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Q. How satisfying was that win? A milestone win for you.
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, was my dream before starting this year to play quarterfinals at Grand Slam.

I am very excited that I played really well today. In third set I played my best tennis. So was a tough match, but I really want to enjoy and to try my best next round because it will be very tough.



Q. You're the last unseeded player in the fourth round. Does that put a bit more pressure on you?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, no pressure on me because I have just to enjoy the quarterfinals. Is first time in my life. I have just to be happy on court and to try my best, to move well, and to be relaxed.

Because it's my chance, and I have to fight for it.



Q. She played very well in the second set. Can you talk about how you turned it around in the third set.
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, she played really well in second set. I was a little bit tired after first set. I don't know why. But my energy was very down.

After that, at 5 2 I said that I have to lose the set and to try to come back for the third one.

I was to the bathroom, and I was a little bit ready to play third set. I said that I have nothing to lose. It's my chance to fight for every point and for the match, for my dream.

I did really well. I was very aggressive in third set and I hit the ball.



Q. You won a lot of matches last year and sis tournaments. Does it feel like a different challenge winning matches at a Grand Slam?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, for me it's always different tournament. The Grand Slam I have a lot of pressure. I had before, but here I started to play well. Match by match I improved more in my shots, in my game.

First round here I had a lot of pressure because it's Grand Slam and it's different tournament. I won last year tournaments, but smaller very small than this one. I just have wanted to take my chance every match and to try my best like last year.



Q. You're going to be in the top 10 now.
SIMONA HALEP: I hope.



Q. It's pretty much settled.
SIMONA HALEP: I'm really happy to hear that, but I have to fight next round, because Grand Slam is Grand Slam. I don't care about the ranking now. Just I want to enjoy every match.



Q. Usually players get a new coach and go forward. You haven't got a coach at all at the moment. Can you give us a reason why?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, for the moment I don't have coach. I just want to find my way from last year because I was very aggressive and I had a lot of confidence in myself last year. I just want to find that way.

I will have a coach after this tournament. I wait to learn more.



Q. Have you ever played on the biggest court at a Grand Slam before?
SIMONA HALEP: I played against Jankovic at US Open in 2010, I think, first round. She beat me there. Yes, was just there.



Q. Given all the matches you have won last year, do you feel you already belong in the top 10, even though now is the time you're getting into the top 10?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, in top 10 it's a big difference because the players are very strong. They fighting a lot every point. They play very good till the match is end.

It's difficult. More pressure and more, you know, you want every time to win, to beat the top 10 players.

Is not easy, but I want to improve more for my game and to be close there.



Q. Can you just talk about what were a couple key things, most important things, from July when you won your first tournament, to now, to make you a top 10 player.
SIMONA HALEP: I think I started to play well in Madrid. Mr. Tiriac gave me a wild card. He help me a lot there. I lost first round there, but I played three hours, something like this.

After that I felt I can play very good level in tennis. After Rome, after I beat Radwanska, before that I was thinking that is impossible to beat her because her game is very different, it's strange for me. It's not easy to play.

And after that I had confidence that I can beat the top players and to be there in the top level.



Q. Can you tell us a little bit what's happening in Romania behind you. Do your wins make headlines in the newspaper, or TV, and radio talking about you?
SIMONA HALEP: They did nice things for me last year. First pages, as you said. But for me it's not like a big pleasure because I get tired when I go to televisions or something like this.

I just want to be focused every moment in tennis, because tennis doesn't wait for you. You have to be focused and to fight for every opportunity you have.

So I want to thank them because they were supporting me a lot. And now I heard that they are supporting me, as well.



Q. Jelena ran out of challenges in the final game of the first set.
SIMONA HALEP: That game was very important for both of us.



Q. She tends to do that a lot. When you're on court with her, do you think it's weird how often she is wrong about challenges?
SIMONA HALEP: I cannot see like, I don't know, the line umpires. But sometimes I see the balls and I'm more relaxed when she ask for challenge.

But I think she was very, you know, I think nervous first game to ask for two challenges already in first game. But that was, you know, my chance to get the match.



Q. It gives you confidence when she makes these terrible challenges?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah.



Q. As your profile rises, people find out more about you, your breast reduction surgery was three or four years ago. Does that play any part in your success?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, it was a long time ago, my breast reduction. I am happy for that. Now if I have to do again for tennis, I would do, yeah. It was a good decision for me.



