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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 20, 2017

Simona Halep

Cincinnati, Ohio

G. MUGURUZA/S. Halep

6-1, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How tough was it out there to find the rhythm and what did you try to do to kind of get it back?
SIMONA HALEP: Well, she played really well, first of all, and she was hitting very strong, and after a few games I got down with the confidence. I tried to hit the ball and couldn't much. Then I tried to go back a little bit and was not good. So today I don't really know what I had to do, and I think she was just too good today.

Q. You said in the last two matches you felt you got the feel of the ball better. Today did that just desert you or, could you feel it to start with, or...
SIMONA HALEP: It was different than last week in Toronto where I didn't feel the ball at all in the semis. But today I felt it. I just -- I think maybe I was too slow to the rhythm, and also tried to play her game a little bit, to hit too strong.

I don't know exactly how it was there, but what I know is that I have just to forget it and just go ahead, because I have an important tournament next week.

So I don't want to go down too much, and I don't want to analyze too much. It was a bad moment, bad feeling on court, but it's just a day.

Q. In your preparation, because she had taken out two big hitters prior to coming up against you, did you use any of those matches in review to prepare for today?
SIMONA HALEP: I didn't do something special. I just talked about the plan, about what I have to play. I didn't do what my coach told me also on court. Sometimes I cannot respond to his advices. Sometimes I'm not that maybe positive or just with the confidence high to do what he says.

So today just couldn't manage to play a better match and to do a better score.

Q. How much time do you give yourself to sort of get this out of your system and move on, especially with New York coming up?
SIMONA HALEP: Well, I think I will have two days off. I think it's still available, the offer that Darren gave me yesterday, two days off after this tournament (smiling).

After this match, I'm not sure, but yeah, I hope to have rest I need. I played three tournaments in a row. And I played well in the last two.

Then I just go ahead. Like I came here, I will go to New York and I will be with the confidence up. I played really good few months. So I don't have negatives to take. Just these moments that are not easy. But I feel that these moments are bringing something new, a lesson, and I just try to learn from it.

Q. No charter flights, but you're not driving to New York, right?
SIMONA HALEP: No, I'm taking plane, but a normal plane line. Not private. I don't deserve, anyway (smiling).

Q. How much of your rest is like a mental break? How much is physical at this stage?
SIMONA HALEP: Well, I don't feel tired, physical. I don't have any problem. Just mentally a little bit with the routine. Maybe a little bit tired that I have to warm up to get ready for the match and stuff like this. But I feel pretty okay. We'll see next week before the tournament starts, and then I can talk about it.

Q. What do you take out of the last two weeks?
SIMONA HALEP: Two very bad matches, first (smiling), and a final, this is great. And the most important thing is that first two matches here I played very poor level. I could just handle it, and I could just past it. And then I played maybe the best matches on hard court.

I don't count today. I just take it like it is, and I leave with positives. I leave with good feeling of the ball. Just take it like a normal tournament and a good tournament.

Q. Can you share with us what Darren hold you after the match?
SIMONA HALEP: Huh-uh. (Laughter.)

Let's talk about something else.

Q. You say a lot of times you have confidence, and then suddenly you don't. Do you feel like it's out of your control or...
SIMONA HALEP: I'm like this in normal life, as well. Up and down every day (smiling).

But I cannot say I lost my confidence after today. Of course I feel that it's been a big shame to be there to lose 6-1, 6-0 in the final, but these things happen, and she's a very good player. So I don't have to feel that bad. But still, I am.

Well, when I feel on court that I got dominated a little bit, I felt that I cannot control anymore the points, and that's maybe why I got a little bit down in my confidence.

But I tried. Inside, I tried. But maybe I didn't show that I wanted just to keep closer, the match. Sometimes I don't show that, but inside I really felt that I can play and I gave everything I had, every point.

Q. Do you have a prediction for the men's final?
SIMONA HALEP: No, no more. I said two times that Ferrer is winning and Nadal is winning (smiling). Now I say that the best is going to win.

Q. You could have been No. 1 if you won.
SIMONA HALEP: Thank you for reminding me (smiling).

Q. Do you think that's just too much pressure about your game or...
SIMONA HALEP: Maybe. But I'm not sure about that. Like I said yesterday, the third time is going to be lucky or another experience. So is another experience.

It's tough to analyze anymore about this thing. Maybe I feel the pressure and I don't realize it. Maybe I just played bad. I don't know what to say. But it's still there. I have still -- I still have a chance. So I will work for it, and maybe one day it will be there.

Q. You come to press and you get asked about the No. 1 thing a lot.
SIMONA HALEP: Every day.

Q. How much time do you spend thinking about it outside of these situations? How much time do you and Darren and your team think and talk about it?
SIMONA HALEP: With my team, I never talk about it. Actually, I never talk. I'm thinking when I have -- I'm thinking, yes, sometimes. Not very often in the last few weeks, after Wimbledon. I just try to improve and to just put it away.

But if I'm asked and if someone is talking about this every day, it's tough to just forget about it. I'm just trying to get stronger.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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