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World No.2 Li Na is in Rome this week for the Italian Open.
This afternoon she sat down with the press to talk about her time so far in the Italian capital and at Foro Italico.

What’s your first impression, have you seen anything changed?
Na: Yes. I have been on the Spanish square, such a beautiful area, I’ve never been there. I’ve always been court, shops, hotel.

You still have little time to cultivate your culture? You normally go to see something or not?
Na: Yes, of course. I have to. Otherwise, you cannot focus 24 hours on tennis and you have to relax.

What about these tennis courts? Are they fast, low…
Na: Every tournament is different. Different city. You have to give yourself time to prepare for that.

How do you rate your week. Is that a good start for you?
Na: Very good. It was (Madrid, ndr) my first clay tournament and I think I had few chances with Maria. I don’t think I’ve played very bad. I was feeling pretty high level for the whole match and I am looking forward for the next time.

Who you are most worried about the players playing here and Paris: Serena, Maria, you?
Na: Everyone has a chance when the tournament starts. I think everyone will try to do their best, but we are never going to say who’s the best.

How’s the knee after the break you have after Miami?
Na: Pretty good. I mean, I was a little bit worried about my knee after Miami, so I was straight away to Munich to see a doctor and he told me that everything was ok.

When you read that you are the 3rd or 2nd most known people in China. Do you believe it?
Na: Before I trust newspapers but after I never watch newspaper anymore because I can find so many wrong things. They always write what they want to write. Honestly, now that I am popular I am …..[not comprehensible].

Do you think people understand you better now than before?
Na: No, I see two differences: like or hate. Nothing between. When my book was out on the market, people know many more stories than they knew before: ‘she’s lying, she’s lying’. I don’t have to answer all the question.

Do you feel respect from the younger generations, do they look at you like a model?
Na: I’ve never tried to be like a model. I just try to do my best in tennis, but when so many young children say ‘oh, I would like to be like Li Na’, I say ‘wow’, I got some information, you know.