Q. What about outside the tennis?
SIMONA HALEP: Sorry?



Q. What about outside the tennis?
SIMONA HALEP: Outside the tennis what?



Q. You said you would do it again.
SIMONA HALEP: I don't want to say anything about this (laughter).



Q. Who do you talk to about strategy going into matches since you don't have a coach?
SIMONA HALEP: Nobody. Nobody.



Q. So you make all the decisions by yourself?
SIMONA HALEP: I did alone. I felt that I'm prepared for the match against Jankovic because I know I have to run a lot. She hits a lot of balls back. She hits strong.

But I just wanted to play more aggressive and not so close to her. You know, her backhand is very good. I just tried to play something different.



Q. So when you say 'your team' here, is that your fitness trainer and physio?
SIMONA HALEP: Fitness trainer and the sparring are here with me, yes.



Q. You sound very confident at the moment. Where did you get that self belief and motivation?
SIMONA HALEP: I don't know. I am like this. I just like to fight every moment. I want to get my chances. It's a big chance to play here at Grand Slams.

Yeah, it's very nice. I was fighting a lot here.



Q. Not a lot of older and brothers that you had to fight for your patch?
SIMONA HALEP: Yes.



Q. Do you remember Spirlea reaching semifinals against Venus?
SIMONA HALEP: I was too young.



Q. 1997.
SIMONA HALEP: 1997? No, I was too young.



Q. When Romanian player did you watch when you were young?
SIMONA HALEP: I saw some videos on YouTube of Ilie Nastase, Virginia Ruzici, as well. But I didn't see so good.



Q. What are your thoughts on Cibulkova?
SIMONA HALEP: It will be a tough match. I played against her before. I know she moves very well, she hits all the balls. I have to be prepared to run a lot and to defend very good because she plays really strong.

I have to be aggressive and to enjoy the quarterfinals because is the first time in my life. I just want to be happy there.



Q. You won six tournaments last year. Do you think you're ready to win this tournament?
SIMONA HALEP: I cannot compare the tournaments I won last year with the Grand Slam.

In my mind I can say that I'm not prepared now. But I just want to think that I have to take my chances to play every match and to see how far I can go.

Q. After playing such a good match against Jelena did you find it hard to recover for today?
SIMONA HALEP: No, just I couldn't play today. I had emotions, big emotions, and I couldn't manage this. Before the match I was very nervous and I didn't feel the ball at all. I couldn't move my body and I couldn't play.

But she played really well today, and she hits all the balls very strong and she moves really well.



Q. Would you say it was a lack of experience?
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I think yes. It feels like I didn't prepare the match very good, and my mind was very down before the match, very my body was very tough, you know. I couldn't stay relaxed on court. I couldn't also be happy on court.

So I want just to remain positive and take this results like something good.



Q. You expect to be at this level for many years from now on. Doesn't that relax you a little bit, thinking, Okay, this is not my only chance? I will have many.
SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I think I will have many chances to pass quarterfinals in Grand Slams. But I have to work hard like until now. So I have my chances in this career and I want to get them. I want to be more prepared before the big matches.

So I have to work, hard work.



Q. What do you take out of today moving forward? There will be other opportunities. What do you learn today that you can use next time?
SIMONA HALEP: I learned that I have to be relaxed before the match, because is just a match. I don't want to think anymore that it's quarterfinals of Grand Slams.

Don't put pressure anymore on myself and just to enjoy the match. Because I did really well for few matches, and the last year also few tournaments I enjoy the every match and I did really well.

Today I couldn't enjoy, and it was a big shit for me, this match.



Q. You came here without a coach, right?
SIMONA HALEP: Yes.



Q. I heard that you may be Wim Fissette that worked with Clijsters?
SIMONA HALEP: Yes, my manager spoke with him. In Paris I will meet him for first time.



Q. How did you meet him?
SIMONA HALEP: I didn't yet. No, in Paris next tournament.



Q. So you haven't met yet?
SIMONA HALEP: No.



Q. Do you feel you lacked the support, the guidance to prepare you for today?
SIMONA HALEP: I mean, it's not easy to have the people who you need on every time before the matches.

But I think myself has to improve more in this relaxation before the match and to be ready for the match.

