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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPENAugust 17, 2013Na LiCINCINNATI, OHIO S. WILLIAMS/N. Li THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Li Na, pretty good week for you. You got to the semifinals in Cincinnati. How are you feeling? NA LI: I think last year is better. Yeah, I mean, I was‑‑ even for this week, I was pretty happy the way I hit the ball on the court, especially today's match. I mean, even lose the first set, I do try to come to the net as much as I can. At least after I lose the match, I'm not like before, so sad because I think I can do even more better. Today I already tried my best. Maybe I still have some chance. I didn't catch it, but, I mean, I can do even more. Q. It seems like you were moving‑‑ I've seen a couple of your matches this week, but it seems like you're moving very fast. Do you feel like you've gotten faster? NA LI: Maybe I lose a little bit of weight. No. I mean, I don't know. I was a little bit shocked as well today. I had like two long points, and at the end I win the point. I was like, wow, over 31 years old and still can run so fast. So, yeah, that means I have good physical. I was fit. I think I'm ready. Q. Do you feel like you've gotten faster than you were before, though? NA LI: I don't know. I was feeling the same. Because I didn't do like special like exercise for the running. Q. Na, I know you mentioned that you were working with your serve with Carlos, changing a few things. So today a couple of unfortunate double faults. NA LI: Yes. And in important times. Q. Yes, exactly. Talk about that. Is that a technical issue, or was it nervous? NA LI: I mean, but at least I know I can find something I can improve on, right? Because next week I will have a week off. So I will be in New York. Also from this match I see another thing where I should improve a lot, and which thing I was doing pretty good and should continue. So I have a whole week to prepare for that. Q. On those set points, do you think it was more mental for the double faults there? NA LI: No. Before the point, it was already killing me. I was running. I don't know, maybe running help the footwork. It was a little bit tough to breathe, and also only 20 seconds. So you couldn't really like‑‑ how you say‑‑ fast recover. Q. Did you have a hard time shaking off the loss of those games at 5‑4 in each of the first and second sets? I mean, you were serving for them. NA LI: No. I mean, the first set, I didn't think about it, but when the second set, after I was losing my serve game, I was thinking about‑‑ how you say‑‑ I was thinking about all what happened, like always thinking because that's why. And also, Carlos was training me a lot for the brain because I always think about the negative things. So he try to help me to think about other ways. So even 5‑All, I still try to talk to myself, ItÂ’s okay, it's 5‑All, you still have a chance. Even right now, every changeover, I always talk to myself. I say, come on, believe in yourself. You can do that. I don't think this has happened before. Q. Li Na, how does he train to you do that? Are there certain things, like exercises he does? NA LI: It's‑‑ how you say‑‑ in the beginning, it's very tough because Carlos would like to talk to me straightaway, you know. So that's why I was a little bit scared to talk to him. When every match, finish your match. But beginning the talk is very tough because it's not only about tennis, it's other than tennis, maybe so many things from the inside, pretty deep, maybe I didn't even know about myself. But after now I try to share with him or the whole team, I was feeling much, much better. So he also‑‑ sometimes he give me some exercises training for the brain as well. Q. Li Na, how surprised would you be if Serena didn't win the US Open? It seems like she's been playing so well this year. It seems like she's reallyperforming ‑‑ unless you win, obviously. NA LI: If she wins, she wins. This is a sport. You never know before. You have to see what happens for the next two weeks before the US Open because, I mean, right now for the whole tour, so many players like‑‑ I think‑‑ because this year, no one was put out, right? So all the top 20 players, all the top 50 players was there. So I was feeling, yeah, maybe everyone has a chance to see who's better on the court. Q. Li Na, how are tournaments different for you when Carlos is traveling with you? NA LI: I was feeling, if he was traveling with me, I was feeling more safe because, even looking to my team, I know he's always there like support me. Of course, also my husband is supporting me, but they're more like gentlemen. Carlos is more exciting. And also different is, if Carlos was traveling with me, every match we would talk about how's the match going, how to prepare for next match. If husband‑‑ this is another story because, I mean, I didn't like to talk to him about the tennis. Yeah, I think I'm better than him, but he think he's better than me. Q. What did you think about the crowd tonight? It was a full stadium type match. Fun? NA LI: Pretty good. I was pretty enjoy to play really. Q. So what was the first thing that you will do when you get to New York? NA LI: Rest. I mean, because I have one week, so I think I will take one or two days at least to recover for the body. Of course have to enjoy New York first and then tennis. Q. What do you do to enjoy New York other than shopping? NA LI: I think shopping for me is more important. Or find a good restaurant. Q. Do you have a favorite store in New York? NA LI: I mean, for me, I don't have any like favorite store. I like to go every store. I mean, for the women, we didn't prefer only for shoes or bags. We prefer everything. Q. If you could pick two things that were positive from this tournament that can help you at The Open, what would they be? NA LI: I mean, at least now, even now serve volley, I was more confident, not like in Wimbledon. I was shaken a little bit. Otherwise, doesn't matter how's the score. I always continue to do what I have in the game plan. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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