China Daily Global Edition (USA)
Aussie coach confident Wang can conquer greater heights McNamara says ‘fantastic kid’ has potential to beat the best
When Li Na was in her prime, her coach, Carlos Rodriguez, was practically indispensable to the two-time Grand Slam champion.
The same can now be said of current Chinese No 1 Wang Qiang and her mentor Peter McNamara — and hopes are rising that they will script an equally inspiring story.
Wang is enjoying a resurgent second half to the season, claiming two WTA titles and an Asian Games gold medal — with an emphatic win over Venus Williams, to boot.
Wang has continued that fine form at the Wuhan Open, where victories over Maria Sakkari, eighth seed Karolina Pliskova, Daria Gavrilova and Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig (a 6-3, 6-1 win on Thursday) have sent her to a Friday semifinal — the deepest run a Chinese player has ever managed at the tournament.
Australian McNamara, a three-time doubles Grand Slam champion, has been key to Wang’s revival, and he’s confident there’s even more to come from his pupil.
“She’s just a baby and still learning,” McNamara told China Daily in an exclusive interview.
“She’s 26 and has finally figured out a little bit how to play. I was 22 when I figured out how to play tennis. The potential is there. It’s about whether she can believe in herself and continue to work in a right way.
“I think she can. She’s a fantastic kid.”
Wang’s turnaround has been dramatic, with her French Open victory over seven-time Grand Slam winner Williams in June sparking her current hot streak.
She went on to win her first WTA title at July’s Jiangxi Open, matched her Roland Garros campaign by reaching the third round of the US Open and last Saturday won the Guangzhou Open by thumping Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva 6-1, 6-2 in the final to rise to No 34 in the world rankings.
“I’m really happy Nick Voke, to have such a great second half of the season,” said Wang.
“I did not perform well in the first half. My coach even started to make plans for the next season. He’s surprised by my recent play.”
McNamara, who has put Wang through “hell mode” training, credits good oldfashioned hard work as the reason behind the turnaround.
“I was a little disappointed about her performance in the first half of this season; it wasn’t what I wanted it to be,” he said. “But this is normal sometimes when you have a good year.
“I don’t think she played that bad, but she didn’t perform like she did last year. We needed to put a little bit more work in and change her mentality a little bit.
“The second half of the season has been unbelievable. It’s amazing. She deserves everything she’s got. She’s worked hard. She’s made changes.”
McNamara said the biggest change is Wang’s tactical mindset.
“Understanding the game is her most important improvement. She started to understand the game, and that’s why I struggled to teach her tactics and how to hit the ball,” he said.
“Chinese players are very good at hitting the ball, but they don’t always understand why they hit the ball to a position or a certain spot.
“This is where you become a better player. First, you have to understand why you hit the ball, then you can improve very quickly.”
Wang said she is no longer intimidated by facing the world’s top players.
“I don’t overthink it any more; I just think of them as my next opponent,” said the Tianjin native.
“So I treat it as a normal game. If you overthink too much, you put too much pressure on yourself.”
And McNamara believes Wang is blessed with a bigmatch on McNamara
It’s not that anything has clicked recently. The results are simply a progression of what I’ve been working on.” on his current hot streak I did not perform well in the first half. My coach even started to make plans for the next season. He’s surprised by my recent play.”
temperament.
“She likes the big stage, and it’s not easy to do. That’s a real asset. On a big stage, big players are able to control their nerves.”
The 63-year-old McNamara won’t allow Wang take her foot off the gas pedal just yet. Asked what Wang needs to improve, the coach answered: “Everything.”
For Wang herself, the goal is simply to emulate her hero: “Li Na is my role model and she’s why I play,” she said.
“If I could play like Li Na, I feel like my life would be perfect.”