I cannot say that I need now a coach or somebody who I like to be with me. But I think my mind needs to relax more before the big matches.



Q. Again, on your future coach, what do you know about him?
SIMONA HALEP: I know he work with Kim Clijsters and Sabine Lisicki. Just this. I will know him after this tournament and I will see how he's going on.



Q. You had a great tournament. You must be happy on reflection of the first four rounds.
SIMONA HALEP: Yes, I am happy that I could play a quarterfinals here in Grand Slam. Was my dream before this. I don't want to disturb my mind very much this shit today, this match.

But I just want to enjoy the day and to go home very happy. I have to enjoy my best result in Grand Slam.

Twelve months ago, the words “Simona Halep, Roland Garros favourite” would have seen raised eyebrows and some derisive remarks directed at the person who uttered them.

Then, the little-known Romanian was ranked 57th, and bombed in the first round of the clay-court Grand Slam.

After that, she went on a tear. Here’s a brief re-cap of the now oft-repeated tale of Halep’s rise to stardom since then: 58 match wins and seven titles, as well as a quarter-final appearance at the Australian Open and a run to the recent final in Madrid. It’s all combined to push her up to world No.4, and now that the top two seeds, Serena Williams and Na Li, have departed, she’s the player – perhaps aside from Maria Sharapova – with the most legitimate claim to title favouritism.

At Roland Garros this year she’s won another two matches – the latest, today’s 6-2 6-4 victory over Heather Watson on Court No.1 – to progress to the final 32 in Paris for the first time. And it’s easy to see why many have her pegged for ultimate success at the tournament. She, however, is a little more reserved. "I want just to stay focused for every match, because here every match, it's very tough," she said.

"It's a tough tournament, and I have to play my best, to do everything on court match by match, and after, I will see how far I can go. I expect every match to be difficult, so I cannot say that I'm thinking about the finals or something like this.

"I feel good, and I had two good matches here. I'm happy that I could finish today. The second set was a little bit difficult. I was a little bit nervous. But I served well, and that was good."

In a match between two compact players with no obvious deficiencies, Halep just did everything a little better. She’s faster than Watson, possesses more power, constructs points more instinctively and is a shade more intense and focused.

Plus there’s her soaring confidence, a wonderful asset, so elusive, yet so valuable when one secures it. You could see it in how she utterly controlled the centre of the court, relentlessly pounding drives from both wings with deadly precision. She then demonstrated her full repertoire of shots with an ace and a drop-shot winner to push ahead 4-2.

Two games later, two aces helped her to hold serve and pocket the opening set.

Another impressive element of Halep’s game is the fact she’s constantly on her toes and looking to attack. A little irritated that she was struggling to put Watson away in a tight deuce game to open the second set – she expects much of herself, as the new world No.4 – she nonetheless stuck to her game plan and was eventually rewarded.

Watson was impressive in her ability to remain positive in the face of such high-quality tennis. She produced some of her own in the seventh game, coming out on top of a fabulous, 13-stroke, all-court rally to remain alive in the contest at 3-4. She even had break points when Halep was serving for the match in the 10th game, but a pair of winners on the final two points – one backhand, one forehand – snuffed out that challenge.

With a winnable match next against unseeded Spaniard Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor, Halep looks set to continue on her career-best run at Roland Garros.

And with that, justify her increasingly-applicable tag of title favourite.

Q. How would you describe your hard court leadup? Were you happy with it? Were you not happy with it?

SIMONA HALEP: Hard court?

Q. Yeah, like through Cincinnati and New Haven.

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, the court here I like very much because it's like my style. I play very fast. I like to take the balls very early and to stay very close to the baseline. So I feel good. I had many practices here. I feel the ball. I'm pretty confident in myself that I can play good tennis.

Q. For people who want to train like a professional tennis player, what are a couple of your favorite exercises to do in the gym? And then what are a couple where you go, Oh, my God, this is terrible?

SIMONA HALEP: I don't like to make for my abdominal exercises. I hate (smiling). I like to do some exercises for my biceps because I like and it's easy for me. And on court I like to run, one and one, one on forehand and one on backhand, and to finish with a drive. I don't like to stay to play crosses many times.

