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CHINA DAILY SATURDAY, JULY 28, 2012 olympics 5 Husband, coach, punching bag Perhaps Jiang Shan’s most important role is corralling wife Li Na’s infamously volatile temper, Sun Xiaochen reports in London. hat has led to Chinese tennis ace Li Na’s suc- W cess? An inherent gift ? Her escape from the State-run system? An No matter whether Ji- international agent? ang is a good coach or All of the above contributed. not, he knows me best. But the main reason is her ‘‘ husband and coach, Jiang We don’t need words — Shan, a low-profi le man who a gesture or look says has been training Li on and it all.” off the court for more than 10 years, while accepting all that LI NA CHINA’S TENNIS ACE, ON HUSBAND comes with her — good, bad AND COACH JIANG SHAN and sometimes ugly. Th eir relationship budded in 1995, when they played on the tape them to my neck.” Hubei provincial team. They But the 30-year-old knows married in 2006. Jiang is irreplaceable as the rea- Jiang gave up his aspirations son for her success. of becoming a professional Right after her first Grand player and started to coach Li Slam final appearance at the in 2004. Australian Open last year, Li He has also served as a shock said to Jiang, in front of the absorber for Li’s notoriously media and the packed Rod ferocious temper, which usu- Lavor Arena: “Fat or skinny, ally fl ares in close rallies and handsome or ugly, I will follow results in emotional melt- you forever.” downs. Li has even tattooed dec- The good-natured Jiang is larations of her adoration of the yin for Li’s yang. She some- her husband on her chest and times calls her husband-cum- lower back. coach onto the court during Jiang is notoriously shy and match breaks to cathartically rarely shows aff ection in pub- release her fury. lic. But his latest declaration The public has seen this moved his wife to tears. oft en on TV. Jiang said to Li in a video: In the semifi nals of this year’s “Every couple meets and stays Sydney International WTA together for a reason. Although Premier tournament, Li asked I rarely say it, it’s my destiny to for guidance when she was 4-0 be with you.” behind Czech Petra Kvitova in After her Grand Slam win the fi rst set but disagreed with at Roland Garros, Li fell into Jiang’s advice and then pub- a career slump, failing to go licly slammed his suggestions beyond the fourth round at as “nonsense” during the live any major while developing broadcast. a tenser relationship with the The Hubei province native media, who criticized her for even yelled at Jiang, command- being distracted by too much ing him to leave the stand dur- off -court work. ing her third-round match Things were never dandy against Agnieszka Radwanska between Li and the media, but at the Wimbledon in 2009. that period marked a new low. “He was talking too much, so Jiang took care of all of her I was annoyed,” she explained, off-court affairs, including aft er the straight-set loss to the travel plans, accommodation Pole. arrangements and scouting, so Li oft en publicly cracks jokes she could focus on the court. at Jiang’s expense. “I know it has been really “My husband kept snoring so tough for her to handle all that I couldn’t sleep well last night,” she had never imagined since Li said, blaming her first-set last year’s French Open,” Jiang nerves on Jiang aft er winning says. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY the semis against Danish Caro- “She must shoulder more Top: The love between China’s tennis ace Li Na and her husband and coach Jiang Shan is one of the important motiving factors in LI’s career. Left: Li celebrates with line Wozniacki at the Austra- than ever, but she works it out Jiang after winning the gold medal with the Hubei team at the 10th National Games on Oct 11, 2005, in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. Right: Jiang gives Li instructions lian Open last year. and hangs in there. I believe during a fi rst-round match at the China Open on Oct 2, 2011. “No matter whether Jiang is a good coach or not, he knows me best,” Li said. Li also had trouble remem- she’ll fulfi ll more dreams and bering their anniversary date. achieve better results. I defi- “No matter whether Jiang is In the belief that the State- professional player. Slovakian, who holds a 3-2 “All we can do is fi ght to the Just aft er joking about Jiang’s nitely believe in her.” a good coach or not, he