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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 19, 2016

Simona Halep

Cincinnati, Ohio

S. HALEP/A. Radwanska

7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You should be cheerful. You look kind of tired?
SIMONA HALEP: It's 11:00 p.m. It was tough. It was not very easy, the match. I was running a lot. I keep my energy for tomorrow. (Laughter.)

Q. What adjustments did you make at 4-Love? Looks like you put a little more spin on the ball.
SIMONA HALEP: You, you change the rhythm. I didn't hit as strong as I did first four games and I didn't miss as I did at the beginning. She was playing really well at the beginning, those four games, but then I had just to change, to play more angles, and then I came back and I think I was the one that was dominating match.

Q. You broke her eight consecutive times the last eight games she served. Were you reading her serve very well?
SIMONA HALEP: I can say that I return pretty well this period. I'm working on that and it works, so I feel confident when I have to return.

Yeah, I think everything was very well for me today. I played a great tennis and I'm happy that I could play like this against her. It's not easy.

Q. Did you consider bringing Darren on when you have down 4-0?
SIMONA HALEP: No. It was better I didn't call. I was too upset of what I'm going on on court. Yeah, I decided to call him when I won the set. Was better.

Q. On coaching, have you used any sort of court that has - like at Indian Wells - that has the Hawk-Eye cameras around court?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I used.

Q. Is it helpful?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, it's a great thing. I don't know much about that machine, but I spoke with Darren and I saw a few times what I'm doing on court is it's a great machine.

Q. What were the most useful things?
SIMONA HALEP: I think for serve. I work it for the serve and shows everything.

Q. In terms of the video?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah. I saw myself there.

Q. That was the most useful part, the video, not like the...
SIMONA HALEP: And also the speed, everything, like how you hit. All the angles you could see.

Q. Did you change anything after you saw what you saw there?
SIMONA HALEP: Not after that, but I change before MontrÃ©al some things and it's much better.

Q. Darren said that you had to win this with your head, heart, and legs. Do you think you did that?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I think yes. Actually, yeah. Also with my inspiration I think of playing the game. I was trying to solve the problem because I knew that I have a problem when I was down 4-0. I just try to change, and I think I did it well.

Q. You've been with Darren for a while now. What do you think are a couple things you're a different player now than before?
SIMONA HALEP: I work more, first thing. (Smiling.) I have more confidence in myself. He gives me this. I think tactics I play better now with him. He gives me good advices about opponents and about what I have to play when I play with different styles of game.

Q. You mentioned it is almost 11:00. Would you describe yourself as a night person or morning person?
SIMONA HALEP: Nothing. No, I sleep around 10:00. I am boring. And I wake up around 8:00, 9:00.

Q. That's a lot.
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah. I need to do like a baby.

Q. Do you take naps then too?
SIMONA HALEP: No. I don't like to sleep during the day.

Q. Are you good at adjusting time differences when you travel?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, when I come in U.S., yes, it's very good for me. But when I go Asia and Australia it's very tough.

Q. Are you surprised that Kerber is where she is in the rankings, that she's done what she's done this year at all?
SIMONA HALEP: I'm not surprised because I knew her pretty well before winning Grand Slam and winning matches in a row.

She's a good fighter. She's playing for every single point, and her game is pretty solid. She has good angles, and the fact that she's lefty helps her a lot I think in my opinion.

And she has great legs as well. She moves very well.

Q. What are you going to take out of MontrÃ©al match?
SIMONA HALEP: Everything.

Q. Everything?
SIMONA HALEP: Everything. Also the bad moments. No, you saw today that I was better.

Q. You were better. You were better. But, yeah, what do you need to do tomorrow against her? What's the key?
SIMONA HALEP: I have to run. I have to slow down my emotions, because with her you feel that you can go for the balls, like to be aggressive, but it's not that easy.

So I have to be patient. I have to do my game like I did today. I think it's pretty similar with the match, today's match. I have to fight.

I know that I can win. I have this confidence. I know that she's a great player. I have nothing to lose. I'm going just to do my job and to try to win.

Q. Serena has been No. 1 now for three and a half years?
SIMONA HALEP: Since I started to play pro she's No. 1.

Q. Pretty much. Would it feel strange if there was a new No. 1?
SIMONA HALEP: Very strange for me, but I think Kerber deserves because she won a Grand Slam and she's winning many matches. So we will see.

Q. Is there anything you learned or, yeah, take inspiration from about what she's been able to do?
SIMONA HALEP: From who?

Q. From Angie.
SIMONA HALEP: Not really. I cannot compare my game to her and also the personality. It's very different.

The only one player I learn I can say is Serena always. I'm trying just to do my own things.

Q. What do you learn from Serena?
SIMONA HALEP: Motivation, fighting, and aggression.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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