	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 27, 2010

Na Li

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

N. LI/V. Williams
2-6, 7-6, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. More satisfaction in Beijing for the Olympic Games or today?
NA LI: Both. (Smiling.) I mean, this was different tournament. Beijing was Olympics in my home, in my country.
Yeah, I mean, both exciting because both was first time come to semifinal. Yeah.

Q. Is this the best win of your career?
NA LI: I don't want say yes. Yeah, because tournament not finish yet. Yeah.

Q. Tell us, how did you find Thomas Hogstedt and Richard Sutton? How did you start to cooperate with them?
NA LI: Actually, Thomas was help me start 2005. Yeah, but before he was coach for Haas. Then in 2008 Federation come to help for the national team. After Olympics, I come talk with him and I say, Please help me. Then we just continue.
Richard was start last year after US Open. Yeah, before he also was with the Federation. And after contract finish, yeah.

Q. Until last year, you were paying 60% to your Federation, and now only 12%; is that correct?
NA LI: How did you know that?

Q. It's true or not?
NA LI: It's true.

Q. Good.
NA LI: Yeah, not bad. (Laughter.)

Q. Could you tell us about the game? The first set, was it a nervous first set? How did you get back into it?
NA LI: Actually I'm nervous on the first set. I mean, Venus played aggressive in the first set. She didn't miss a lot ball. I was feeling more pressure in the first set.
Then second set I was feeling a little bit better, but still was like 5-3 down. Then I just try to play more ball back. Maybe have chance and then I do it.

Q. Why so many breaks of serve in the game? There was nine in the third set. Were the conditions not good for serving, or was it just a case of you putting pressure on each other?
NA LI: Maybe just put pressure on each other. Yeah. I don't know. Maybe.

Q. She was having trouble with her ball toss. Were you having the same problem?
NA LI: Yeah, because the sun was in the area, so I have to find the good area for the serve.

Q. Did you think Venus was still aggressive in the third set?
NA LI: I mean, she was 4-2-up. Yeah, maybe I just play more back and then move her running on the court. Maybe she's a little bit tired.

Q. With your success and Jie Zheng's here as well, what do you hope for tennis in China?
NA LI: I don't know how is in China right now. I was feeling maybe tennis in China right now bigger and bigger.

Q. Getting bigger and bigger?
NA LI: Yeah.

Q. How big do you think it can become with your success here?
NA LI: I think, yes, because I mean, right now you can see many media from China right here. And also, they show the match and leave. So after the match I get 20 text message from the friend because they saw the match.

Q. Do you think making the semifinal you'll be famous when you get back home?
NA LI: Why not? Maybe.

Q. Did Jie Zheng's win yesterday inspire you today?
NA LI: Actually, I mean, if she can play final I would say congratulations for her. She play her tennis and I play my tennis.

Q. To be top 10, the first top 10 in China, what kind of satisfaction is that for you?
NA LI: So exciting. Maybe I take the beer tonight. Yeah, I don't know. Because the goal, my goal this year was top 10.
But now only January, so, yeah, so it's come quickly. I didn't think about that. I know the tournament not finish, not in the end. So continue hopefully.

Q. Will you dream about top 5?
NA LI: Maybe. Why not?

Q. We as the world press have known for some time that China is gonna be a power in women's tennis. You two have now got to this stage. Can we expect many, many more players to be reaching the level that you're at now in maybe the next five, ten years?
NA LI: I still believe, because right now, they have juniors who play here and also they have like three or four play qualify. They have many good player, but now they have more point, like high rank, and they can't play big tournament.
Right now it's like step by step. They have to play small tournament and make more point.

Q. Is Chinese tennis only women, or there is also some men?
NA LI: I think every country have both. (Laughter.)

Q. Why are there no men emerging on the ATP tour?
NA LI: Right now they have many young guy and they don't have high rank, so they can't play big tournament like Grand Slam and Masters. They have to play small tournament and make more point and come to the big tournament.

Q. Are you flying next week to Slovakia to play Fed Cup?
NA LI: Good question. I don't know because Federation didn't contact me right now.

Q. What do you think about the power of Slovak team?
NA LI: In China you see two girls in the semifinal.

Q. But you're not coming maybe.
NA LI: How do you know?

Q. You just said you haven't been contacted?
NA LI: Maybe I just fly direct there. You never know. Federation always decide last second.

Q. So it's still possible?
NA LI: Yeah.

Q. How famous are you in China? Who's the most famous Chinese sports woman?
NA LI: Many. I don't know, because now I didn't stay long time in China. So I don't know how is it. You can ask the China media who is it? I think it was diamond.

Q. Being down two match points in the second set against Szavay, if someone told you at that time that you go all the way to semifinal beating Venus, would you believe?
NA LI: No, actually -- no, I would think I was down in the match point, and after I turn the match. Then in China we say if you have tough time and then you return back, maybe have good luck for after. So I still believe that, yeah.

Q. This is a very difficult technical question I'm asking you.
NA LI: Okay.

Q. When did you change the color of your hair?
NA LI: Where?

Q. When.
NA LI: Two month. No, I always change.

Q. Many times?
NA LI: Many, many, many times.

Q. Why?
NA LI: Just want to see different. Yeah. You should try, too. (Laughter.)

Q. You've spoken about how you have to pay less prize money to the state Federation. What are some of the other differences, advantages or disadvantages, of being on your own?
NA LI: Because right now I was feeling good because I have my team come with me. And then because I'm lazy, so right now if I didn't want practice I just tell my team, We take day off.
Before, if I was come with national team, I say, Can I take a day off, and maybe they say no to me.
So this was good for me right now. Also, before -- right now I have to booking like flight ticket and reservation for the hotel. Before Federation do everything.
It was different, but I would say thank you for them give me the choice, and I have more experience for the tennis. Yeah.

Q. Are you good friend with Jie Zheng?
NA LI: Why not? Yes. We are always friend.

Q. Very good ones? Do you go out for dinner with her?
NA LI: We can go for dinner. We can go shopping. We can go...

Q. Good friends?
NA LI: Yes. We are not against.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297