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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 21, 2015

Simona Halep

CINCINNATI, OHIO

S. HALEP/A. Pavlyuchenkova
7‑6, 6‑2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How are you kind of getting through these matches? You have been pretty tired since Toronto, but now you're in the semis.
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I'm tired. You are right. I have some pain of my leg on my left leg, but, you know, I just wanted to win this match, to play semifinals, and just to stay strong there.
I did well, and I'm really happy that I could win against her, because she played good tennis tonight.

Q. Are you surprised you're in the semifinals?
SIMONA HALEP: Not really because I played good tennis last week in Toronto. When I came here, I had confidence that I can make good result, but I didn't expect that I can have enough power to play every day like crazy matches every round.

Q. Have you made a decision on New Haven yet?
SIMONA HALEP: No, I didn't. But I have to speak with my coach.

Q. You played a very long tiebreaker at the end of the first set, and it was actually a long game between the tiebreaker. How does the mindset work after you didn't necessarily convert on the opportunity, have to turn around to start at 0, first one to 7?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I have got frustrated a little bit that I couldn't win that game. It was a long game and I think I had the chance to finish the set.
But she served well that game and she was staying there pretty well. She was very strong in the end of the first set. But then, you know, I'm used to play tough matches. Like, you know, every match here and in Toronto was very close.
I had tough matches against good players, and I'm used already to stay there, the pressure, to fight with the pressure and just to play for every point.
I think I did well, and in the tiebreak I was stronger.
Q. Is it interesting at all when you have to play Pavlyuchenkova who has also been coached by Darren Cahill?
SIMONA HALEP: He didn't look at me at all during the match, so it was okay. I know the rule when we started to work I knew that it's gonna happen like this. It's okay, and it was good that I was, I can say alone a little bit. But was good match.

Q. Preparing for the match, was it at all different? Did you work with him like the last 24 hours?
SIMONA HALEP: No, no, no, because the rule is he cannot give advices for one player if both are adidas.
Q. Six of the eight games in the second were breaks of serve. When you play a match like that when no one is seemingly holding serve, does that disrupt the rhythm?
SIMONA HALEP: No. For me not, because I'm used to lose the serve so I'm pretty confident when I return. I think I have a good return and I'm focused when you serve, but it's difficult ‑‑actually, today was difficult to serve because of my leg.
I couldn't land very well and I couldn't step back because of the serve. It was tough. But she return well. She served really well, but I was there at the important moments and I could return good shot and to make the point.

Q. So Jelena again.
SIMONA HALEP: Again. (Laughter.)
Q.Indian Wells, Toronto, now semifinals. No secrets?
SIMONA HALEP: No secrets. I know her pretty well. I expect an it have match I hope just to have enough power to play against her, because I have to run a lot. I will try ti make it faster, quicker, so I will be aggressive, I think.
If I have enough power in my legs I go forward more and I try to open the court better. So we will see. But I have the chance. I have my chance. After Toronto's match, I feel very confident that I can win again.
But it's very difficult. I'm tired and she's a strong player, so we will see.

Q. Do you feel like the rest of this tournament is bonus, or are you hungry to...
SIMONA HALEP: No, it's a bonus. It was a bonus I came here, because I didn't expect to play final in Toronto after long break home without tennis. Every match here was a bonus and it still us. Tomorrow is a big challenge for me.
I don't care about the result. I just want to play my good game, my tennis, and to stay there. It's really important for me to stay focused.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
SIMONA HALEP: I speak with my hitting partner, and he's watching all the matches. He likes. And, yeah, I speak with him before a little bit.

Q. You had a rough patch earlier in the year and obviously nice result last week and you continue the momentum this week. Given the fatigue factor, do you feel overall your game is where you want it to be heading into the Open?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I didn't expect to play as good as I play now at the net, because I did few points, few good points during Toronto, as well, and here. I finished well the points.
Serve, I improved in my serve. Also forehand is stronger. I'm pretty happy with my game. In the middle of the year I had a bad season, I can say. But after the break I say I have to relax myself and just go in to play. I did well, and I'm really happy with my job.

Q. Can you elaborate on how you were able to relax and get back...
SIMONA HALEP: No tennis. I didn't play tennis (laughter.) No tennis, no matches. So I relax myself with other things.

Q. No offense to Cincinnati, but here it's kind of middle of nowhere. Do you prefer to stay in this kind of calm place or do you prefer to be in NewYork or that kind of city?
SIMONA HALEP: This tournament?

Q. Do you prefer this kind of tournament, a quiet city...
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I like the quiet. It's perfect. I mean, if I play everything well, everything is good. I don't care where the tournament is. I have just to adapt myself to the balls, because here the balls are different.
It's big difference between last week and this week. It's not easy, but I did well and everything is fine.

Q. You mentioned going forward is a bonus. Was there ever a time after Toronto where you thought about pulling out of Cincinnati?
SIMONA HALEP: No, I didn't think about this. I just wanted to play. I'm not thinking about pulling out from New Haven right now, but we will see, because I don't want to be tired when I start US Open.

Q. How difficult is it, different ball altogether from last week? Week to week, different tournaments have different contracts with ball manufacturers; how difficult is that?
SIMONA HALEP: I think it's very difficult when the ball is different, because you have to start again to feel the game, so it's big difference.
But, you know, if you stay there, if you calm down yourself and just trying to start to feel the ball, it's okay. After one match, two matches if you can win first round, you can be better day by day with the balls. It's not a big difficult problem, but it is.

Q. Are you able to get comfortable with a practice or two, or does that take a match to...
SIMONA HALEP: Takes a match. It was important for me. For me it was difficult but it was important.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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