Simona Halep qualified for the 3rd round at Roland Garros , after beating Magda Linette in 3 sets , 6-4 , 5-7, 6-3 . Our champion then offered a funny moment , when she “chased” Juan Martin del Potro from the conference room.
The athlete from Constanța gave an extensive interview for “Roland” magazine , after yesterday’s victory. Asked if she knows “who was Roland Garros, the one after whom the famous tournament was named” , Simona Halep gave the correct answer and admitted that she experienced an embarrassing moment 5 years ago, when she was asked the same question.
“It was an aviator! I looked it up on the internet before my first final here in 2014. I was asked then during the tournament and I didn’t know the answer. I felt a bit embarrassed so I googled it, in the way to the hotel. So now I know who it was. I did my homework,” said our champion.
Simona Halep Roland Garros | Why the French Open is special for our champion
“Is it something special for you to play in the French Open every year?” , was another question from the reporter.
“This tournament is a bit different for me, of course. I like the clay in Paris a lot, it’s harder and drier than anywhere else. The game is faster, the ball bounces better, it suits my style better. Now I love it, but when I played here for the first time in 2007, in juniors, I was completely lost. I was eliminated in the first round.
The clay had nothing in common with the one I had played in Romania. In my country, it’s harder, like in Rome or Madrid. But, I got used to the clay here and improved my game. I actually won the title here, at juniors, the following year, 2008. Roland Garros is a special place for me, I like this comfortable atmosphere,” answered Simona Halep.
“What do you mean by ‘comfortable’?”, our athlete was also asked.
“Well, it’s a smaller tournament, it’s great! It has a human dimension and I feel like it’s a family here. You don’t feel pressured, like at the US Open or the Australian Open. These two tournaments are huge. With huge stands, where you have to you walk for hours from one field to another. In Paris, it’s much smaller, more welcoming, more friendly ,” said Simo.
