ROLAND GARROS

October 4, 2020

Simona Halep

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/S. Halep

6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. That was a tough day at the office. Everything that you threw at her she returned back with pace. She was everywhere. Can you just give us a feeling of what it was like for you out with her today?

SIMONA HALEP: Well, yeah, all the credit to her, she played unbelievable today and she was everywhere and she hit all the balls in very strong, very powerful.

It was a little bit cold and I couldn't be at my best, but, yeah, she played really well and her match was like, no, it was her match today.

Q. Talking about that, I know that like, for example, last year against Anisimova you were unhappy with being unable to play tactically the way that you wanted to. What's your reaction coming out of this match, was there anything different that you could have don't you think today to kind of get Iga off her game?

SIMONA HALEP: For sure I could have done something different, like playing more balls in and trying to push her back, but it's all I had today and, yeah, I couldn't make something better. She was really dominating the match and was really aggressive.

Maybe the third match will be better, but it's okay, I'll take it.

Q. How were you feeling during the match and how are you feeling right now?

SIMONA HALEP: Probably a little bit sad about how it was the match, of course. But it's just another experience, it was cold, it was tough to play, but she played really well, so I take the match as it was and I will try next time to be better.

Q. I know you're probably going to get over the loss quite, it's a bit of a shock, but how do you usually recover from losses like this? Because it's been a fantastic year for you overall, so how will you reflect on this year that you've had?

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I realize that it was a fantastic year with all the tough moments that we all had, so I'm not going to ruin the whole year just for a match. Of course it's not easy to take it, but I'm used to some tough moments in this career.

So I will have a chocolate and I will be better tomorrow.

Q. Were you okay, were you a hundred percent for today's match and also do you know why the roof was closed when it was pretty sunny outside?

SIMONA HALEP: I didn't ask why it was closed, I just found out before the match that it's going to stay closed, so I didn't actually comment and I didn't ask, so I don't know why they kept it closed.

I was hundred percent. I don't have injury. But it was a little bit cold and sometimes when it's too cold I don't feel fit enough to run during the points. But no injury, so I'm happy about that.

Q. I'm sorry for you, I'm happy for Martina Trevisan, and I don't know if you know her, she's in the quarters. And what is most surprising, that Swiatek play so well against you or that Martina Trevisan is in the quarterfinals coming out of the qualifying?

SIMONA HALEP: Well I don't know what to answer here, but I think at this level nobody surprises anybody any more because everyone has a big level and it depends on the day that you are. So Swiatek played really well and she deserved to win today and probably Trevisan did the same thing, if she won and she's in the quarterfinals. So it's going to be good match between both of them.

Q. Tough match out there today. Did Swiatek maybe catch you by surprise, did you maybe not see it coming that she was going to be very aggressive like that?

SIMONA HALEP: No, I knew she was going to be aggressive. I knew that she's playing this way. Today it worked really well for her, every ball. She was very confident, she was powerful, so it was a great match for her.

Q. Additionally on Iga's game, what did she do out there that surprised you in particular, because it seemed like no matter where you put the ball she seemed to be quite on balance and ready to kind of come back with something even harder or more difficult. So what surprised you?

SIMONA HALEP: I think she has the same game like last year when we played, but last year maybe I played a little bit better in the way that I pushed her back more and she didn't have this time to just kill the ball. Today it was better for her. I think she, if she feels the ball she can be great a little bit under the shoulder and inside the court. So she did that and she found some great angles today.

Q. We have seen a lot of shock results particularly in the women's draw. Do you feel it's because of the season and everything being kind of messed around and the short clay court swing or is it the conditions or is it something else?

SIMONA HALEP: I said earlier that for me it's not a surprise, these results. Because everyone at this level is playing really well and in the fourth round of a Grand Slam it's not a surprise any more because if you are there it means that you have a great game. So I believe that every match it opened at this level and it's about the day that you play. So, yeah, all the credit for the players who are winning the matches.

Q. In a year like this what do you take away from this one at Roland Garros?

SIMONA HALEP: The fact that we were able to play. So I really enjoyed the time here. I had fun, even if I was bored in the room.

It was great to have some matches on the clay and the fact that I won Rome made my year so I'm all good (laughing.)

Q. I wanted to ask you about Australia. What do you think about the prospect of having to go out there particularly early, have to quarantine for 14 days maybe?

SIMONA HALEP: Well, I've heard yesterday I think that in Australia it's going to be 14 days, but it's going to be a bubble. So it's not that you have to stay 14 days just in a room, because if you do that you cannot play after 14 days without training. But if it's like here, a bubble, yeah, I'm open and I'm going.

Q. Would you expect to go there quite early?

SIMONA HALEP: Depends. Depends what I decide to play. First tournament, if I play first tournament, we'll see, I have no idea. It's too early. I would like to enjoy some time off after this.

Q. You've just said you like your chocolate, so forgive me for saying that your answers have been sweet like chocolate this week. What are you most looking forward to when you return home?

SIMONA HALEP: To have some rest, to go walking on the streets because here I was really, really bored. To stay with my family and to enjoy the time off because I'm really happy with the way I have played this year, so I'm going to enjoy the rest.