Simona Halep says she’s gotten a lot of confidence from the way she played in the Madrid final, which she won, 6-2, 6-4, over Dominika Cibulkova.

"Yeah, it's amazing that I could win this tournament," she told the WTA website. "I feel that I had everything in my hands, every match. I felt that I played my best tennis in every match, and [was] kind of deserving [of] the title because I won it. I didn't receive presents during the matches. Day by day I believed more that I had a chance to win it."

Halep had a tough start to the season, experiencing both illness and injury and falling in the first round of the Australian Open. The 24-year-old was inconsistent and appeared to be lacking confidence until finding her form in the Spanish capital.

She arrived a week early to get ready, giving the tournament special importance partly because of fellow Romanian Ion Tiriac's ownership of the event.

"And after my months before coming here, it was tough to believe I could win it,” she said. “... That's why I say I feel like I won the tournament. I played amazing tennis every day, and day by day I played better tennis. In the final I played very well; she played good tennis [as well]. It wasn't easy, but it looked like it was easy.

"Now I don't feel tired, so that means I was relaxed ... Just enjoying and just showing what I have practiced."

Halep, who had fallen from a career-high No. 2 to No. 7 in the rankings, returned to No. 5 with the victory.