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MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 10, 2017

Simona Halep

Madrid, Spain

S. HALEP/S. Stosur

6-4, 4-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You are the champion. You had two very good matches. Madrid, it's with altitude. You play with topspin. How do you control?
SIMONA HALEP: I like the altitude here. I feel that I have more power. I feel that I can control the game, even if it's altitude. I use more spin for this tournament.

Maybe I like also that the ball jumps a little bit higher, and I can take it from here, up to the shoulder. I just feel great here at this tournament. Even if I had two very tough matches, I feel good. I feel confident here on these courts.

Q. You were forced into a third set obviously. You didn't seem to get too down on yourself. Was it because you knew it was a high-level match, you were playing at a high level, you didn't have too much to worry about? Was that something that gave you confidence going into the third set?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I've been very confident when the third set started. I knew that before the match it was going to be a very tough one. She likes this tournament because of the altitude. Her topspin is really hard to return.

I think you saw how she served today. She's amazing player. She's very strong. I mean, my shoulder hurt a little bit in the end. But I think I was strong enough to stay there also with my body, not just mentally.

I felt that mentally I am a little bit higher in this match. But also my body responded very well. Also I had sometimes to stay, like, far from the court because her shots were very strong.

I moved well. I think I responded well also with the slices. So I think was a very high standard. She played really well today.

Q. Do you think playing Sam might prepare you well for your next match against Coco? Heavy topspin, a lot of power.
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, but I see them different a little bit. Coco is playing flatter, I think. Her first serve is flatter actually. I don't remember the last time I played against Coco. I know is going to be very tough. I watched a little bit of her match today.

I have just to do what I have to do against her. I will talk tomorrow about the match. Now I'm tired. We will see.

It's a good challenge for me. Again, quarterfinals here. I have nothing to lose tomorrow, to be honest.

Q. You played your first two matches on the Santana court. Today you were on Court 3. Was there a difference in how the courts played? How did you adjust to it?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, the court is different. Just the crowd is different. The clay is the same. It was not a big difference. But, yeah, I think I adapted myself pretty well from the start.

Actually I didn't think that I'm not playing on center court. I just stepped on the court. I wanted just to give my best to try to feel the rhythm, try to feel the game, to try to dominate.

But was not easy against Sam.

Q. Against Sam, can you play on instinct or do you have to play a very disciplined game because of specific patterns?
SIMONA HALEP: I feel that against her I have to stay closer to the baseline, not very close, because she has a heavy ball. But if I go far from the baseline, I have no chance. She's opening the court. I cannot reach the balls.

But I have a plan. I have something in my mind when I play against her. I tried to find the rhythm in the return. But today was impossible. I just made some good returns. But was good that I didn't lose my serve. I lost it only once.

I was mentally strong. I think there was the key.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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