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U.S. OPEN

August 25, 2008

Na Li

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

N. LI/S. Peer
6-2, 6-0, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. She handled you pretty easily in the first set, and then you came right back in the second set. What was the difference between the first and second sets?
NA LI: I mean, first set she plays like - I think she was so tough. I mean, she win every point, I won't try. But, I mean, I was feeling like I play the wall. Play the wall.
THE MODERATOR: The wall? Against the wall?
NA LI: Yeah, she never miss. And in the second set, I just tell myself, Okay, right now, you just play your game. I know so loud, because everyone was come for her.
Also I tell myself, Okay, didn't give up. I know every first round is tough for the player, so I just try the best. Yeah.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about what it was like having the Olympics? You know, being there, the experience for you, and also the disappointment of not medaling in the end?
NA LI: I mean, actually, I didn't really want to talk about that, because I feeling Olympics is over. Now is US Open.
But I know, I mean, Olympics for me was good experience for me. I mean, first time in Beijing, and I play well in Beijing.
I feeling -- I feeling like more exciting to play in my country. Also, I feeling if I play my country, I feeling like my whole friend, my team, stay behind me, like push me a lot.
Yeah. I mean, yeah, that's it.

Q. But the experience there must have had an effect on you playing so well today.
NA LI: Uh, I just keep going. Yeah. (laughter.)

Q. You told China Daily that you would like to be more free, and you compared it to Andre Agassi. You talked about his earrings, pierced ears, his weird haircuts. Can you just explain what you meant by that?
NA LI: You know, I was -- I can't remember. I'm like so young and I watch like television and he was play. I mean, in China, if men have long hair they think always like bad guy, okay?
But I feeling he was playing the court like butterfly, so free. And also, I know he was concentration for him in tennis.
And also, I saw he have a earring. In China, that's like no possible you can do in China for the men.
And also, I feel like in China, I couldn't do a lot I want. So just watching TV, I feel like, Okay, I want do that. I like him a lot.

Q. Do you look at someone like Yao Ming and say, Well, I'd like to be more like him. He's a little more independent.
NA LI: I didn't want to do anyone. I just want do myself.

Q. You said that Andre played like a butterfly. What did you mean?
NA LI: No, no, I mean not play ball like butterfly. I think that he was staying the court. Like he didn't care like what they say. Other people say something and he just do hisself (sic). He just want do he way. Yeah.

Q. What's it like for you in New York when you walk through New York? What do you like here?
NA LI: I like the street number five.

Q. Fifth Avenue?
NA LI: Yeah. I was talk to my husband. I say, Okay, after the match we have to go there. He say, No. Save the money for me. I stay in the house.
So after the match I will go there. I mean, I didn't care about him, so I go myself. Taking credit card. That's it.

Q. Have you bought anything yet?
NA LI: Not yet. I just arrive for Thursday night, so I want focus on tournament, and after tournament I will go there.

Q. Elena Dementieva said that she's still having a little bit of a hard time. In a way she says her mind is still in China. She said, watching the closing ceremonies last night her heart was still in China. It's a little bit hard to adjust to leaving Beijing behind and then coming here for this experience. First of all, did you watch the closing ceremonies last night? Beyond that, could you tell me if you're experiencing a bit of the same difficulty?
NA LI: I mean, after Olympics I went back to my hometown for two days. My friend, we just talk about that, the Olympics. So I say, Okay, right now Olympics over. Now I need focus for US Open.
I mean, for tennis it was hard, because they have tournament for every week. You need change quickly. Yeah.
So for me, okay, good experience for the Olympics, but now it's over. Yeah. I think about that.

Q. Did you watch the closing ceremonies last night on television?
NA LI: Not yet.

Q. No?
NA LI: No, because we stayed Flushing. They didn't show.

Q. You stayed where?
NA LI: Small Chinatown just near here. Flushing.

Q. Flushing?
NA LI: Yeah, yeah. So they didn't show.

Q. The future looks promising for the Chinese women. Why do you think there's not more good Chinese male tennis players?
NA LI: I would believe maybe after three years the Chinese men will coming up. I think for them they need more professional tournaments. Right now they only play small tournament because they need point, ranking, and they can play big tournament.
But I still believe they will coming up like after three years.

Q. If there was one thing that we Americans should learn about your country, about China, what do you think we should learn or should know about your country?
NA LI: You mean tennis or...

Q. No. The culture, the life.
NA LI: I think maybe China have to know -- have to learn how the USA. I mean, because people different idea -- America was from western. China is Asia. They have like different -- if they have something like different idea to -- how do you say that?

