ROLAND GARROS

September 27, 2020

Simona Halep

Press Conference

S. HALEP/S. Sorribes Tormo

6-4, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Happy Birthday.

SIMONA HALEP: Thank you.

Q. How have you celebrated your birthday today? Nice birthday present for you?

SIMONA HALEP: The perfect present was that I won today, of course. It was really special day playing on Roland Garros on my birthday. So it's going to be pretty unique maybe forever. I cannot celebrate much, because I have to stay in the room, so I will have a bottle of water (smiling).

Yeah, just enjoying the time. I will speak with my very close ones and loved ones. Just that. Nothing special. After the tournament, I will.

Q. Happy Birthday.

SIMONA HALEP: Thank you.

Q. The conditions out there, cold, rainy, all of that, how pleased are you that there is a roof now this year at Roland Garros? What were the conditions like playing indoors?

SIMONA HALEP: Well, yeah, I was very honored to open actually this roof, to be the first women's match. It was much better, because we could play and the rain didn't stop us at all.

It was pretty cold, because it's cold outside. But also, we were very away from the wind so we could play normally.

It was really nice to be able to play on the court. Even if it was a little bit heavy, because of the weather, it was good conditions to play in this rainy day.

Q. Happy Birthday. Can you just talk about how did the conditions today compare to, or even in your practices, compare to 2016, which is kind of the only recent comparison that we have of a cold Roland Garros. That was, I know, a tricky tournament for you and others, as well. Is it similar to that or is it different?

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, it's similar. But today I was lucky, because it didn't rain. So back in 2016 was raining and was even colder.

So today it was a little bit better. But still, I felt the cold. I'm not very happy with the cold in general. So it was a little bit tough. I struggled.

But, you know, I just have in my mind it is for both of us the same, so I have just to keep calm. The fact that I could change a little bit the tactic during the match it makes me very pleased with the victory.

Q. Happy Birthday. My question is a nonmatch question. Have you ever played the perfect tennis match? Do you think it's possible to play an absolutely perfect tennis match?

SIMONA HALEP: Yes. I played one. Can I say about it?

Q. Yeah.

SIMONA HALEP: The final in Wimbledon. I think that one, it was perfect (smiling). I actually, I sit down and I try to analyze what I did wrong or what I did less good. Doesn't exist.

So that match is perfect.

Q. Happy Birthday. A question, is Roland Garros 2020 a different tournament to past editions?

SIMONA HALEP: It is different because they don't have the crowd, that big, big crowd. But the rest, it's nice. I like it. So doesn't matter if we struggle a little bit with conditions and we cannot go out. We can just stay together in the bubble, which makes it a little bit difficult, but for me, it's still special so I'm happy to be here.

Q. Do you think that you have learned anything since your last birthday about making you a better player than you were 12 months ago?

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I think I improved a lot. I'm more mature on the court. I am more calm? Yeah, I feel very good on court. I'm relaxed. I'm just trying to give my best every time.

Actually, I don't give up any points. So I think I changed a lot in the last 12 months.

Q. Speaking on today's match, you mentioned having a plan B and being able to adjust. How much is it going to be about figuring out whether to go for a lot, be more aggressive, try to hit the ball through a slow court, or to be patient, to grind, to build points for you?

SIMONA HALEP: Exactly, yeah. This I changed. It worked very well for me.

At the beginning I just wanted to be aggressive and to hit the balls everywhere. But she was so strong on the legs, and she didn't miss at all. And also, her ball is coming a little bit higher and with a lot of topspin, so it's not easy to play from, you know, up to the shoulder.

And then I just started to open the court better, to go slower, and to work for every ball, which I did very well. And dropshots (smiling).