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SHANGHAI ROLEX MASTERS


October 8, 2013


Mao-Xin Gong


SHANGHAI, CHINA

P. KOHLSCHREIBER/M. Gong
7‑5, 6‑2


THE MODERATOR:  Questions in Chinese, please.

Q.  Maybe you can talk about the first set.  You actually had advantages.  What happened?
MAO-XIN GONG:  Well, I think the most important reason is that he has a much higher ranking and he has been playing high‑level matches.  So his treatment of those key points are much better than what I can do.

Q.  Today you are faced against a very good player with a good backhand.
MAO-XIN GONG:  I think it's okay.  Roger is my idol.

Q.  What about Zhang Ze playing with Roger Federer?
MAO-XIN GONG:  I think this is a really good chance that all Chinese players look forward to.

Q.  What do you think of this match?
MAO-XIN GONG:  Personally I think I did pretty well.  Also my match with Li Zhe in the China Open was good.  After the national games, I took a rest.  So maybe physically it's not as good.  I can't play long matches.

Q.  Zhang Ze said in the next two years his objective is to make sure his ranking can be in the top 100.  What are your plans for the next two years?
MAO-XIN GONG:  For the next two years I hope I have a lot of possibility to have a doubles ranking in the top 100.

Q.  In the beginning of the year Wu Di at the Australian Open was the first to be a qualified player.  I wonder whether you have had any communication with him, whether you admired him having that opportunity?
MAO-XIN GONG:  Well, last year he worked very hard to gain that opportunity with the wild card.  Of course, I really hope that this year I can have the same opportunity with the wild card in Wimbledon.

Q.  Do you have a fixed partner for doubles to make sure your ranking can be in the top 100?
MAO-XIN GONG:  Li Zhe and I have similar thoughts.  We'll work with each other this year to see what happens.  In the China Open, we worked very well.
Ever since we work with each other in Shanghai and in the China Open, well, we can sustain till the third set.

Q.  Zhang Ze and you are from the same Jiang Su team.  Has Zhang Ze told you any funny stories of playing with Roger?
MAO-XIN GONG:  Not yet.  He is very busy.  Usually in the lounge we can meet each other but we don't have a lot of time to chat a lot.
Maybe after the Shanghai Rolex Masters, when we go back to Nanjing, we'll have time to talk more.

Q.  This season is approaching the end.  What is your plan for the Australian Open wild card matches?  Also for next year, what type of matches do you want to play?  What is your plan for a higher ranking?
MAO-XIN GONG:  This year I have two more tournaments, the Chinese game and then the wild card game.  Of course, it will depend on the national team arrangement talking about next year, of course.
I do hope that I can have more ATP challengers and gain more points to have more opportunities to enter bigger tournaments.
Of course, that's what I think.  Also, we have other factors to consider.

Q.  In the past two years if you look at the Chinese men's team, they have a lot of people's attention.  Investment is also bigger.  Any feelings on your part?
MAO-XIN GONG:  Yes, in terms of input, investment, that's much more than in the past.  We also had more opportunities to gain the wild card to enter the ATP 500 and 1000s.  We wasted some opportunities, but we also seized some good opportunities.
We're working very hard to try to narrow the gap between us and top players in the world.

Q.  After the national games in China, the Jiang Su team sent a letter to the provincial government to try to increase investment in tennis.  Also the letter mentioned inviting coaches for you and Zhang Ze.  What is the plan?  Will there be any plan to give you a personal trainer?
MAO-XIN GONG:  I'm not sure about that because after the national games I gave myself a long break.  Because of the Asian Youth Games, I didn't talk in‑depth with my leaders about this.
I think maybe we will increase the investment a little bit because it will be hard if we rely solely on the investment from the team.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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