MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 4, 2021

Simona Halep

Press Conference

E. MERTENS/S. Halep

4-6, 7-5, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. A tough one out there today. Do you want to give your thoughts on the match? It was a tough three-setter against a very good player.

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, she played really well, and she definitely deserved to win because she was stronger in the end.

I cannot say I played bad, but I did some mistakes, important mistakes. You know, sometimes it's just a little bit and the match is going away.

Q. So what can you take from this tournament going forward towards Rome and then Roland Garros?

SIMONA HALEP: I had good matches. I played good tennis. I will just try to recover from this match and look forward to the next event.

Q. It was certainly a very physical battle out there on court today, certainly as evidenced by the 15 service breaks throughout. Were you surprised by anything that Elise did? Was it difficult to adjust your game?

SIMONA HALEP: Well, I think my serve was bad today. She could dominate the return. Then was really tough to get her, to push her a little bit more back.

I think she was very solid today. She was moving great, and also, she hit the ball good. So I think it was a good match.

Q. Is there anything, looking back in hindsight, that you would have liked to have done differently?

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I missed too much. I missed too much. I think if I would have stopped a little bit those mistakes, I would have been better in the match.

Q. Looking ahead to Rome and obviously title defense and everything like that, how do you feel coming off of this week and the week you had before going into a title defense there?

SIMONA HALEP: Well, it's too early because I just finished a tough match, but I don't think about title defense. I just want to recover because I'm a little bit tired after this match.

I had good matches. The tennis is good. So I have just to calm down and to see what I have to do better than today.

Q. There will be people who read into the results as opposed to maybe watching you play or getting a sense of how you feel like you're playing. Can you just give a sense as to where do you think your level is? Are you happy with it at this point in the clay season?

SIMONA HALEP: Yes. I'm very happy with the game, but the only one thing that I want to do it better is to stop missing, because sometimes I am rushing and I do some mistakes that I normally don't do.

Yeah, I have to work on that and to be more patient in the future.

Q. Do you think that that has anything to do with kind of not having maybe as many matches as you would normally have...

SIMONA HALEP: Exactly, yeah. I want to finish the points fast, and that's why I start missing. But, yeah, I need more matches.

Q. That's sort of what I was going to ask, which was whether, when you're talking about those mistakes, is it that you feel you're not hitting the right shot or you're not hitting it at the right time or not hitting it well?

SIMONA HALEP: That's a tough question (smiling). I think all together. But first thing is that I don't hit the right shot.

But the timing is pretty good, but just I try too much to go to the lines or I go at different angles, so that's why I think I do those mistakes too much.

Q. It sounds like you think though with more matches that can sort of take care of itself?

SIMONA HALEP: The patience comes with matches and also with confidence. So, yeah, I have to work on that, and then I think it will be better.

Q. I want to get your reaction. The WTA announced today they are going to be doing a tournament in Cluj-Napoca, a WTA 250. Did you hear about that?

SIMONA HALEP: No. It's first time when I hear it. When is that?

Q. They said it's going to be on August 2. Do you think it's a movement forward for the sport and the country of Romania?

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, it's a great thing. I'm really happy to hear that. Hopefully many Romanians will play. It's going to be great for them because it's a good tournament, and in Cluj they do always a great job. I'm really happy to hear about that.

Q. Do you think you'll play?

SIMONA HALEP: I think I will be in Olympics. You said -- yeah, I think I will be there.