Here’s the Maria Sharapova French Open 2014 Interview Transcript after win over Simona Halep
Q. How do you find the keys to change the match in the hard moments for you? You always do that.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: There were a lot of different keys and there were a lot of ups and downs in the match.
Just when I thought I was very close to winning it, I had lost four points in a row. Then the match becomes equal. Then you find yourself in a position where you feel like you’re starting over, which is quite difficult.
I just took a moment to reflect and try to think of the things that I was doing to hurt her and the things that were giving me an advantage in the game.
I knew that she was playing well, and despite all that despite that it was a very physical match, I still wanted to continue to try to do those things well no matter how frustrating it was to lose that second set.
I came out well. We broke each other a few times. That’s the story.
Q. What a relief at the end of the match. How do you describe what you felt in your head, in your body, in your heart at this moment?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: It’s such an emotional victory for me in my career. You know, I have been in many Grand Slam finals, and every one feels very different. I feel like as I get older I appreciate those situations so much more.
When it’s over, after it being such an emotional match, everything just kind of lets go. You just realize you won another Grand Slam, and Roland Garros at that.
Q. This was the tournament that took you, of the four Grand Slams, the longest to win, and now you have won it twice. Do you have any thoughts of why it’s happened that way?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I’m with you on that one. I didn’t actually I didn’t think if somebody had told me that I’d win at some stage in my career that I’d have more Roland Garros titles than any other Grand Slam, I’d probably go get drunk (Laughter.) Or tell them to get drunk, one or the other.
Yeah, it’s really amazing. I feel that I worked to get to this position. There’s nothing else. There is no substitute in these titles. You can’t just go out there and just do it without putting in the effort, putting in the work.
You’re not just born being a natural clay court player. Okay, maybe if you’re Nadal. But certainly not me. I didn’t grow up on it; didn’t play on it. I just took it upon myself to make myself better on it.
There is no one else that was going to do that for me. I had to do the work.
Q. You have talked a lot about your team the last couple weeks. You had those great moments on the court today. You took a lot of care to build that team. Can you talk a little bit about how they brought you to this moment?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, every single one of my team members have done an incredible job. Some are new; some have been there for a while.
They have just been so encouraging. I have been through a few different teams in my career, many different people, some coaches, physios, trainers. I have said this from I think the offseason I had never been more happy with the way that everyone has worked together.
No matter the situation, no matter how tough it was (mobile phone interruption).
Nice song. (Laughter.)
We had really tough moments and so many questions. Last year at the end of the year I was traveling around Europe, trying to find a solution to getting my shoulder better. I didn’t have a coach at the time.
When we all got together and little by little started working together I no, I realized that there was really good energy, and it just felt so different to not that anyone it’s like everyone worked together, and this is such a huge piece of the puzzle as a professional athlete. You are the one competing, but the team atmosphere is so important.
You know, the voices that are constantly there for you from is a Sven to even role as a hitting partner, someone who has been with me a couple of years already. My fitness coach has been there for years and has helped me tremendously on the surface.
A new physio that just spends hours and hours trying to work through new ways to get my shoulder stronger and better on the massage table. They work so hard, and I really respect that.
