INTERVIEW: Li Na for Rolex
David ChalmersWhile Australian tennis may not be as strong today as it was in the glory years of the 1950s and ’60s, the Australian Open in Melbourne remains one of the most treasured annual events on the local sporting calendar. And perhaps because we haven’t had too many home-grown champions in the last 30 years, one of the local traditions along with cheering the ballboys and watching eggs fry on the court surface is the adoption of overseas champions who are so good, they could (and should) be “one of ours“.
Famous adopted Australians include Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus), Marat Safin (Russia), Stefan Edberg (Sweden), André Agassi (USA), ‘our’ Kim Clijsters (Belgium). Another player who has found a place in this extended Australian family is Li Na, the hugely popular 2014 Australian Open Champion. So much so, that despite retiring at the end of 2014, Li is back in Melbourne as a guest of both the Australian Open tournament and long-time sponsor Rolex.
Rolex are unique when it comes to its philosophy of sponsoring athletes. For most brands, the relationship with the athlete is an opportunistic one that lasts for the duration of their career. After they have retired, it’s time to sever the relationship and find the next-big-thing. But Rolex is different. Jackie Stewart, who is famous for tailoring his shirts a couple of inches short on his left cuff to allow his watch to be seen at all times, last drove a Formula 1 car in 1973, yet is still a proud Rolex Testimonee (the official title of Rolex’s ambassadors) today. Likewise, Jack Nicklaus won his last Major championship in 1986, but remains a central part of the Rolex family.
We were lucky enough to meet with Rolex Testimonee and first Chinese Grand Slam finalist and winner Li Na during the Australian Open to talk about life after tennis, watches….and the impending battle with the man who was her coach and remains her husband, Jiang Shan over her recent gift from Rolex. Na’s husband is also somewhat of a familiar fixture at the Australian Open after Li famously mentioned him in one of her post-match interviews.
Time+Tide: How is it to be back in Melbourne? It’s must be very different this time given you’re not playing?
Li Na: I have to say thanks for the Australian Open tournament that invited me to come back. I can say hello, and also I can see everyone here. I think they did a very good job. I think for me, Australian Open is the best Grand Slam.
T+T: It’s always been your most successful Grand Slam event. What do you put that down to? Is it the court that suits your game well?
LN: Maybe the feeling. I think everyone has their feeling. When I was playing on this court, I was feeling oh, I can do well. And also I think the crowd. I feel like they’re more casual, more friendly.
T+T: So, what’s next for you? You are planning a tennis academy in Wuhan?
LN: Right now I think a lot of the Chinese are pretty interested about tennis. So when I say I want to do a tennis academy, all of China was inviting me. So I have many choices. I’m not sure which city right now but for sure it will be the first academy in China.
T+T: You’re here in Melbourne as a Rolex Testimonee, do you still wear the Floral Datejust you wore when you won the Australian Open last year?
LN: This one! (Pushes up her sleeve to show off the still-sparkling Datejust)
T+T: That’s the one! And I also heard that yesterday you received a second watch from Rolex as a gift. Is this one for you or for your husband?
LN: For this watch, I think we’ll fight a little bit. When I wear the new watch, he will say, “Oh, it’s my size.” I’ll say, “No, it’s mine.”
T+T It’s the sort of size that men or women could wear…
LN: ….yes, I really like the larger watches. I think I really have to thank Rolex. When we started in 2011 until now, they always supported me. When I won the Grand Slam, they gave me a big gift [The Datejust] . I was really excited.
T+T: And your new watch is lovely- I hear that it’s the Platinum Daytona with the ice-blue dial!
LN: Ah, you know already! This year Rolex said to me “Oh, we have a gift for you” and gave me their book [Catalogue] so that I could choose one. I said, “Oh, I really like this one.”
T+T t’s a very good choice. You just have to make sure your husband doesn’t take it from you.
LN: Why should I even show him?
T+T: You’ll have to come back and win another tournament and then get a second Daytona! What I think is unique about Rolex compared to other sponsors is they like to stay with their ambassadors after they retire.
LN: I know. I think for me this is very special. I saw before when athletes retire a lot of sponsors are gone. When I said I’ll be retiring, Rolex said, “OK, we’ll continue to work together”- that was like what? I’m retiring. They said, “Yeah, we know.” That was like wow. I don’t know how it is in other sports, but they’re like this in tennis and golf.
T+T: It seems more of a partnership?
LN: Yeah, partnership, and also I love Rolex. They do their support for the sport. They are not like if you’re doing well we’ll support you, but if you’re not, we’re gone. I think they support a lot for the young juniors. They give a lot of them a chance to grow and become top players.
T+T: Tell us what it’s like when you first become a Testimonee. Do they take you to the showroom and say you should pick a watch, or do you have to wait until you win a tournament?
LN: When we first started together I was talking to my agent. I said I really like this watch [the Pink-dial Datejust] in a picture. And I think in 2011 before the Australian Open final, Rolex came in and said, “We have a gift for you.” When I opened it I was like “How do you know I like this one?”
T+T: And what about your time in Australia? Normally, you’d be in training over summer, but now it’s more of a working holiday?
LN: Oh, normally I was training so hard over this time. What about now? I’m enjoying life. I’m super busy, for the tournament, for the sponsor, and I also have to meet with the fans. So many things I have to do.
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And if Li Na thinks that she is busy now, her announcement just prior to our interview that she and her husband were expecting their first child later this year will ensure that 2015 will be another hectic year. Our thanks to Li Na and Rolex for taking the time to meet with Time+Tide and our best wishes to Jiang Shan in trying to get some wrist-time with the Daytona.