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BNP PARIBAS OPENMarch 11, 2014Simona HalepINDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA S. HALEP/E. Bouchard THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. How did she compare to the way you expected her to play the match? SIMONA HALEP: I knew that she's a great player and she's playing really well. I just tried to do game, to be aggressive, to play fast. It wasn't my best tennis today, but I was fighting a lot. I did well. I think I came back in third set very well. I was more relaxed than the second set because I was very nervous at that time. But everything I could I did today during the match, and I am really happy that I won because I know she's a great player and she's improving tournament by tournament. Q. Where is your confidence level right now? SIMONA HALEP: Mentally I am very strong. I feel I am strong. Physical I don't feel like 100%, but I hope that I recover very fast today. I have confidence that I can play at high level, like top 10, because now I'm top 10 it's a bit of pressure on my mind. But I want just to be relaxed as I did last year and to enjoying every match. Q. You said you're you not feeling 100% physically. Where are you kind of aching right now? SIMONA HALEP: I'm about 80 because I feel a bit tired. I don't know why, but my legs are heavy. You cannot feel 100% every time, every day. I am okay, and I have confidence that I will play a good tennis tomorrow. Q. She complimented your defensive game. Have you really worked on that, and can you talk about that? SIMONA HALEP: Every time when I go on court I want to be offensive, very aggressive. Today I played a little bit too short, I think, and she had time to push me back. I didn't play really well at the back of the baseline, but I just tried to put the ball on court. I have a bit unluck there, few balls very small out, but that's tennis. I was just trying to keep focus to win every point and to fight for the match. I think I had my chance during the match in last game of the match, so I tried to play, to stay there with my mind, and to be very focused. Q. When you say that she is a great player, what is it about her game that you find dangerous? SIMONA HALEP: She's very aggressive. She hits very strong and her serve, it's really, really good serve. She's moving well. So I think she has a complete game. She will be a tough player in the future. And also she will be a great player, I don't know, because is very difficult to play against her. But I am happy that I could win. It was very important for me, this match. Q. You said you were nervous in the second set. Why were you nervous? SIMONA HALEP: Because like last round I played really well first set, and then I cannot manage the same level in second set. I don't know why. But, you know, she came back very well. She played really well. She started to play well. I mean, it's not easy to play at this level every time, every set, every game. I'm trying to do my best every time, and I'm happy that I could stay there all the match. Q. Does that give you confidence, that the last two matches you've been able to not play the best tennis that you've ever played and win, or are you worried? SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I have confidence now more than before to start this tournament. I came here with a small injury. I had a small injury before, and it's not easy to play again 100%. You have in your mind the protection of the leg. But now I feel okay. I feel good. Yeah, I have more confidence now because I came back two times from 3‑4 in third set. So it's very important for me. And I think I was improved in ‑‑ I improve more in my serve this tournament. Q. What was your small injury? SIMONA HALEP: My Achilles. Q. Which leg? SIMONA HALEP: Right one. Q. You said this match was very important for you. Why? The size of tournament? Is it that the opponent was younger? Up and coming? What was will particular reason for the importance? SIMONA HALEP: For my mind was important because she's a great player and I want just to keep my level up. I knew that she's very, very aggressive player, and is not easy to play against aggressive player because they are hitting very well, very hard, and she is serving really well, as I said. It's good to be there to return every point. So it was important also because I wanted to play quarterfinals here in Indian Wells because I like this tournament. So my dream is true now, and I hope next round I will do my best. Q. What did you do before the match? Before it started you left of the court for a minute. SIMONA HALEP: Yes. I went to the bathroom to change my shirt. I had small problem with my shirt. (Laughter.) Q. What about at the end of the second set? What did you do? SIMONA HALEP: Nothing. Q. Just to change your mind? SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, just to relax a little bit. Q. Do you feel physically well enough to win this tournament? SIMONA HALEP: Oh, good question. And very difficult. I cannot think about this title because I'm too far from the final. I have to focus to every match here. Every match is very tough. It's a big tournament. I want just to be focused every match, every game, and every set. Here are a lot of good players. Maybe I have a chance. I will look forward for it to get it. I will fight for it for sure. Q. You have Dellacqua in the quarterfinals. That's not the usual opponent you would expect at this stage, so what are your thoughts on that? SIMONA HALEP: She's lefty, and I know it will be a difficult match. She's not easy to play with a lefty. Usually we play with right‑handed. I don't know her. I never played against her. So will be a surprise for me maybe. I want just to try my game, like with Safarova, because she was lefty also. She is lefty, so I have experience this tournament with lefty player. I have just to serve good, to try my best, and to move well, because I know she's playing very‑‑ I thinkshe opens the court very well with her forehand. Q. Do you think it's an advantage or disadvantage that she had a walkover this round? SIMONA HALEP: I don't think about this. Maybe, yeah, she has advantage because she didn't play today. But I think it's okay for me. Tomorrow I will be ready to play. I will try my best to do everything I can. Everything I can I will do for sure. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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