TENNIS – As Billie Jean King, once said, pressure is a privilege. But for Li Na, the great expectations of being a top seed is tough. She has been in unchartered territory in Indian Wells. It is the first time in her career she has been seeded No 1. And she feels the pressure. From Indian Wells, Lucia Hoffman for Tennisvista
Love her, love her, love her! Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
As Billie Jean King, once said, pressure is a privilege. But for Li Na, the great expectations of being a top seed is tough. She has been in unchartered territory in Indian Wells. It is the first time in her career she has been seeded No 1. And she feels the pressure.
“Always tough” she says. “Because first time to be top seed in a big tournament and never have, how do you say, experience before.”
“I try feeling the same, but it is different, you know.”
She tries to describe the types of pressure she feels as the top seed and the expectations attached to it.”
“I think it is everything. Before if I come to tournament, maybe I was like No 6 or No 7 seed, you know, now is high attention, everyone is focused.”
Overall, Li Na is happy with her progress in the tournament.
“Yes, at least I can win the last point, and still, stay in the tournament.” She says.
It took Li Na 10 match points opportunities and 21 minutes to finish the last game but eventually, she did. Na won 6-1, 6-4 3 deficit to reach the quarterfinals for the third time in Indian Wells.
She was asked if 11 is a lucky number in Chinese numerology, since she needed 11 match points to win the match. Apparently not until today, as Li Na replies:
“Oh, I have 11? Wow. Yeah, she’s pretty good. She save a lot of match points. Only I can say.”
“The funny thing is beginning of the game I was feeling tight, nervous, and then I was feeling like what’s going on? Why can’t I finish the match? “
Li Na also had a controversial bad call during the match.
“The coach was like, Calm down, calm down. I was like, How can I calm down? “ she says.
Li Na is often reminded of a match at Wimbledon which she didn’t challenge a bad call and lost the match. So now, very often, she will challenge calls she thinks its wrong. So, no surprise that happened yesterday in Indian Wells.
“But at least I have good eye or I still keep it for challenging. If I didn’t have challenging anymore I cannot have a chance.” Li Na explains.
In her press conference she mentioned that: “I even didn’t shower. I come to the press conference. Yeah (smiling).”
Li Na also answered a few more questions:
BEING FROM WORLD’ BIGGEST COUNTRY:
“I cannot make every single person understand how the sport is. If you are doing the sport, for sure you know, you cannot win all the times.”
TENNIS IN CHINA:
“Still have to improve a lot.”
ON BEING LUCKY:
“I’m already have two in my pocket. Nobody takes it.”
AS LONG AS YOU LOVE IT:
“I still continue my love to tennis life, so I just continue to do that. I don’t care how the other people say.”
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS, WUHAN IN CHINA:
“It is a huge city. It is a very special city for me. i was born there, grow up in there.”
COACH:
“Yes, of course, I will talk to Carlos after, because until now we still haven’t seen each other. We will talk about the serve later.”
Being a two time Grand Slam Champion and one of the best players in the world ads to the pressure Li Na feels on the tour. But for the fans, all they have to do is: love her, love her, love her!
From Indian Wells, Lucia Hoffman
