Simona Halep poses for a picture along with young fans as she attends the National Sport Day related event at Khalifa International Tennis Complex, yesterday.
Top seed and former champion Simona Halep will be adopting a step-by-step approach in an attempt to nail her second Qatar Total Open trophy this week.
Halep, fresh from a Fed Cup win against the Czech Republic on Sunday, won in Doha in 2014.
“It’s tough to say,” Halep said yesterday when asked if she fancied her chances of a Doha triumph this week.
“I come from indoor courts so it’s gonna be a little bit difficult. But I will try to practice. I will try to get used to the court, to the balls.”
“I don’t want to have expectations because it’s a tough tournament. Every match is difficult. So I will take match by match and I will see how it’s going to go,” the Romanian Grand Slam star added.
Halep said a busy schedule preceded her arrival in Doha where she topped the field five years ago.
“Well, yeah, it’s been a great weekend in Czech. We played really well. I’m happy we could win that tie,” Halep said.
“I’m happy to be back here in Doha. I have great memories. Always I play the good tennis here. So I’m looking forward to feel the court a little bit and to have the first match tomorrow (today),” she added.
“Yeah, it feels great and you have confidence every time (I play in Doha). I feel good. I feel healthy. I feel ready to start the tournament,” she said.
Halep said the Fed Cup win was followed by gusto celebration and a dash to Doha for her next assignment.
“We celebrated all together after the match. It was may be the best feeling with the team. It was great that we could win against Czech. They are so big in Fed Cup. It was big thing for us, huge one. We all were happy,” Halep said.
“Yesterday I was all day on the trip because we had to go by car about four hours from the city we played in and then towards Vienna. And then I took the flight. I’m a little bit tired, honestly, but I have time to rest,” she added.
“I still feel the emotions and it’s been great. And it’s been for first time going to the semi-finals in Fed Cup, so it means a lot.
“When I started this year, I said that it’s the main goal to play really well in Fed Cup and to make a big result and I keep that. I really wish we can win the next tie. It’s gonna be huge for us, for our country. I really have that desire to lift that trophy. It’s amazing,” she said.
“But I have to reset and tomorrow, for sure, I will be ready to start the tournament,” the Romanian star said with a smile.
Halep said her partnership with new coach is just early days.
“Only one week back home in Bucharest. I cannot say much, because it’s just the beginning. He’s a good person, and I hope the things will go okay and we get well together.
“I met him in Australia for first time. I talked to him more than normal. In the past we just talked, “Hello,” and “How are you?”
“I always admired Goffin because I liked his game and also the fact that he’s going into the court a lot. It’s just a new collaboration. I don’t have much to talk about because it’s just the beginning, as I said. We will see in the future how it works,” she added.
Halep said her objective is to stay at the top of her game now that she has a new coach.
“It is tough to say but I think you have many things to do in a good way to be able to stay at the top. I have more experience. I’m more mature now. I see the things different. So I think all together help me to be a better person and a better player every time I step on the court,” she added.
“I’m happy in the last four years I didn’t change many coaches. I think it’s tough to find someone to understand yourself, to get along so well. It’s important. The coach is the most important person in your team because you have to deal all the problems with him,” Halep explained.
“I think there has to be compatibility between these two people. It’s not easy to find the best person. I don’t have an explanation why we (women players) change coaches so much, but I hope I won’t change much,” Halep said.
Halep started the day with kids at a tennis clinic planned as part of the Qatar National Sports Day. “Amazing time,” Halep said when asked about her time with kids.
“I always love to spend time with the kids. They were very excited and very happy on court, so it gives me energy to start the day better,” Halep said with a smile.
