ROLAND GARROS

October 3, 2020

Shuai Zhang

Press Conference

S. ZHANG/C. Burel

7-6, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you just talk about the match and what makes her such a tricky opponent? What was the key for you to get the match done in two sets today?

SHUAI ZHANG: Yeah, today the match I think we both play really well and a really great match. She play unbelievable good, even we play last week, but I still feeling she has so much improve start of beginning, and I feeling every point so tough.

I try my best, but still feeling not working everything. I try, just try my best, focus myself every point. I'm so happy I won today, but really, really tough 5-3, Love-40 down. Yeah, I receive some few set points.

Yeah, I think that's a great match and I even feeling we play last week and I learn a lot, play on clay. I learn from her. Today, same thing. Yeah, she's a great young player. I think she will be really great future and amazing tennis. I like so much.

Q. What did you learn from her on clay?

SHUAI ZHANG: You know, we always play on hard court when we was young. Most of time we try to hitting hard at baseline, forehand, backhand, down line, crosscourt. But she has that and also she can mix a lot shot angle and topspin slice, dropshot, passing.

She has everything, I feeling. Really amazing just so young and she already has everything on court.

I'm feeling I still learn a lot technique.

Q. I saw you coming to the net or trying to come to the net a lot today to try and shorten the points. Is that something that you're trying to do more and more on clay this year?

SHUAI ZHANG: No, not only on clay. I try to building my tennis like this and try to, my coach always tell me -- we work a lot, try to coming to the net, finish the points at net.

But sometimes working, sometimes not, because I still learn, try to improve. From the match I can get more confidence, win the points at net, yeah. I really happy last two matches. I won a lot points at net, yeah.

Q. What are you most proud of and happy with in terms of your first -- obviously making the round of 16 at Roland Garros, but also just in the way that you've played and competed through the first week in Paris?

SHUAI ZHANG: When I saw draw, I'm feeling, maybe I go home after first days, because so many great player on these, all the players play so good. And especially on clay they already play many great result before.

For me, I'm still feeling like not really good on clay, to move, because last few years we play a lot tournament before French Open. We play maybe five or six tournament. I play only five or six matches. Because all the time first round, I couldn't move.

But this time, so special. Before the Strasbourg I didn't win the matches from Cincinnati, US Open. I played not really well. I feeling a little bit down. I'm feeling like, feeling so tough to win the match. I don't know how to win the match. How can play at French Open even? I'm not really good on clay.

So we just keep the working hard every day. Try to some different. Yeah, like you saw, at match, most of time can try to coming to the net, can finish the point, yeah.

I'm very happy I make the fourth round right now. First time, yeah.

Q. You're the first Chinese player to make the fourth round here since Li Na in 2012. So eight years that has passed. So what does it mean to you to make it this far at Roland Garros for the first time?

SHUAI ZHANG: Always tough for the on clay for the Chinese player or Asian player because we play good on faster court. And also, I think because I just try my best every point. I don't think too much on court. Even outside the court. I just -- yeah, so relaxed this year. Yeah, just keep the last few matches, keep doing. I doing well and keep doing same thing. Yeah.

Q. I think you might be the only Chinese player in the main draw of Roland Garros this year maybe. What went into your decision to play Roland Garros? It seemed like maybe it was difficult for other Chinese players.

SHUAI ZHANG: Before, I don't have the Europe visa, actually the (indiscernible) visa. I got visa after I lost US Open, one week after, one week. I stay at New York, stay at the official hotel, and I practice at US Open hard court. I waiting. I tried to, I have maybe only one chance to coming to Europe.

So when I get visa already Thursday or Friday New York, so when I'm get passport from the embassy, we buy the tickets after and we fly to Rome.

We have to quarantine 24 hours, and then I practice only one hour. So next day we start to play the match. That's, oh, my God, for me, I have practice on hard court and then from New York I get visa last minute.

I really, really, how to say, feeling really lucky and really thanks for the Roland Garros, the tournament official and the French Federation helping me and all WTA. Everything, everybody.

And also from the New York, the French embassy, they make so much help to our team so I can come to this year. So special. Otherwise I have no chance to be here.