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MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 6, 2018

Simona Halep

Madrid, Spain

S. HALEP/E. Makarova

6-1, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Could that have been any better to the start of the tournament?
SIMONA HALEP: Not really. I think it was a great match. I played really well. Of course, maybe she didn't play her best. But she's always tough to play against.

So, yeah, it was a good match and a good start.

Q. It also looked like in terms of your movement, you looked really good out there, like you trusted every step you made. Is it fair to say you're feeling this match also made you feel better in terms of recovering from the slight injury?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, the injury's gone. I don't have problems any more. I had a lot of treatment. I took care of my leg.

It was actually coming from the back. I always have little issues with my back, so I know how to treat.

I felt really well on court today. I was moving great. Also the ball, I felt the game. I like to play on this court. Always when I come back here, I feel a little bit more relaxed. So maybe that's why I can touch my best level every time I play. Hopefully I can keep it also for the next round.

Q. Is it difficult to lose just one game? Do you feel like you've had a decent workout? Are you one of these people that goes out and practices for another hour?
SIMONA HALEP: I asked Darren. He said I'm all good. I trust him (smiling).

I'm not practicing any more. Tomorrow I maybe I will play again or when I play doubles. When I feel the ball, I don't want to practice a lot, so I'm cool.

Q. At some point you were up 6-1, 4-Love. You missed a ball and got frustrated with yourself.
SIMONA HALEP: No, no, it was not frustration. It was just that I took the wrong decision to hit that ball. That's why. I'm not going to make it bigger.

I was okay all the match. The attitude was great. I felt good, mentally strong. I think I played very well, but still I had few decision that I could take them different.

Q. Just a quick question about kind of the Romanian team at this point. Mihaela made the final in Prague. You guys had dinner last night. Playing doubles more and more with Irina. I'm curious about the evolution of how everybody has gelled together, getting along. Has it changed over the last few years?
SIMONA HALEP: It's not changed, I think. All the girls from Romania are really strong. They train a lot. They play really well, if they are confident.

Irina is my friend since maybe few years, one year and so. It's a great person. I really enjoyed last night that she won the match. She deserved to win. I think that she has a big chance to do a big result here, like the previous years.

I play doubles with her because I like her like a person. That's why I feel good with her. She motivates me. Any time we play doubles, we win some matches, so it's good. Normally I don't win doubles matches (smiling).

Q. After such a short match, when you sit down with Darren to talk about the match afterwards, how do you debrief? Is it like, You played amazing? Does he, like, pick at some issues that happened there? Is it just full motivation, keep doing what you did out there.
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I talked to him after the match about five minutes this time, so it was short. He said that I played great. He has nothing to comment about. Just keep doing that and it will be okay.

I said, Yeah, I agree (smiling).

Q. Obviously in combined events there's so many people around. It's not always easy to find a quiet place before the match. For you, what do you do before a match here when it's so busy everywhere?
SIMONA HALEP: We have a lounge here upstairs. It's quiet. I have no problems with that. I love the tournaments, combined tournaments. I feel like it's normal. It's much better for everybody.

If one day it's going to be one tour, it's going to be nice to be together every tournament. I like that. I think it's much better to have that. So I have no problems here to stay, like, quiet.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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