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CHINA OPEN


October 3, 2012


Shuai Peng


BEIJING, CHINA

THE MODERATOR:  Questions in Chinese, please.

Q.  Actually, it's a pity that especially when you're moving towards point 10, why you lose point because you do have, in first set, you do have a very good performance.  How do you make a summary to this doubles in China Open this year?  And actually, you would have sort of a chemical reaction with Hantuchova, so are you considering to invite her to partner with you next time?
SHUAI PENG:  We haven't been working together for quite a long time, and especially the opponent have a very good cooperation with each other.  They do have a systematic training before.
In the second set we were very much close in terms of the score.  I think, according to my impression, when they, you know, the point is 6‑6, I think both parties have wonderful performance.
Well, we're going to have a tiebreak.  I'm not sure what's going on there.  Probably we are a little bit nervous.  That's why we are always working pretty hard to win.  The problem is that's why it's a little bit rush.

Q.  I noticed that you have belt over your shoulder.  How is your physical fitness?  Seems like when you traveled to Germany for the physical treatment, the doctor was introduced to you by Li Na.  Can you tell us about this?
SHUAI PENG:  I have already tremendously improved a lot in terms of my injury to now.  Actually, indeed the doctor was introduced by Li Na.  He has already give advices and treatment to a lot of players.
He's very much special in giving treatment.  My fitness now is much better than I was in March and April.  The reason why I have to use a belt during the match is that still it will protect me.
Actually, I don't feel very much comfortable in my right shoulder.  When I play together with Wickmayer, I had already had some injury in that match.  I'm not sure what might be the reason.  Probably it's just right after the injection.
Actually, my racquet is heavier than the other female players, so I don't have too much time to have a complete recovery.  I just got four to five days off between US Open and Guang‑Zhou Open, so two days before the Guang‑Zhou Open, I played some matches, but it is not complete recovered.
After I finish the Olympic Game in London, I always feel very much exhausted, but I always stick to the participation of the tournament.

Q.  Tomorrow you're going to fight against Li Na.  We are all smiling.  Why do you smile?  Can you tell us, how do you feel in terms of the previous matches with Li Na before?  How are you going to try to prepare for the upcoming matches?
SHUAI PENG:  Actually, last year ‑‑ I played twice with her last year.  One was in Indian Wells; one is Montreal.  Actually, for matches we have to fight against each other regularly, but actually, to be frank, I don't have too much time or too much frequency to fight against Li Na.
When Li Na played against Petrova, I think you can tell easily she has already demonstrated very good performance.  I think I will wish for the best tomorrow.

Q.  Did you still remember the first year for you to fight against Li Na?  Did you remember the first match between you and Li Na?  At that time you were only 14 years old; she was 18.
SHUAI PENG:  When was that?  Or where was it?

Q.  Actually, it's a domestic tournament.
SHUAI PENG:  It is domestic tournament.  I was still very much young at that time.  Of course I was defeated by her at that time.

Q.  I want to ask you that Li Na has already made a lot of improvement.  During the break she's going to take a look at the note, so do you think what kind of, you know, strategy she will adopt, will she write down in her note?
SHUAI PENG:  Well, I think that's really challenging for me to figure out what she will take down on her note.  I will never ever know.
I think that's really difficult to guess or to figure out.  I don't know.

