Indian Wells (USA): China’s Li Na is loving her tennis life, despite elevated expectations and an inevitable smattering of nay-sayers who still think her two Grand Slam titles are a fluke.
“Of course I always hear a lot,” the world number two said Monday after booking her fourth-round berth at the Indian Wells hardcourt tournament with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Czech Karolina Pliskova.
“So many people say ‘Oh, she’s lucky.’ After I won the French, after I won in Australia, they say ‘Oh, she’s lucky, she cannot win anymore, blah, blah, blah.
“I say, that’s OK, doesn’t matter. I already have two (Grand Slams) in my pocket. Nobody can take it. I still love tennis life, I don’t care what other people say.”
The world number two is the top seed at Indian Wells for the first time, and admitted it was a different feeling.
“I try to feel the same, but it is different. Before if I came to a tournament maybe I was like number six or number seven seed. Now it’s high attention, everyone is focused (on me).” (AFP)