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DONGFENG MOTOR WUHAN OPEN


September 22, 2014


Shuai Peng


WUHAN, CHINA

M. BARTHEL/S. Peng
6‑2, 7‑6


THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

Q.  (Through translation.)  My question is what do you think of your current form?  I mean, compared with your form in the US Open when you advanced to the last four.
SHUAI PENG:  (Through translation.)  Well, this year I played many matches on different kinds of courts, so it's really hard to compare US Open with the Wuhan Open.  Before the US Open I did not even know where I could possibly get until it turned out, so they're different events.

Q.  (Through translation.)  In US Open you suffered from like cramps or injuries or strokes and something else, so currently are you feeling that you are physically comfortable, and are you prepared for the upcoming Asia Pacific season?
SHUAI PENG:  (Through translation.)  After the US Open I took some days off and made some adjustments and thus restoring my physic and training.  But the training did not last very long, because I took only two weeks off and rested for like one week.
So I was recovering very slowly.  Generally speaking, I think there are no major serious problems that is hard to guarantee that you are immune to injuries.

Q.  (Through translation.)  Now with Li Na's retirement, all of a sudden you have become the leader of China's tennis and even the best female player in Asia.  Does that put a lot of pressure on you?
SHUAI PENG:  (Through translation.)  Since my days in NewYork when I was playing US Open, I was surrounded by topics and the questions about retirement of Li Na.  And after I played in the semifinal of US Open, even larger number of people compared me with Li Na.  Some foreign medias even said that I was living under the shadow of Li Na, and when I got back to Wuhan to play this event, I was asked even more questions about Li Na's retirement.  So all of a sudden I felt a little tired because I have always been surrounded by topics about Li Na.
I have repeated many times but nobody was willing to listen, so here I would like to reiterate just once more:  Li Na is a great player and she has brought many surprises for Chinese people.  The decision to retire is nothing uncommon for a tennis player.  For my part, I just want to train and take part in matches and championships and events.
I remember four years ago we played in the Asian Games together, and that was the last time Li Na and I have worked together.  So I do not want to talk a lot about questions like who is the best player in China's tennis.  I just want to be myself and play my matches and get better training, just like that.

Q.  (Through translation.)  Just now you mentioned US Open and the Wuhan Open are different.  How do you evaluate your first match in Wuhan Open?  How will you rate your performance here?  Another question:  On the court, out of the court, many fans and many people are encouraging you when you are standing on the court.  Is there anything that you want to say to the tennis fans here?
SHUAI PENG:  (Through translation.)  About my performance today, I would say I was not at my best, but still I was not playing too bad.
My opponent was very strong.  She served very good, and she had presented very good performance.  In the second set, actually I took the lead for some time and I broke a service game of my opponent's, but after that, there was no opportunities for me to break another game, so that is all about my first game, first match in Wuhan.
Actually, I wanted to play better, but this in return placed a great pressure on my shoulder and even make me very hesitant and made some wrong decisions.
Of course the fans here were quite enthusiastic in the first Wuhan Open, and this event was actually impossible without Li Na, so I hope that I can play better in the double matches or in next year's Wuhan Open.  So I want to say to all fans, thank you, thank you very much.

Q.  (Through translation.)  My question is after the US Open, do you have any plans to improve your physic?
SHUAI PENG:  (Through translation.)  Not only after the US Open but also throughout my career, over the years and also in this year, I made a lot of efforts to improve my physical strength and other skills and capabilities in all‑around ways, so I have always been training very hard.

Q.  (Through translation.)  After your injury in US Open, you have been very active in training and recovering.  My question is, first, are you still in the middle of adjustment, and secondly, how do you look forward to the China Open in Beijing and the Tianjin Open?  Because Tianjin is your hometown.
SHUAI PENG:  (Through translation.)  Actually, in every game I hope that I can play my best, but in fact there are many uncontrollable factors in each game.  But still, I try to train very hard.
As for the prospects of China Open, Tianjin Open, of course I hope that I can play better in China Open.  And Tianjin is my hometown, and this year is the first time for Tianjin to host a WTA tournament, so also I hope that I can present a better performance there.

Q.  (Through translation.)  According to the draw, you have a new partner for the double matches.  What is your goal?  And secondly, about the final to be held in Singapore, again, have you set any objectives for this final?
SHUAI PENG:  (Through translation.)  Yeah, I have a new partner in Wuhan, a player from Czech.  It has nothing to do with Su‑Wei Hsieh my original partner, because when we played matches in Canada, my new partner came and asked me whether I was willing to play together with her in Wuhan.
So Su‑Wei Hsieh and I just departed naturally.  But still we will play together in the double matches in Singapore because we made the promise that we will play out the matches of this year.  Of course the match in Beijing will be an exception.
Next year she will find a new partner, and I will also find a new one, but currently I am not sure who she will be.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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