	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

U.S. OPEN

August 26, 2017

Simona Halep

New York, NY, USA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Where were you when you got word of your first-round draw?
SIMONA HALEP: On the tennis court. I was practicing.

Q. And who told you? What was your reaction?
SIMONA HALEP: I received the message. My reaction was normal, because this year I had very tough draws every time almost. Of course was a little bit, like, How is possible again? Just first round of a Grand Slam.

But I felt okay. I did my practice normal. I didn't have, like, something emotional. I'm normal.

Q. What are your thoughts on Maria returning to play in a major, given what she was involved in and all that went into it?
SIMONA HALEP: About wildcard, the tournament decided, so they can do anything they want. Is not my position to talk about this.

She's coming back. She's strong enough to come back, in my opinion. She has a lot of experience, and also many tournaments won.

So I think she's okay. Facing her, I'm, like, it's going to be a big challenge, first round of Grand Slam to face her. She beat me six times. So maybe I will change this. We will see Monday.

I just want to do my best, to try to win the match and of course to enjoy it. It's a big, big match.

Q. What especially is it about her or her game that's been difficult for you before?
SIMONA HALEP: I was so close many times. I don't know exactly what to say about this, but just a little bit difficult because maybe of the game that she's playing flat, she's playing risky, and maybe in the most important moments during the matches against her I couldn't step in and just take the opportunity.

I can't analyze much the game against her.

Q. What do you think the crowd reaction is going to be? Knowing how close you are to becoming No. 1 in the world? Knowing that she's a former champion here. How...
SIMONA HALEP: Eight players are close to go to No. 1 after this tournament, so I'm not the only one.

I don't know about the crowd. We will see Monday. But everyone here was very fair to me always, and I had a very nice crowd.

So I don't expect anything bad. I just expect a nice atmosphere, like always here in US Open. And we will see when we gonna play. If it's gonna be night, will be better.

Q. Will be night.
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah? You sure? Okay.

Q. In 2014 you guys played a lot, you and Maria. How different of a player do you think you are? You haven't played her very often since that. I think just once. How different of a player do you think you are from 2014?
SIMONA HALEP: Well, I am different in all the ways, in my opinion. Mentally, also, like player, game, I feel stronger than 2014. I feel with more experience. I faced many situations in these three years.

I feel better, and I feel that I'm ready to face her again. Doesn't matter what the result will be. I just want to change something. Maybe I can win. We will see.

Q. As you mentioned, eight players here could emerge as No. 1 by the end of this tournament. What does that say about the opportunity, not just for you guys at the very top, but for the entire field?
SIMONA HALEP: I think that everyone gets more confidence that everything is possible. Like we see the Grand Slams, champion Grand Slam is changing all the time, so I think all the players have to be, like, more confident and to think that everyone can do big things.

Q. How aware are you that a lot of people will want to beat Maria for more reasons than tennis? How important is that for you to put that out of your mind while you're on court?
SIMONA HALEP: Well, I'm not thinking what Maria did or what Maria does and how is the situation. I'm just thinking about myself. I just really want to go there and to play my best tennis. Is not going to be easy, because, like I said, I lost against her few times, so is just another match, another challenge, another possibility to face her, and to try to win against her. And that's it.

Q. You have been so close to No. 1 a few times. Has that been hard mentally? How difficult is it kind of not to think about that?
SIMONA HALEP: Well, I was close -- well, in French Open, really close. And then in Wimbledon, but I can't say about final in Cincinnati because the score was pretty bad so I was not close.

I'm not thinking anymore. It was enough. I thought about it too much, I think, and maybe the pressure came in important moments, so now is gone. Everyone can take the No. 1, and if it's gonna happen, I will deserve it. If not, no, we will see.

Q. Maria is obviously working her way back on tour but you have had to play other players making a comeback, you have beaten them all.
SIMONA HALEP: I hope I can beat her, also.

Q. Will you approach those players differently, those players who haven't had much match practice?
SIMONA HALEP: I just change a little bit my mentality. I take the match, like, I don't think about who I play. I just want to give my best in that day. Doesn't matter against who I play. Just -- I don't want to put pressure on myself that I'm facing Maria Sharapova. It's a normal player. She's coming back, so she played really well in the past, so she's still a good player.

So I have just to think about myself and to focus on myself.

Q. You said you don't feel pressure anymore. How does that work? Is there a switch you flip?
SIMONA HALEP: It's not easy. It's not easy.

Q. What happened?
SIMONA HALEP: I lost three times the opportunity to get there. So enough is enough. If I think looked like I cannot make it, so maybe I change. If I'm not thinking about it, maybe I will be more relaxed and I can get it.

But I repeat: If I deserve it, I will win it. If not, that's it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297