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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 1, 2019

Simona Halep

Wimbledon, London, England

S. HALEP/A. Sasnovich

6-4, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How is the ankle, the knee, the leg?
SIMONA HALEP: Thank you. It's okay in this moment. But I need to do the treatment.

Q. Have you had any yet?
SIMONA HALEP: Just ice. I didn't have time for it.

I feel a little bit. I think it's a little bit stretched, the muscle behind the knee, and also the Achilles. Hopefully is nothing dangerous and I can recover until the next match.

Q. It did look quite a bad fall.
SIMONA HALEP: I felt it bad also, yeah.

Q. Was there a split second afterwards when you felt it could have been even worse?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, could have been even worse. But actually I was lucky a little bit because I stopped the swing, yeah, then I just turn around and continue the point. It was a little bit better then.

Q. Is it nice to be back? I noticed it was on No. 1 Court, the same court that you lost on last year. Did that play on your mind at all?
SIMONA HALEP: No, I didn't think about that. But I was nervous because also in US Open I opened the court, Louis Armstrong. Here when I saw, I was a little bit worried. I stopped thinking about that and I just enjoyed the court. It's beautiful.

Q. How different does it feel? It's more than just the roof. It looks like a different stadium.
SIMONA HALEP: I didn't feel on court, no. It's great and always been great.

Q. From 2-5 down in that second set, seemed like you kind of found something. Seemed like you played more aggressive, stepped in a little bit more. How did you turn the second set around?
SIMONA HALEP: I didn't miss that much and I tried to be more aggressive to hit the ball. At one point I started to push the ball, and she could play her game. She plays well when she goes for it.

Then I was concentrating on the serve, as well. I played more with the first one. Yeah, I felt confident, even if I was 2-5.

Q. Even at 2-5 you didn't think it was going to a third, you thought you could do it?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I didn't think of going to the third set. I just said I have to play for every ball.

Q. At a time when nine different women have won the last ten majors, what is the state of your game from a physical and mental standpoint? How do you look at the field?
SIMONA HALEP: Well, I said this year it's a chill year and I'm not putting pressure on myself. I'm motivated every tournament I play. So I'm not analyzing that much. I just want to go on court and to see how good I can be this year. Next year maybe I will push a little bit more.

Now I feel happy on court, I feel good. I just try to win every match I play. Nothing else in my mind.

Q. What is the cause for you feeling so laid back and happy?
SIMONA HALEP: Maybe because I won a Grand Slam last year. This year I'm enjoying the time more. I'm enjoying also other things more.

Q. Speaking of pressure, there's a new women's world No. 1 in Ash Barty. Have you spoken to her at all about her new status and how maybe she can deal with that coming into a Grand Slam like you've done?
SIMONA HALEP: I didn't have the chance to talk to her. I just congratulated her. She's a great person. I'm really happy for her. She deserves to be there because she won on all surfaces. So that's great.

But she needs a little bit of time, like one month, then she will know better how to manage No. 1 place.

Q. Is that how you felt when you were No. 1?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I worked a lot for No. 1 place. She won it fast, so is different. But, yeah, it was a little bit weird at the beginning, but then you get used. If you are able to enjoy it, then it's easier.

Q. What do you mean by 'other things' you're enjoying more?
SIMONA HALEP: Off-court things. I'm going with the friends, spending time with my family more, going out more. So normal things like a person does my age.

Q. When you talk about the chill year, kind of just seeing how good you can play without maybe the extra pressure, are you surprised? Or I guess how do you manage that? In the past we've known you to be a very ambitious player, intense player. Can you swallow the earlier losses, not playing as well or getting the results you got in the past?
SIMONA HALEP: Well, when I lose a match now, I'm not doing a disaster of it. I'm trying to take it easier. I'm still motivated. I'm still ambitious. But, you know, I don't say, Okay, I'm here and I have to do this, to do this result.

I'm taking easier. I feel much better. I feel more relaxed. I try just to improve in other ways, not only on tennis way.

Q. How would you compare the way you're playing with that relaxed sense about you with when you were the No. 1 player in the world, when you did win a major?
SIMONA HALEP: So how I manage the situation?

Q. How would you compare the way you're playing with that relaxed atmosphere around you?
SIMONA HALEP: It's a little bit different, I have to admit. Back then was a little bit of more pressure. Now I don't expect big things from myself this period. I just try to improve in my attitude, in my game, as well. I'm not that stressed that I have to win every match I play.

I see different a little bit the things.

Q. When you won the major, you indicated it was a big relief for you.
SIMONA HALEP: Exactly, yeah.

Q. How do you think it would be now to win a major?
SIMONA HALEP: Well, I think will be easier emotional because I know how it is. I think also it's tougher because I know what is like to play seven matches and to win a tournament that's a Grand Slam. But I don't want to think about it. I just want to play every match and then we will see if it's going to happen.

Q. As a spectator, I really miss Darren being courtside. I used to feel there was such a dynamic, not through signaling, but this invisible bond between the two of you. Do you feel his absence?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I feel his absence and I miss his person there in the box. I had a great connection with him always. He gave me also peace during the matches and also, like, power to keep fighting. So it was a special connection. Definitely I miss him.

But I haven't been that bad this year without him, so I'm trying just to get better and better.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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