Status: Former WTA pro won Wimbledon and Austtralian Open doubles in 2006 with Zheng Jie. Retired in 2016.
DOB: November 12, 1984 In: Chengdu, China
Tennis Inspirations: My mother.
Hobbies/Interests: Movies, maybe shopping [laughs], music, singing, swimming.
Favorite Movies: A lot of movies. But I don’t know the English name. Many favorite movies. Lord of the Rings.
Favorite TV Shows: Talking More, Happy More – it’s a very popular TV show in China.
Musical Tastes: Light music.
Favorite Meal: Spicy tofu.
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Vanilla [laughs].
Pre-Match Feeling: I just want to try my best every match. And fighting [laughs].
Greatest Career Moment: Singles – semis in Toronto (lost to Henin in 2007).
Most Painful Moment: 2006 – from after Australian Open tino before Berlin, Germany. (I) always lose first round in singles. And doubles (I) always lose first round or second round [laughs]. Not so comfortable. Five or six tournaments.
Favorite Tournaments: I feel many tournaments are great. Like Australian Open and Dubai and US Open and so many tournaments are great.
Last Book Read: Essays of short stories of how to surive in life, how to fight life, about personal life stories.
Closest Tennis Friends: All Chinese players.
Funniest Players Encountered: There are many interesting people but I cannot think of just one right now.
Fiercest Competitors Encountered: Justine Henin. She always has the rhythm and she controls the ball so great. And I cannot find my way [laughs]. I lost to her 36 06 in Toronto semi.
Funny Tennis Memory: Many time practice, every time I practice I feel so funny because we are so many young people together. And we don’t (only) play tennis on the court, we play other games [laughs]. Like on clay we practice on the clay courts and we make the clay (into) like other things, we kind of play dirt together, put dirt together into a pile or something. Drawing in the dirt.
Embarrassing Tennis Memory: I cannot think of one.
Favorite Players To Watch: Ana Ivanovic. Because she’s a nice person, she’s very nice, always smiling.
Which Match(es) Did You Feel At Your Best: I have one time I play against Marta Domachowska. That match I feel I play very, very comfortable. (Zi won 62 61 in Guangzhou.)
Last Vacation: I have holiday but only like three days. Staying home.
First Tennis Memory: Six years old. And not on the court. Just swing the racquet without the ball.
Career Accomplishments: Olympic bronze in doubles in 2008. One WTA singles title in Guangzhou in 2005 and 17 WTA doubles titles. Career best ranking in singles was 40 and no. 4 in doubles. Won Wimbledon and Australian Open doubles in 2006.
China · Olympics · Wimbledon · Yan Zi
