	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

ROLAND GARROS

May 27, 2015

Simona Halep

PARIS, FRANCE

M. LUCIC-BARONI/S. Halep
7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. How frustrating was it? Did it feel the same like at the US Open?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, she played well. I couldn't play my best today. But, you know, she started to hit the ball very strong at the beginning of the match. So she was better than me today, and I have just to take, you know, this situation to handle it and just to go forward.

Q. Do you feel any pressure being the finalist and all sorts of memories coming back of last year?
SIMONA HALEP: No, it's not about the pressure. Just, I couldn't feel the game. I don't feel like 100% the ball, the game. So this is the reason is not the pressure, because I'm used to playing, you know, and I have to defend points, so it's okay.

Q. There was no plan B for you. Was it difficult to turn it around in seconds?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, it was difficult because I didn't feel the game. I don't have a good feeling of my game, and that's why I couldn't change something.

Q. How much did your finger that you had treated in the first set affect you today, your ring finger?
SIMONA HALEP: I have blister. Is not that dangerous. Yeah, I feel okay.

Q. With the results on clay this year coming into this tournament, did you come in maybe a little bit more nervous about your results here, maybe your game, than maybe last year?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I didn't play like last year on clay this year. Yeah, it was more difficult to come here to -- I couldn't feel that I'm prepared 100% to play on clay court, but, you know, I have to accept this. I have to take day by day. I worked a lot. Maybe too much. That's why I was contracted and I couldn't play. I couldn't feel the game. But it's normal. I can accept this. That's tennis, and I have to go forward, because next week I have something new.

Q. Some players when they go through a stretch like this, they grow frustrated because they don't know why they are not playing as well as they know how to play. Do you know why?
SIMONA HALEP: I know. Yeah. I know.

Q. What is the reason?
SIMONA HALEP: Maybe I changed a bit, you know, the strategy of my practices. I just wanted to hit too strong maybe, and to change the game is not good. I have to play like what I feel on court and just to be like, to create the game. So I started to hit the ball too strong, and that is not my style. I don't feel it, and I don't handle it. So I have to go back, you know, in my game and just to train again how I did till now.

Q. You reached such a high ranking and you were in the final here, but do you feel you're still learning to deal with the expectations at the highest level?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I still learn. I don't know everything. You know, it's not easy to manage the situation, but I have no expectation anymore from the tournaments. I just want to go, to play every match because you see sometimes can happen to lose in first round, second round. It's okay, and I have just to take care of my game, to take care of my body, and just go ahead. I have nothing else to do.

Q. When you say that in practice you're trying to hit the ball harder, trying to be more aggressive, more power, what do you mean by this? Are you trying to say you try and put too much power into the game for you and you'd rather maybe do a lot more crosscourt that you do the short crosscourt that you use a lot?
SIMONA HALEP: No, I said I just try to hit the ball stronger. I have no explanation for this. Just I was going on court and hitting stronger. So I think is not a good idea for my game.

Q. Was that strategy in practice, was that something you have wanted to try, or was it from the coach?
SIMONA HALEP: From anyone. From my team. Together we decided to do this, but now we will change.

Q. Do you have any idea what your schedule is on grass?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I have, of course.

Q. Can you tell us?
SIMONA HALEP: I go to Birmingham, first tournament, and then straight to Wimbledon.

Q. You talked after Australia wanting to fight all the way to the end, fighting through matches. How did you feel about doing that today? Are you satisfied with your effort?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I am. Because I did everything I could today. I couldn't do any, you know, something more than I did. It's normal. I think I have to accept this. I have to stay cool. It's nothing, like is not the end of the world. I just lost the tournament. She played well. I can say that she's hitting very strong, and she's like hitting very, very well. She deserves to win, and I wish her good luck for the next.

Q. Your analysis is very cold and far away from the situation. Are you involved sometimes with some emotions now? Are you feeling some strong emotion inside of you that you're not revealing? Are you still dreaming of something or just cold analyze, we lost because there is another match the next week, be playing somewhere else.
SIMONA HALEP: Whew, tough question. I still dream for many things in this life and in this career, because I have many years to go, and so if I lost today, it doesn't mean that I cannot play anymore or I don't win any more matches. I just want to take the decision to see what I did wrong, what I have to do better, to be better, and to speak with my team, because together we have to decide some things. You know, I feel okay. Emotions, no, I don't feel anymore emotions. They are gone. Maybe I had pressure, as well, but, you know, I feel more relaxed now than before the match. So this is a good point, because now I relax myself and I can smile, look forward to go to the next tournament. I have nothing to do now. Everything is lost here.

Q. Good luck.
SIMONA HALEP: Thank you.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297