London (AFP)

Serbia's Simona Halep, victorious in the Wimbledon final on Saturday (6-2, 6-2), said she had "never thought" that she could win a grass tournament.

Q: How did you neutralize Serena Williams today?

A: "I knew I had to be aggressive, be 100% on every ball, I did not have to let her go back into the match because she's so powerful and so strong, she knows how to handle every moment. I'm sure it was the best match of my life, and on the grass against her it's never easy, so I'm very proud of my match today and the entire tournament. ..) I work hard every day, for every game, every tournament, that's why I was able to win this tournament, I'm happy with what I've accomplished in the last two weeks, I can not describe what I feel like I won Wimbledon, it's pretty special. "

Q: Have you been able to stop thinking too much and let your instinct take over?

A: "I thought about the game, but I did not think about my opponent at all, I was always a little intimidated when I faced Serena, she is a source of inspiration and a role model for everyone. Today, I decided before the match that I was going to focus on myself and the Grand Slam final, not on her, which is why I was able to do my best, be relaxed and be positive and confident. "

Q: You said you were very nervous before the game, that you had a stomach ache. How did you overcome that?

A: "The nerves were positive this time, so nothing was negative, I felt it in the stomach, I tried to control the emotions, I tried to focus on the game. "I always play well when I have emotions, I do not try to ignore them or fight them."

Q: Did you think that winning Wimbledon was a possibility for you?

A: "I never thought about it, to be honest ... (...) It was hard to believe because we do not even have aspiring ground in Romania, it is something very distant. (...) I never thought that I could win on the grass ... With all these players who are very big and who serve with a lot of power But this year, I started to feel more and more I started to feel safe on the court, which helped me a lot to believe it ... (...) It was my mother's dream When I was ten years old, my mother was telling me that if I had to do something important in tennis, I had to play a Wimbledon final ... (...) She did not tell me because she was crying (smile) "

Q: Some players, when they win their first Grand Slam, are afraid of never winning more. Did you experience such feelings after Roland Garros 2018?

A: "I have to admit I thought I was even better at winning another one, and once you've won one, you feel like you know what it is. It's never easy, but you take it a little easier, it motivated me after winning first (...) I'm still working on that. upcoming tournaments and upcoming challenges. "

Interviewed at a press conference.

© 2019 AFP