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TEB BNP PARIBAS WTA CHAMPIONSHIPSOctober 26, 2013Na LiISTANBUL, TURKEY N. LI/P. Kvitova THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Good performance, obviously, tonight. Straight sets. So what were you most happy with in terms of how you played today? NA LI: I catch my goal, top 3 in the world. So this is a beginning of the year; the goal was at the beginning of the year. I don't know, lucky or happy in the last tournament I make it, so pretty good ending for 2013. Q. How much did that play on your mind when you were trying to serve out the match just what was at stake? NA LI: I didn't think about anything when I was serve for the match. If I think too much, maybe I already lose the games (smiling). You know, special after China Open Carlos was ‑‑we have pretty long talk, and he say, Hey, look, if you can be the semis, you are No. 4. If you can be the final, you are No. 3, so you catch your goal. I was like, Sounds easy. He say, Yeah, but you have to do what you say. Don't say what you do. I was like, Okay. It's tough. It's tough talking against him (laughter). Q. Are there any other goals in this year that you haven't achieved yet? NA LI: Beginning of year is another question or be the top 3, and now I catch the top 3. Tomorrow is the last match. So enjoy and have good vacation. This is my goal now. Q. You're going to have a big match possibly against Serena. You played her in the US Open‑‑ NA LI: Yeah. Q. ‑‑ not so long ago. What do you need to do differently? How do you need to go into that match mentally to win? NA LI: I think easy way I didn't see her at all, because I think in US Open already lose the match before I come to the court. So, yeah. Maybe now I have to try to focus on what I should do on the court, not focus what she do on the court, you know. So I have to try to play my game, is not follow her. Q. I'm just wondering why top 3 was your specific goal. Because it's a good number, or this makes you the highest‑ranked Asian woman ever, higher than Kimiko Date who was No. 4 before. NA LI: I like to be the first, you know. No, because the highest ranking is 4, so, you know, I want to improve a little bit, so like step by step. Q. Next goal 2? NA LI: Why not? (Shrugging.) Q. Carlos was saying that the important thing for you against the good players, especially Serena, is to unlock yourself and play freely with enthusiasm and not get so tight inside. Can you talk about that? NA LI: I think this is, I don't know, maybe is different, Chinese and Western, because I think the Western people, they like to share how you feeling now. But I don't know how is Chinese, but for myself, if I feeling something, I never try to talk to the team. I always block, you know. I always feeling I'm strong enough, I can fix everything. But this is ‑‑I think this is weakness. So I think the real strong person, if they feeling something, for sure, they will speak out, because they find to someone can help them to make even more stronger. So that's why I was feeling every time I talk to Carlos I was feeling terrible, you know. I was feeling no secret in front of him. But now I was feeling much better, because I try to, how do you say, open my mind a little bit to share the feeling. Q. He's saying, too, that on court, opening yourself and speaking and showing players like Serena who you are and how you can play is what you need to do. Can you talk about that a little. NA LI: I think in the tour no one's like Serena. Everyone is different. If he really want to I can more like Serena, maybe he should teach me ‑‑ Q. Not like Serena, but showing the confidence and the belief on court to convince you that you can beat her. NA LI: I always try, but sometimes didn't work, you know. And also, I think when I was grew up, the way I cannot to show how good I am, because when ‑‑I think when I was start to play tennis, when I win a tournament, the coach was so tough. If I win a tournament and next day I was training, if I mistake, for sure she would say, What? You just win one tournament. Are you thinking you can win another one? Why didn't you like train harder, you know? I think she always punch me the time, so that's why. I didn't have a confident to show how good I am. Q. What do you remember about when you beat Serena in Stuttgart? What do you remember about that match? NA LI: I lost first set 6‑Love. I think it was pretty good comeback, yeah. Yeah. Q. Do you remember playing any strategy different against her particularly that worked that you haven't used in more recent matches, I guess? NA LI: No, because win the match, I was like, Okay, I win. I didn't even know what happen. Just win the match. Q. Do you watch a lot of Serena's matches on TV or at tournaments or anything? Is she a player you watch when you're not playing her? NA LI: Sometimes I will watch. But, you know, because opponent was different, for sure, she was hit the ball also different. It's tough to see exactly. Q. You said that just now that at the US Open she had beaten you before you even walked on the court. Is there any player that you have ever felt like that about, or is Serena the only person that has that kind of mental power over you? NA LI: I don't think another player give me the same feeling, you know. Actually, when I was walking to the court, I was still feeling confident, but after one or two game, I couldn't find the rhythm doing the match against Serena in the US Open. So that's why after I was lose the first set, I was like, Okay, what you can do? Like I have the time to thinking about. Q. Why will it be different this time? Why will you not feel beaten this time before you start? NA LI: Yeah, don't look at her at all, you know. (Smiling). Q. Do you feel like you have nothing to lose tomorrow? It's the last match of the year, not a slam. NA LI: Yeah, of course. Tomorrow is the last day for the season. After tomorrow, I have vacation. So this is the, how do you say, most exciting timing, you know, for me. Q. So do you think that that will allow you to play easier, more relaxed, more focused because there is little pressure on you tomorrow? NA LI: I don't think pressure, no pressure at all. Yeah. I feel relaxed because I catch the goal last match for the season. Q. Connors said that you serve and volley a lot in practice, but not really on the court you do it at the end of games at 40‑15. Do you think you could ever be down break point and come to the net, serve and volley, or is that too scary? Connors said that you serve and volley a lot in practice, but you don't do it as much in the match still. Do you think you could ever be down break point and serve and volley? NA LI: I mean, he teach me how to do serve/volley. I have to see the timing. I'm not stupid. I have to do it all the time, you know. I have to see the score and then choose the right timing to do that. Yeah. Q. A lot of players will say they have nothing to lose, but for someone who has won a Grand Slam and is top 3, can you really go into a match and feel like no big deal, win, lose, I don't care either way? NA LI: I didn't feeling there, you know, because I want to win the match. For sure, I will care something. If, like tomorrow, yeah, I can say nothing to lose, but before, you know, I have to say ‑‑I always will try to tell myself, Okay, you try to win the match. You know, I don't know. Maybe some players they are feeling more free so they can say like nothing to lose. Maybe everyone is different. I don't know. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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