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DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPSFebruary 18, 2014Simona HalepDUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES A. CORNET/S. Halep THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. How bad is the ankle? SIMONA HALEP: I think it is bad, but I stopped because I wanted to stay safe with my ankle and to recover fast, because after two weeks I have another tournament. Q. So this was not the Achilles? SIMONA HALEP: The Achilles, yes. It was the Achilles. Q. So it was not the ankle? SIMONA HALEP: Achilles, the same like in Doha. Q. You did well to get through then last week, given the way it is today? SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I played really well last week, and it was a great tournament for me. It was a pleasure to play there and to win the tournament. Here I was very tired during the match and I felt that I cannot continue, but she played well the first set, and it isn't easy to continue the match when you don't feel 100%. You cannot run, you cannot stop at the balls. It's not easy. Q. Were you afraid you might have to stop last week? SIMONA HALEP: Yes, I was, in the semifinals. But during the match I felt that I can continue. I wanted to do everything I could there, because it was the last matches, and I said that after that I can recover, can recover better, I think. Q. Did you at any point feel like maybe I shouldn't even come to Dubai after last week? SIMONA HALEP: No, I wanted to try, because I like to try to fight for my chance, but here I couldn't. After one set I realized that it is dangerous to continue. So I wanted to stop, because she's a great player and you have to run a lot to beat her. Q. What exactly troubles you most in the matches with your Achilles? What was the pain exactly? SIMONA HALEP: I think I have an inflammation at my Achilles. So when I jump with my serve and when I stop at the rallies, I feel the pain. And today I felt that stronger. Q. So is the aim just to have a bit of rest and still play in a couple of weeks, or do you feel like perhaps you might need a bit longer off the court to recover properly? SIMONA HALEP: I think about two weeks or ten days, the physio said that I should be okay after ten days' break, so I will see after that. Q. Do you welcome the rest that you're going to have? You've played a lot of matches. SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I like to rest after the one good tournament (smiling). I will go home maybe tomorrow, and I will celebrate, for sure, for my tournament with my family and with my friends, so I will stay a few days off. Q. Can you still train with the injury? SIMONA HALEP: No. I cannot. Q. Can you do other things? SIMONA HALEP: Maybe swimming, yes, but first I have to go do physiotherapy, ultrasounds, and something like this. Then I will see. Maybe swimming, yes. Q. It's inflammation? SIMONA HALEP: Yes, it's an inflammation. Q. You have had such a great start to the year. Do you feel this could perhaps derail your season the rest of this year in terms of slams, etcetera? SIMONA HALEP: I started well in Australia, Australian Open, because Sydney was tough. Yeah, my goal is just to stay close to top 10 if I can, and maybe, if I can, to play semifinals at one Grand Slam, but I know will be very tough. Q. But are you fearful at all this Achilles will be a niggling injury that will stay with you till perhaps the end of the year to perhaps hinder those goals? SIMONA HALEP: I don't know. I hope not. I hope to recover fast, and, yeah, I hope not. Q. Do you plan on playing Serbia in Fed Cup? SIMONA HALEP: Yes, I want to play and I will help if I am healthy. It will be in Romania and it will be great there. Q. What surface will it be? SIMONA HALEP: I don't know yet. Q. What do you like? SIMONA HALEP: Every surface is good for me. Q. The way you talked about the roller‑coaster ride this year, Sydney first round and then Australian Open, then first round in Paris, do you hope to change that in the coming days? SIMONA HALEP: When I started the year I was afraid, because it was difficult to stay two months off without tournament, and I started in Sydney with one loss, it was difficult for me, but then in Australia I had more confidence that I have to‑‑ I wanted to refine my game from last year. So I started to play more relaxed. And then in Paris was very difficult because it was indoors, indoor courts. So after that, I wanted just to try to play Fed Cup better, and I lost there also against Babos, but she played very well that match. And then in Doha, I couldn't expect that I can win, because I came from indoors court. It was amazing for me. Yeah, in Doha I played I think my best tennis. Q. What do you think about Serbian team? SIMONA HALEP: I don't know who will come. You have to say me (smiling). Q. Ana and Jovanovski. SIMONA HALEP: Ah, so you know they are playing. Q. I'm guessing. SIMONA HALEP: Every player, it's tough at this level. We have to try our best and to fight for our country. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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