of the history of our sport. If you look forward 50 years, 100 years, 200 years, one can only imagine that the sport will continue to thrive, and it will be a massive sport in China and throughout Asia.

To think of Li Na's accomplishments in her career in that context, to me it makes it really exciting for the potential growth in our sport. But if we were to look forward all those years at the people who are looking back at really what the birth of the sport was in that region, you would look at the Beijing Olympics and the success of Li Na's career. You would also look at Michael Chang, even though he's an Asian-American, certainly had an impact on the sport in that region. That's how I look at it.

I never knew some of the great Hall of Famers from the early 1900s, but I grew up knowing those names, knowing that their achievements were great, and part of the love of the sport channels down through those generations.

Q. Li Na, can you imagine being in a position or situation of playing, traveling with a family, like Vika has done, Serena?
LI NA: No chance (smiling). I can travel with my children, but perfect is without the husband (laughter). I don't think he can help now. So, yeah, I was talk to friend this morning. If I want a vacation, without a husband, that was the perfect vacation.

Yeah, I can't imagine, like Serena or Azarenka, same time play, then care about the family. I couldn't do that, yeah, no.

Q. Can you each talk about each other as players, what you admired about each as a player.
MARY PIERCE: Well, we didn't play each other, right?

LI NA: I was a little bit younger (smiling).

MARY PIERCE: We know that (laughter).

I just really admired the fact that coming from China and being I want to say independent, a strong woman, standing out for your sport, for yourself, doing what you wanted to do, kind of like trailblazing for your country, for the sport, for also girls to play tennis, to make a pathway for them to be able to have dreams and to achieve them. I think that's a huge impact for her country and for her sport and for girls and women. I admire that. It's not easy to do coming from her country, I would imagine.

Obviously fantastic game, great athleticism. I always loved how she took the ball so early, taking the ball in the air. Personally swing volley is one of my favorite shots. You used to do those very well. And a great competitor, obviously. Great competitor, as well.

LI NA: So I speak Chinese.

(Translated from Chinese.) The first time Li Na saw Mary play on court, the impression was superb, very elegant, like more of a fashion show. By the time Mary was on court, Li Na was young, she was training on court very hard. The training way in China was sweaty, not like elegant or fashion. That give Li Na inspiration to say, That's the way to play tennis in another way. That motivate Li Na to say, We could do that, as well.

MARY PIERCE: Interesting. Thank you.

Q. Li Na, I believe that last year sometime in the summer there was a video that you posted. Somebody asked you which of the young players you thought were very good, might have had big futures. You said Naomi Osaka. This was before everything happened in New York. Not only can you see the future, but can you talk about why you were so big on Naomi then, and what is your impression of her, back in the quarterfinals here, of what she's continuing to do and what she can do for Asian tennis?
LI NA: (Translated from Chinese.) When Li Na first saw Naomi Osaka play, Li Na thought of she was really calm down, very mature on court. She was so focused on her game itself, and brought herself from Instagram or digital media, no pressure, point by point. That quality and the player's focus really impressed Li Na on court.

TODD MARTIN: Thank you.

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