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QATAR TOTAL OPENFebruary 16, 2014Simona HalepDOHA, QATAR S. HALEP/A. Kerber THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Congratulations, Simona. You broke her serve in the first game, and you just kept on going. Talk a little bit about how you feel. SIMONA HALEP: Thank you. Yeah, I feel very, very nice now. I'm very happy because I could win this tournament. It's amazing for me, because when I came here I didn't expect that I can play final and to win also, because I came from indoors court, Fed Cup. So it's amazing moment for me. I think it's the best, because it's the biggest tournament which I won. So it's incredible here in Doha. The presentation of the trophy was very nice. It's incredible here, and I felt very well. Q. What do you think you did with your pain that allowed you to win pretty easily against her today? SIMONA HALEP: It wasn't too easy. She played really well today. She's a great player. I had to be focused for every point, to fight for every point, and to be aggressive but not too much, because she knows how to play if I hit the ball very strong. So I just wanted to play smart aggressive and to don't make mistakes today. Q. Well played, Simona. You actually nearly didn't make it in your first match, did you? Your first match here you nearly didn't make it. When did you actually first start to feel you hit the ball well this week? SIMONA HALEP: First round was very difficult for me because I came from indoors, as I said, and was pretty tough to adapt quickly. I had just one day practicing. And she had 5‑3 in third set, and I called my coach on court. I told him, It's over, I lost the match. But he said that I can win that one. And then, after that match, I was very confident with my serve. I believed that I had my chance here in this tournament. I was fighting for every point and just tried to find my game again. Q. So was it in the second and third matches you started to get the rhythm and the ball striking? SIMONA HALEP: First match was actually the best moment here in this tournament, because I saw that I can win the match and nothing is lost. Up to the last point you have to believe. And then the second round was pretty difficult for me, and then third round I started to feel the ball very well. Q. I know you have just won your biggest title. Can you look any further ahead now and say what you think you could achieve? SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I think I can play at a higher level now. I believe in my chance. I believe in my game. Mentally I am strong. Now I feel confident on the court. I take the pleasure. I take the best moment on court. Now I want just to think about my game just, and to think maybe if it's possible and if I can to make semifinals at Grand Slams. But I know that will be very tough, but I will work hard for that. Q. Congratulations for the win. Your next step will be Dubai. Are you going to keep the spirit to win the Dubai title and farther? SIMONA HALEP: Next week? Q. Yes. SIMONA HALEP: It's very difficult, because now I feel a little bit tired. I have to be happy for this title before going to Dubai. I will celebrate with my family, with my friends here. I feel really well in Doha. So tomorrow I will go to Dubai, and I will try my best again there, but we will see how far I can go there. Q. Congratulations for the title, your first title this year. How far do you think the withdrawal by injury of some big stars of this tournament paved the way for you to win the title? SIMONA HALEP: The pain of my Achilles? Q. The withdrawal of injury by some of the big names for this tournament paved the way for you to reach this final, to win the tournament. SIMONA HALEP: I don't understand. You understand? THE MODERATOR: The withdrawal of some of the top players, how did that help you this week. SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, it was difficult to have injury of my leg, but it was a good tournament for me. Q. Talk about the game that you served to close out the first set. Because you faced two break points that you had to bypass and everything. Just a little bit on that game and how you came through it. SIMONA HALEP: The last game in the first set? Q. Yeah. SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I wanted to just finish the set and be focused for every point. I wanted to serve well, because if I was serving with second serve, I knew that she will make a good point with return. She's returning very well. So I just try to put the first serve as good as I can. Q. But you saved all of the four break points that you faced in the match. So what kind of focus do you feel you're having now? Is that something you feel you have developed? SIMONA HALEP: I just want to be focused for every point, to fight for every point. I don't think that it's break point or I have game point. So there it's pretty difficult to think about the score. You have just to enjoy the match, enjoy the game, and to think what you have to do on court, I think. Q. Today on court you were two against Angelique: you and the crowd.  Does it mean you will come back to play here in Doha? SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, for sure I will come here, because it was amazing week for me. Everybody was very nice for me. The Romanian people, they supported me a lot here. It was amazing week, and I will come for sure next year back here. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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