knows run system is too suffocat- Aft er that same body forced record over Li. end for the strongest Olympic snore, Li admitted she felt fl us- Jiang temporarily relin- me best,” Li says. ing, Li temporarily retired for Li to play the doubles at the If Li makes the third round, tournament. No matter who tered when asked if that day quished his helm to Danish “We don’t need words — a two years in 2002 aft er being London Olympic, Jiang inter- either world No 8 Wozniacki or we play, we must deliver our was their fi ft h anniversary. coach Michael Mortensen gesture or look says it all.” banned by sports offi cials from ceded between the two sides promising Belgian star Yanina best.” To make matters worse, Li around the French Open, but It’s undeniable that managing her own career. and persuaded Li to accept. Wickmayer will be there. Li and three other team- often loses the gifts, such as resumed his position as coach Mortensen contributed greatly Jiang followed Li to study at Li will see legitimate chal- And US world No 4 Sere- mates — Zheng Jie, Peng Shuai jewelry, that Jiang buys her before last year’s China Open. to Li’s success, but it’s Jiang who the Huazhong University of lenges after being drawn in na Williams will likely be Li’s and Zhang Shuai — won’t overseas. Despite media calls for a deserves the credit for improv- Science and Technology and the tough fi rst half at the 2012 opponent at the quarterfi nals. move into the Olympic Village “Th ey just disappear easily, renowned coach to replace ing her mental game. then persuaded her to return to Olympics. “The draw is very hard for and will instead stay in a hotel and I have no idea where they Jiang following her lacklus- Meanwhile, the 32-year-old the game in 2004 — before the She will face Daniela Han- us, and it won’t be easy at the near Wimbledon. go,” Li said, on a recent talk ter performance at the WTA Jiang also serves as the lubri- governing body fi nally allowed tuchova in the opening round Games,” China’s tennis chief show. year-end fi nals, Li backed her cant between the rebellious Li her to fl y alone with three other on July 28. Sun Jinfang said at the draw Contact the writer at sunxiao- “Maybe next time, I’ll have to husband. and the governing body. top aces in 2009 to play as a Li must dig hard to oust the release in London on July 26. [email protected] REPORTER’S LOG | CHEN XIANGFENG off track ... Olympic spirit is here, but you have to look for it INDIANS UPSET ATHLETES CAN isitors in London were faced with earlier to go home or to bars with family me,” said a delighted Arfuman Choud- two options on Friday: Enjoy a or friends, enjoying the glamorous gala. hury, who began working in London 4 normal weekend of vacation, I’m not a local and thus not quite sure and 1/2 years ago. WITH UNIFORMS KEEP PANTS ON or go cheer the London Games of the exact reasons. She told me her part on Friday night V opening ceremony. Maybe some people prefer having a was in a production called Industrial Indian medal hopefuls at the London Danish soccer player Nicklas Bendt- But were all of them thrilled by the vacation rather than sitting in a stadium Revolution, featuring more than 1,000 Olympics are upset with their “poor quality” ner’s ambush marketing stunt will not Olympic atmosphere? I doubt it. watching a show. people. kit and uniforms, a newspaper reported on lead to a series of checks on athletes’ When I walked along High Holborn Maybe some care more about their “Th ere are Chinese in our group,” she Friday. underwear during London 2012, a senior Road — friends in London told me it’s savings account than entertainment, as said. “Everyone is happy to be part of it.” “To be honest, this is the worst kit I have International Olympic Committee mem- one of the busiest areas in town — on the shrinking world economy has hit What surprised me more was that the seen,” Indian boxer Jai Bhagwan, who is to ber insisted. Friday, I found few traces of the Games Britain hard. 40-year-old watched the Beijing Games compete in the men’s lightweight (60-kg) In June, Bendtner was fi ned by Euro- in the corner of the city. It wasn’t much Honestly, I was a bit dismayed. It’s my opening ceremony on TV and remained category, was quoted as saying by the Mum- pean soccer governing body, UEFA, after diff erent from when I arrived a week fi rst Olympic Games, a great sporting impressed by the city.

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