Q. Do you think you have had enough matches before the Open?

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I think yes. Like I said, I'm confident. I have confidence in myself and in my game also. I played tough matches in Cincinnati, so I feel prepared to start the tournament here. We will see. Every time first round is difficult at any tournament, so I have to be focused to try my best during the match and to fight to win the match. But we'll see. You never know.

Q. Obviously a professional player expects to eventually go to the top of their rankings. Are you surprised you moved up so quickly in one year?

SIMONA HALEP: A little bit, yes (smiling). Last year I didn't expect that I can get in top 10 this year, but it was my dream to be in top 20. Now I'm second in the rankings, so it's an amazing feeling for me. I'm not very surprised because I had good matches in the past also with top players. I beat them, and then I got more confidence in myself. My game, it starts to be -- I improved more in my game. In my serve also. With my forehand I hit stronger than before. So it's I think I deserve to be here because I won few titles and also important matches. I did finals in Grand Slam. So I just want to keep this work going and to see how far and how good I can be, how better I can be in the future.

Q. Last year you played a lot of matches on smaller courts and got up to Armstrong. Have you had an opportunity to practice on Ashe and looking forward to playing there?

SIMONA HALEP: Yes, this year I had the chance to practice in Arthur Ashe, and it's huge. It's very big. It's good to have this experience. Maybe I will play a match maybe first round or I don't know. I have experience everywhere now to play, so I feel prepared for everything. I have just to do my game on court, because I think that's the most important thing. Doesn't matter the court where are you playing. Just to play your best.

Q. Switching gears, I know you come from a Romanian orthodox religious background. Do you travel with an icon?

SIMONA HALEP: Yes. I travel, yeah.

Q. Is that an important part of your life, I guess, off the court and on the court?

SIMONA HALEP: Yes. It's important thing for me in my life. I believe in God, and, you know, I don't go to the church every week or something like this because I don't have and it's not my style. But I believe in Him, and I just have some things with me and I believe in them.

Q. A lot of players talk about kind of the unique atmosphere...

SIMONA HALEP: About what?

Q. In New York the fans kind of are very loud and it's very busy. For you, is that something you enjoy? Are you kind of looking forward to playing in front of, you know, that kind of environment? How do you feel kind of about that?

SIMONA HALEP: I think it's a very nice thing to play in front of thousand people watching you. For me it doesn't matter if they are loud up there, because when I'm on court I'm very focused, so I don't care about that they are screaming sometimes or during the points. It's normal. Everyone can do everything they want. Every people is free to do. But sometimes like a player, you need some quiet during the points. But, you know, every player it's different, so for me that doesn't matter. No problem at all.

Q. If you don't hear the crowd, can you feed off their energy in some way? Like when you won in Bucharest and had the entire stadium cheering for you the whole way through, is it something that you hear at all or feel or...

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, I felt amazing there. Everyone was with me, close to me. It was the best feeling. I think everyone was supporting me. They came special for me for my matches and to see me playing. I take energy from them. So always I like to have a lot of people close to me in the crowd.

Q. What would be a successful US Open for you? What would be a good result for you?

SIMONA HALEP: Quarterfinals, to have the badge for all life (smiling). I don't know. When you start a tournament you think only about the first match, because every time it's the most difficult match. I want to take match by match and see how far can I go. I believe in my chance and I think that I can do a good result, but still, I want just to be focused for the first round.

Q. Have you had a chance to go shopping while you have been in New York?

SIMONA HALEP: Yes (smiling).

Q. Can you tell us what you bought?

SIMONA HALEP: No.

Q. Why?

SIMONA HALEP: I bought a handbag, but I don't say the brand.

Q. Did people recognize you?

SIMONA HALEP: Policeman. He told me, you are Simona Halep, no? Yes, I am. Only one.

Q. Most of the top tennis players who are also here have very strong social media presence, like Twitter, Facebook. You don't seem to have a Twitter account.

SIMONA HALEP: I don't yet. I did my Facebook two weeks ago, so I want to enjoy the Facebook first. Then I will do the Twitter after this tournament.

Q. You said you enjoy looking for quiet time between points --

SIMONA HALEP: During the points.

Q. Yes, but between matches or when you're not practicing, when you're not playing, what quiet spaces do you like?

SIMONA HALEP: Players lounge. Also the locker room. It's pretty quiet there. Most of the time I go to the hotel to rest.