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January 14, 2011

Na Li

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

N. LI/K. Clijsters
7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How does that feel?
NA LI: Great. (Thumbs up). I mean, after win tournament, of course. Yeah, you know, I was play here many years. Every time I saw the name of the champion every year, I think about, Oh, when my name can should be there?
And also you can walking the center court, you can see many pictures over there. So after today I was talk to my team. Oh, we come next year and we can see my picture over there also.
Yeah, feels great.

Q. This is the first premier event you've won. Is it the best you feel you've won?
NA LI: I mean, after win you always think is the best. So, yeah, but just beginning -- I mean, beginning the set she gave my a lot pressure, so that's why I was like, how you say, I lose my concentration.
I just follow what she do. Yeah.

Q. Were you quite nervous at the start? There was a few double faults.
NA LI: Yeah, should be a little bit because, you know, final. Of course it's different like first round, second round. Yeah, after a few, yeah, getting better.

Q. What was the turning moment for you?
NA LI: I don't know. Maybe just one second, because I was 5-Love down and I saw the time. You know, only like 15 minutes. I was like, Yeah, the fans, they pay a lot of money for half hour the match is over. (Smiling.)

Q. Did you genuinely think you could come back from 5-Love down?
NA LI: No, I didn't believe. Yeah, but after -- I mean, I do it. Yeah, but after I was feel like, Okay, I don't know. Maybe just change like maybe like one or two points. So just like change, turn around like that.
Yeah.

Q. Going into the tiebreak, did you feel like you were on top given that you had come back and Kim had only won one of the six previous games?
NA LI: Yeah, I mean, if come to the tiebreaker we have the same. So for me, still have chance to win the first set, because not like 5-Love down.
Yeah, in the tiebreak I just saying, Yeah, now is your chance. Yeah.

Q. How is the confidence now heading into next week?
NA LI: (Smiling.) Yeah, I mean, I only can exciting for two hours, because, I mean, you know, tomorrow is the next day, new start already.
So Sydney tournament is over, so I have to focus on Melbourne. You couldn't say, Oh, I win Sydney; maybe I can take one set in Melbourne. This is no chance. So I still have like two hours. Yeah, so after these two hours, I just forget everything and have to start next day.
Yeah.

Q. Did Kim seem a little rattled to you? Was it not just your performance, but did she kind of lose it a bit as well?
NA LI: (Through translation.) I think she know the way how I was play because we play many times. Yeah. I mean, yeah.

Q. Has this one given you belief that you can win the Australian Open now?
NA LI: Yeah, maybe a little bit. (Smiling.)

Q. More than before tonight?
NA LI: Yeah, more than five days before. (Laughter.)

Q. Is it just a confidence factor? You just feel...
NA LI: Yeah, maybe right now I can say - how you say - more confident on the court or more believe I can do much better.
Yeah, but you couldn't say, Okay, after I win one tournament you can win next one. Always like focus on the next tournament or next -- on the tennis court. You couldn't think about I win the last week, because tennis is amazing sport.
If you lose - how you say? Not like another sport. Maybe whole the year, only two or three tournament. But for tennis, after you lose this one, maybe three days later you can play same opponent again.
So, yeah, this is different.

Q. Was there anything you identified in Kim's game that you discussed with your team that you thought you could attack or matchup pretty well against her?
NA LI: For me, just nothing lose, so I don't need think about win or lose. So I just say, Okay I just try, always try on the court.
I didn't, how you say, put a lot pressure for myself. Yeah.

Q. Is it also a case of beating Kim Clijsters? Talking about confidence again. It wasn't someone else, it was Kim Clijsters. Do you think that has given you a little push now?
NA LI: (Through translation.) I mean, of course I was exciting I can beat her. I know she's good player.
And also I was thinking I was playing in Belgium, because whole crowd was for her. She's famous here and also all over the world. Yeah.
I mean, I beat her today, but that doesn't mean anything I can beat her tomorrow. We still have a chance to -- yeah.

Q. She said that you should be considered a contender at Grand Slams, but that you sometimes get a bit nervous.
NA LI: Yeah?

Q. Do you think a win like this will help you in the later stages of a Grand Slam?
NA LI: Yeah, I mean, after today maybe I should think about, yeah, I should even better than before.
I mean, I just win today, and I win the title just beginning of the year. Just mean I have a good, how you say, good energy right now. Yeah. I wish, but you never know.

Q. There's a lot that was made this week with you and your husband. Have you had a chance to talk with him yet? What was his reaction to your win?
NA LI: No, I didn't say anything. He just say, Look at your serve. So bad. I was like, Come on. I just win tournament. You should say something good like for me. But he say nothing good.
He always like -- like if I think I didn't play good, he say, Oh, yeah this is good. We can keep going. But I think I was play good, he always find something wrong for me.
So, yeah, doesn't matter on the court or off the court, we are always fighting. (Smiling.)

Q. Haven't you ever thought about taking a new coach then?
NA LI: No. I mean, I never think I will take a new coach. I think me and my husband always fighting, but I think we are working well. The team is going well. So until now I never think I should find a new coach.
Because right now, I mean, we have more communication. If something wrong or right, we just can talk straightaway.
Yeah.

Q. Have you ever thought about taking a new husband? (Laughter.)
NA LI: (Smiling.) Not yet.

Q. Not yet?
NA LI: (Through translation.) No. No. No. Yeah, because just after match, because my physio stretch for me, and he say, Oh, I stay in the upstairs. I say, What? Oh, I take some beer. I just wait for you.
I say, Okay, see you. So, yeah, I mean, he just take the beer for himself. I save my money. Yeah.

End of FastScripts

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