	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

BNP PARIBAS WTA FINALS

October 29, 2015

Simona Halep

Singapore, Singapore

A. RADWANSKA/S. Halep
7‑6, 6‑1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Do you think that the first tiebreaker was decisive point, and were you sort of demoralized after you lost the first set and didn't really find your strength in the second?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, actually in the first set I played quite okay. I felt a little bit tired. I have one month I couldn't run because I was injured with my Achilles.
Yeah, I had the chance in the first set in the tiebreak. That's why I'm a little bit disappointed that I lost this match, because I couldn't finish the first set.
Then she was dominating me because I did few steps very far from the baseline, so I couldn't dominate the match, the game. She started to play her best. I give her a lot of credit because she played good tennis today.
It was a good match. I was tired. I go home. I go to the holiday. It's okay. (Smiling.) I think I had a good year this year.

Q. You beat Flavia Pennetta 6‑Love, 6‑3, and she has now quite a good chance ‑ we don't know yet ‑ to qualify. Does it sound strange to you, something in this format? Everybody knows it, but it's strange or not?
SIMONA HALEP: It is because it's the only one tournament that we play in groups, and if you win, if you lose you can still qualify for the semis.
She has this chance tonight. I think she has to win a set, no, to go through? I keep the fingers ‑‑ cross the fingers for her because I like her. She is very kind person. She deserves to go to the semis because she won US Open.
So I started pretty well this tournament. The energy went a little bit down day by day. Yeah, it's done and it's over for me. (Laughter.)

Q. You mentioned that every match at the WTA finals is almost like a Grand Slam final. Why is that? Why do you feel that way?
SIMONA HALEP: Because we are the top eight players in the world and everyone wants to win every single match here. It's a nice tournament. You have the chance even if you lose, so everyone is playing 100% every match.
I think, yeah, it's the toughest tournament because we are the top eight. Yeah.

Q. Before you played Aga you described her as an intelligent player but not much power. Did she surprise you out there?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, she was. She played fast. She took the ball fast. Like I said, not too much power, but she's intelligent and knows how to open the court with angles.

Q. Over the year you've said that you took the pressure off yourself by forgetting about this year. After your holiday, which you deserve, what's going to be your approach to try and build yourself back again?
SIMONA HALEP: For the next year? Yeah, actually, I think I had a good year this year. Ups and downs, but it was okay. I will finish No. 2 or No. 3 in the world so it's pretty good for me. It's second year in a row.
I want to get better for the next year. I have many things to improve. I have to run a little bit more because I need. Today I couldn't breathe anymore in the second set.
But it's normal. I have to be healthy first and then to train hard. I really want to get better; I want to do better next year.

Q. Do you feel like this year maybe there were times where you were playing with your game a little bit, trying to fix it or work on something and then it didn't work and other times it was working? If so, can you identify when or where that happened?
SIMONA HALEP: Actually, I tried to improve every day in my game this year. I started last year when I change my serve a little bit. I don't know if you saw, but I change it.

Q. I saw.
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, you are a good professional. Yeah, I try to change some things in my game. I think I did well, pretty well.
But it's normal to have pressure sometimes and just cannot manage every single situation like I did in the middle the season with Roland Garros and Wimbledon. I couldn't stay there and I couldn't play my game.
In a big picture, for me it was a great year. I finish strong again. I did some good results if USA. I'm happy with my year. I just want to take the holiday now. I don't want think about tennis anymore. Then I will be stronger.

Q. What are your best and worst memories of this year?
SIMONA HALEP: The worst of course is going to be Roland Garros because I lost in the second round.
The best one Indian Wells, because I won the biggest title this year.

Q. After the first set you were sitting down and were you saying, I'm done?
SIMONA HALEP: Yes.

Q. Yes?
SIMONA HALEP: Yes.

Q. Talk about that.
SIMONA HALEP: I was done. No energy anymore. I was tired. I felt that I lost the chance to win the first set and probably I lost the chance to win the match in that moment.
Yeah, my coach was telling me many things, but I couldn't hear because I was done and I was very nervous there.
But, you know, it's good that happened. Next time I will know that if I'm not well‑prepared physical I have just to do something else on court.

Q. So if you won the tiebreak would you have been okay?
SIMONA HALEP: Maybe. Because if I would win that tiebreak maybe mentally I would be stronger. Now that I lost it, I went down also with my mental.

Q. What's the situation with Darren for next year? You said you were going to wait...
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, but the tournament is not finished. It's finished for me. Monday I will tell you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297