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ROLAND GARROS

June 7, 2017

Simona Halep

Paris, France

S. HALEP/E. Svitolina

3-6, 7-6, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. I know you have been asked it during the on-court interview, but now maybe it's fair to ask the question again. Just generally, how do you feel that turned around? Can you talk us through the match a little bit?
SIMONA HALEP: Well, after the match straight, I felt the same thing that I feel now. I feel that she played unbelievable tennis first set until the end of the second set, 5-1.

She played well, but also I played a little bit short, I think. My ball was not going as long as I wanted, but she was dominating the match. I just sat down at 5-2. I said that the match is lost. So I did nothing to change something, to change the rhythm, that's it. It's over.

And then I started to feel more relaxed maybe because I thought it's finished, and I change the rhythm. I put some high balls. I just tried to make her move more, to open the court, and it came. I don't know how, but it was really good.

Also, the set ball with the net, I was finally lucky in this match, because before she was, like, all the lines, all the nets.

But I believed that it's gonna come, it's gonna turn something around, and that's it. I'm just happy. I am not thinking about how it was. I just take the fight thing, that I was fighting till the end, and I enjoy.

Q. I know we have talked about this a lot in the past few weeks, the change of mentality and all that...
SIMONA HALEP: No, today we don't talk about that, please. I'm tired, to be honest. I talk every day.

Q. Do you feel today was validation of all the changes you have done? Perfect example of all the progress you have made?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I think today I showed that I'm stronger mentally. I stayed there till the end, even if I was a little bit upset during the match. But was all positive.

Q. How does today's comeback to take you to the semifinal of a Grand Slam compare to all the other comebacks you have had in your career? Is this special?
SIMONA HALEP: Of course it's special. I can say it's special because it's quarterfinals of Grand Slam, so now I'm into the semis.

It's a nice feeling. The best thing is that because I didn't give up. So this is the most important thing for me, and I just want to take this.

The match was good. She played well. Then I played better. So all is good (smiling).

Q. I think you had a conversation with Ion Tiriac after the match?
SIMONA HALEP: How do you know?

Q. We saw you.
SIMONA HALEP: I told him, Don't hit me, because everyone is watching.

Q. Can you tell us what he said and also what Darren said to you after the match?
SIMONA HALEP: Darren was happy that I was fighting, and I didn't give up. He said that the fighting mode was on and was pretty high today. We didn't talk about the game.

And Mr. Tiriac told me that how is possible at 3-0 to give up first set. And I said, Whoa, I didn't give up. But maybe I showed I was upset, yeah.

Yeah, he was telling me that I was fighting well and tomorrow I have to play tennis (smiling). This is his comment.

Q. A difficult question. So as we say in my country, fasten your seatbelt.
SIMONA HALEP: A heart attack.

Q. Right. For a long, long time, players like Venus and Billie Jean worked for equal prize money. They argued that the women provide entertainment and get great crowds. Now Mr. Tiriac has said, no, that the men have paid maybe enough for the women for many years and there should not be equal prize money in the tournaments like Madrid and Miami and Indian Wells. Could you take a moment, please, and comment on that?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah. First, I want to say that I don't comment what Mr. Tiriac says about this. He knows business, and I'm not going into that way.

But my personal opinion is that we can all see that the men's have more people watching their matches. But today my court was packed, so I'm happy about that (smiling).

I don't know about this. I'm not thinking too much. I think it's just a business thing. I'm not involved in that, and I cannot comment about the prize money, if it's fair to be the same or not with the men.

But the only one comment that I have, we all see that they have more people watching their matches. So nothing more. Sorry. I cannot. Because I don't know what to say.

Q. Talk about the match point save and the point you played in the tiebreak. It was a good point.
SIMONA HALEP: I didn't realize. I watched after, when I was stretching, on Twitter a little bit. And the backhand down the line at match point, I was, like, was match point for her? And I didn't realize during the match.

Q. You had no idea you were match point down?
SIMONA HALEP: No. Yeah. Was better, actually.

Q. Playing Karolina Pliskova next. She's not someone who is a natural clay courter.
SIMONA HALEP: She's in the semis.

Q. I know, but she had only won two matches here at Roland Garros before this year, and she said she's surprised to be in the semis. Your thoughts on what that match will be? You must think she's pretty good if she's in the semi, which makes sense. How do you use your clay court experience in that match?
SIMONA HALEP: First will be very different, very different match than today, so is gonna come, like, the ball machine. Tomorrow I have to be strong on my legs.

Just belief. I cannot say about the tactic, because it's tough against her. I never played on clay, I think, against her. So it's gonna be a good challenge, something new.

But I know that she's a very big hitter. I have just to change something there. I will see tomorrow.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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