Simona Halep Is Done Thinking About No. 1, Now It’s On To Maria Sharapova Monday
After three misses at the French, Wimbledon and Cincinnati, Simona Halep says she’s done thinking about the No. 1 ranking, which her and 7 other women have a chance for at the US Open starting Monday.
“I was close in French Open, really close,” Halep said. “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.”
Halep’s first order of business in New York is a primetime showdown Monday night against nemesis Maria Sharapova. The Russian has dominated Halep winning all six of their meetings.
“I was so close many times,” Halep said. “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.”
Halep is the second seed but by far drew the toughest opening draw against the 2006 US Open champion. The Romanian commented she acted normal when she heard the news.
“I received the message. My reaction was normal, because this year I had very tough draws every time almost,” she said. “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.”
Due to a forearm injury, Sharapova hasn’t played since a first round win in Stanford. And she could even withdraw as she has from her summer events.
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