A little different, but it works

Editor's note: During the China Open, China Daily will collaborate with the WTA to bring you columns from various women's players in an effort to provide insight into life on the tour.

I am Marion Bartoli, a French tennis player, who just finished a wonderful week playing in the China Open.

I am so happy I made to the semifinals here again, after I did it in 2009. Even though I lost to Victoria Azarenka and didn't make the final, I am satisfied with my performance this week.

I feel the surface here fits me well. The court is very fast, which is advantageous for my game. Last year, I lost to Andrea Petkovic in the third round, but I was able to put that behind me and stay positive. I've had some tough draws here, but still made the semis twice, so maybe there is something about China that blesses me.

I've also had some great times here off the court.

My birthday is Oct 2, so every time I come, I celebrate it in Beijing. This year it was nice to have the fans sing Happy Birthday after my second-round match against Ayumi Morita. It was cute of them. They brought me presents and I had a tasty chocolate cake from the hotel served in my room.

I will go back home to celebrate with my family after the tournament. Even though I am 28, I still love opening birthday presents like I did when I was 5. It's nice to feel like you have so much love from everyone around you.

Another thing that I appreciate about the fans here is they accept everything you do on the court.

I like to move around, jump a little bit or try some swings between points. It usually takes a while before I serve. It looks like unusual, because not many people do it.

But it really helps me to stay focused in the moment - it keeps me from thinking too much about what happened on the last point or what will happen next. It's really about staying in the moment and trying to do my best every single point.

Fans like a player who is absolutely trying their best. Sometimes, I play better than others, but I always try my hardest on the court. I think the fans appreciate it.

I've never heard any complaints from my opponents about it. I don't do anything on purpose to disturb them. It's just really the way I concentrate. I am doing it from the first match to the last on any court on the tour facing any player.

Someone who doesn't know me well might consider my playing style - which features a two-handed stroke on both forehand and backhand - a little bit strange as well.

I was inspired to do it when I watched the classic 1992 French Open final between Monica Seles and Steffi Graf.

Before that, I was playing a one-handed forehand. I am a natural lefty, but I played tennis as a righty. So I was very weak on that side, and my forehand wasn't as natural as my backhand.

Both my dad and I saw Monica playing the final for three hours with two hands on both sides and she won. We thought it might be an idea. I tried it the next day, and it felt pretty good and I started using it. It worked out very well.

Now that the tournament is over here, I have to travel again. The worst part of being a professional tennis player is packing and packing every single week.

The best part is traveling and meeting so many great people around the world while experiencing different cultures. It's been a pleasure to play with Pete Sampras in the stands - that was my childhood dream. I've dreamed about that moment since I was 8 and I realized it when I was 27. It's great meeting a person you've always wanted to.

Marion Bartoli is the current world No 10 player. She reached the quarterfinals at the US Open this year.