Q.  (Off microphone.)
     A.In the match I will try my best to play my best.

Q.  You know, Zhang Shuai says that she didn't now how to continue a professional career.  As a professional player, what kind of advice do you give to her?
SHUAI PENG:  I personally believe that for the professional tennis career in China, including me, Li Na, Zheng Jie, Yan Zi , actually, we four are taking professional road.  But we need more junior players to play here in China and that of the world.
But it's really challenging, to be frank.  Because the system is not that developed as that of the Europeans and Americans, and actually we don't have the fitness coaches either.  You can tell easily that we have already invited some coaches to coach us in terms of the physical fitness.
Another question is where to, you know, invite the foreign coaches.  So that's a huge question for us, as well.  Another part is actually how are you going to try to approach the agent company.  For professional players, you have to work out sources of revenue, which can enable you to afford the invitation or employment of agent and coaches.
That's a lot of money, including travel expenses, hotel, and airfares, and also how to negotiate with the sponsor with regarding to the signing of contract.
Even the contract get registered or signed.  How are you supposed to get money?  For example, one sponsor promised me to sponsor me to play international.  Unfortunately I didn't got the money eventually.  So that's a big problem.
How are you going to do that?  Are you going to try to start a lawsuit against the sponsor?  No way.
I think the best way for us to take a professional way is to introduce step‑by‑step mentality. But I think in order to make it possible, you have to be courageous enough, and most importantly we have to give support to those young juniors.

Q.  I know that when you played doubles, your partner is always changing.  Among your partners, Schiavone and Lisicki and Zheng Jie are partners.  What kind of partners will be most comfortable when you play or partner with them?  Are you going to try to consider their ranking level or the characteristics of playing tennis?
SHUAI PENG:  First of all, we have to, you know, take ranking into consideration.  If we fail to work together, definitely we can't, you know, continue our match.
Previously I used to partner with Lisicki.  By end of last year in Australian Open, we have establish a partnership temporarily but I got some injury.  That's why I didn't get direct partner.
After the Olympic Game her father came to talk to Allen, and Allen talk to me.  Then we reach agreement.
Hantuchova promised to partner with me for Tokyo tournament, but at that time when Hantuchova played in Canada, she got injured.  I'm not sure whether she can continue to partner with me.
And then, after that, Hantuchova talked to me, asked me whether or not I'm very much willing to partner with her in China Open, as promised.
Pretty much when I partner with Zheng Jie and also prior to Olympic Game in London, during the practice, they would ask some male players to train my dropshot, but after I work or partner with them, I think they are really good at serving or back baseline.
But for my partner with Hantuchova is very much different.  Actually, we do have a very good performance here today.  We do have the opportunity, as well.
Unfortunately our opponent have already been partnering with each other for quite a long time.  They're very much familiar with each other.  Anyway, it's a pity.
THE MODERATOR:  English questions.

Q.  I know that you and Li Na used to train together and live together.  Are you two still friends?  Do you still talk to each other often away from the courts?
SHUAI PENG:  We didn't living together.  Sorry, because we're from different city.  I think maybe I'm in Hunan.  I think she was in Hubei.  Before, in Chinese team, like we're training together, but that was like about maybe six, seven years ago.
And before, like in China's team, we're like roommate before, but yeah, and then but still is long time like when I junior at the time, yeah.

Q.  (In Chinese.)  After Li Na changed to new coaches she made a lot of improvements.  Actually Li Na is coached by Carlos right now.  She has already made a lot of changes.  According to a personal perspective, how much do you think one coach can change a player?
SHUAI PENG:  I think a coach is really important.  However, for different players they have different characteristics.  They have different personality.
When I look for the right coaches, I have to make sure that whether they are suited for me or not.  Sometimes we think to look for a coach is something like looking for a boyfriend.  Actually, coach stay together longer than even my family did.
I didn't approach with Li Na's coach before.  I know he used to be the coach of Henin.  I think I personally believe ‑‑ it seems he's very much patient, unlike some other coaches who might talk, you know, loudly, but it seems that Li Na's coach is always very much patient.  He's always talking gently during the tournament.

Q.  (In English.)  What kind of an atmosphere do you expect tomorrow with these players playing in their home country?
SHUAI PENG:  I know maybe we play like night match, like I heard it was like 7:30.  Then from now there will still be a long time, get a good rest, because these couple days I play every day like one match.
Then I feel now my body was a little bit tired.  But tomorrow the match, I think I will be like really focused and try my best in the court.  Yeah.

Q.  What kind of turnout do you expect from the fans?
SHUAI PENG:  Well, I think they are cheering for both players.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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