US OPEN

September 5, 2021

Simona Halep

Press Conference

E. SVITOLINA/S. Halep

6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: If you could give us your thoughts on the match.

SIMONA HALEP: Well, it's been a tough match. She played really well, very constant. She didn't miss much. She was strong on the legs, running very well. So all the credit to her. She had a very good match.

From my side, a bit tired, a bit stressed before the match. It's normal. But it's been a good tournament. I take the positives only from this week.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. When you say you were a bit stressed, was that meaning nerves going out there?

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, nerves and stressed also because I knew it's going to be a tough match. I've been a little bit tired after three good matches here.

But when you don't have many matches, you always are a little bit stressed before the match. But overall I think I did a good job here and I'm looking forward actually with positive thoughts.

Q. You must feel a bit encouraged with what you've achieved here having not played that much, got over the injuries.

SIMONA HALEP: Exactly, yeah. I'm good. I'm positive about how I played, how I feel. No pain, no injury. So this is the most important thing.

Now I need a little bit of rest and to reflect a little bit what I have to do better next time against her because always it's been a tough match with her.

But, yeah, it's normal that she had a better chance today because she played so much this year and she had confidence very high.

So, yeah, I think it was a good day.

Q. If there was one aspect of today that you were concerned about or not happy with, what would that be?

SIMONA HALEP: Too many unforced errors from my side. I think I rushed. I overhit sometimes. She was responding very well. Yeah, I think I rushed a little bit too much. Maybe if I would have let's say a little bit more patience, I think would have been better.

Q. There is that classic Halep cross-court return. It's like a rocket. What did you think at that stage?

SIMONA HALEP: I loved it. I loved it (smiling). Yeah, I still have them, so I'm happy about that. The running was there, the shots were there. Just a little bit concentration and patience.

Q. Just a case of getting a bit more consistency in the game?

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah. At this level you need to be a hundred percent with all aspects. That aspect is a little bit struggling from my side, so that's why I was not able to do a better match.

Q. What are you going to do now?

SIMONA HALEP: Going home and rest a little bit because I feel good, but the body's used. I used it a lot this period so I need to come down. Then I will decide what I play after I see how I feel.

Q. You don't know yet if you'll go to Indian Wells?

SIMONA HALEP: Normally I go. But, yeah, you never know. After a long break with injuries, I need just to talk to my doctors again, to my team, and then we'll decide. But normally I go.

Q. Is there a chance because there are so few tournaments left that you may not play another tournament this year or you still think you will play?

SIMONA HALEP: I'm thinking to play. I'm thinking to play. This is the goal actually, to have few more matches. But also I want to protect myself.

If the body tells me to slow down a little bit, I will do.

Q. You've been incredibly consistent, at the top of the game for a very long time. Since there's a lot of talk about mental health right now, burnout and things, what was the key for you in the moments when you felt mentally burned out? Did you find that taking breaks from tennis helped you mentally?

SIMONA HALEP: Well, I took a break because I needed to with the injury. Of course I felt burned mentally during the years because I played at the highest level every week, every year, like for eight years.

But when you go back home, you have time to see what you achieved. The life is much better with tennis, what tennis gave me. So I never thought that tennis is something bad in my life. So I always enjoyed to play. It's my passion. Every time when I go back on court, I feel good, I feel happy.

Of course, sometimes I'm frustrated, I'm upset, I'm sad because of how I play or I lose a match. But I only see positives from tennis, what actually it gives us.

Q. Did you consider, with Indian Wells being in October, staying in the States at all or was the plan always going to be going home?

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, yeah, yeah, always go back home. I always go back home when I have time. There are three, four weeks between. So, yeah, I will go home.