Q. Different traditions.
NA LI: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Q. Different cultures.
NA LI: You can't learn. China can't copy from USA, like USA can't copy from China.

Q. Do you think if Beijing had not been awarded the Olympic Games that there would be so many very successful female tennis players from China right now?
NA LI: I was feeling, because -- I mean, last time, 2004, and after Olympics I came there and a lot children, they want to play tennis.
But after this time, I believe more children, they want to play tennis. Yeah.
I mean, before the Olympics I never know the Chinese people they like watch tennis game. But this time you can see the -- like, every day they have so full for the stadium, like Court 1, Court 2.
I feel like a lot of people, they come to watch tennis, tennis game.

Q. Was there one moment during the games that was so special for you? Maybe not even on your own matches, but maybe just one moment?
NA LI: One moment? Like Olympics?

Q. Yes, for you.
NA LI: I mean, I can see a lot of friends. Yeah, because in Beijing, actually we stay different city. We always call or like e-mail something, but in Olympics every friend was come to Beijing so I can talk them, to dinner for them. Yeah, this good for me.

Q. What was the impact of the American player, Michael Chang, on tennis in China?
NA LI: After he win the French Open?

Q. Yes.
NA LI: I didn't know a lot of people, what they think about. But for me, Asia people, they believe -- okay, Asia people also can do good in the Grand Slam. Yeah, take him a lot of concentration for Asia people.

Q. Did you train in a tennis academy?
NA LI: No. I have one year in Texas, John Newcombe.

Q. John Newcombe?
NA LI: Yeah.

Q. And when was that?
NA LI: When? Like '97.

Q. How did you end up at John Newcombe's ranch in Texas?
NA LI: I also like Nike sponsor. So like in China have one girl, is me, and one boy come to practice for 10 month. Yeah.

Q. And what happened to that one boy?
NA LI: Still play.

Q. But he's not a pro?
NA LI: I think he still play in small tournament.

Q. Texas is so different from China. When you got off the plane, as a young girl going to Newcombe's, when you were driving there, what did you think of it?
NA LI: Because I was with John Newcombe, I can't speak English. I just arrive. The boy was outside, go outside to play tournament.
So I call my mom. I say, Mom, I want to go back to China. I mean, it's so hard for me because I'm only 15 years old. I couldn't speak English, but I have to stay for 10 months.
It was a little bit hard for me. But after like, one or two month, everyone was so friendship so I can talk to them. They can teach me English, yeah. It was a great time for there.

Q. Is it difficult being a professional athlete in China?
NA LI: No. Not difficult.

Q. You mentioned the Agassi thing earlier and you talked to China Daily and you talked about the lack of freedom of being an athlete. Do you wish there was more freedom?
NA LI: Now in China, they, like, one step, step. They was coming up to professional team. So right now, I mean, we can choose whenever you want play the tournament. Also, you can choose, okay, who's your coach, whether you want to do. You can choose whenever you want.

Q. You said you went back to your hometown after?
NA LI: Uh-huh.

Q. Can you tell us a little bit about your hometown?
NA LI: Okay, my hometown is like middle in China. Like by fly hour and a half from Beijing. Yeah, big city, also. Like what I can say? Yeah, that's it.
Because I was like young and I go outside. I didn't have a lot of times back to my hometown. This year I only have two times.

Q. Is there a lot of changes in your hometown, like with the housing and new developments like in Beijing?
NA LI: Yeah, I was like -- the funny was I take taxi in my hometown. I will speak my hometown language. So the taxi was talk to me, say, Oh, you can learn good hometown language. I say, I'm living here.
They say, No, no, you are not living here. Because I didn't know -- they do like new building. They make a lot new one, but I didn't know it.

Q. Sometimes athletes, when they play for their own country, they feel so much pressure that it's very hard. Was it like that for you playing in Beijing?
NA LI: Before the Olympics, I mean, the friends were asking, Are you nervous? I say, No, I'm so excited. I feel like I can show my tennis in the world, and this is my show time. Yeah.

Q. Did you do the opening ceremony?
NA LI: Yeah, I do.

Q. What was that like with all the athletes of the world?
NA LI: Because in China team, they was last one in, so we waiting for like three or four hours. Yeah.
And also, I was -- like so many people like take national flag. Yeah, I was so exciting. Yeah.

Q. Did you stay in the Village?
NA LI: Yeah, we stay in the Village.

Q. Did you meet any of the American athletes?
NA LI: We stay in different building, so no.

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