By Chris Oddo | Friday March 11, 2016

Not only is world No. 5 Simona Halep healthy—she’s also inspired. The Romanian had the opportunity to have a meeting and a hit with legends Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf before traveling to Indian Wells for the BNP Paribas Open, and she was loving every minute of it.

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“It was very special for me,” she told reporters at a media roundtable on Wednesday. “It was my first time in Vegas and first time meeting them. It was a special moment and they are great people.”

Naturally, reporters wanted to know what she found so special about the meeting, which was arranged by Halep’s current coach, Las Vegas resident Darren Cahill. “They told me many things about how to handle the pressure. How to manage the emotions when you go to a tournament and have to defend a title,” Halep said. “Actually they told me that it’s a good thing that I have to defend a title.”

In the past Halep has admitted that she’s placed too much pressure on herself and it has affected her performance. She said that the meeting with the Hall of Famers has lifted her spirits and relaxed her.

“I relaxed myself there,” she said, with a smile. “I play better now. I play more motivated and with big determination.”

The Romanian also explained that she learned a lot from Agassi, whose take-the-ball-early, grip-and-rip game is similar to Halep’s version of baseline tennis.

“He’s special,” she said. “The way he speaks, the way he plays. He’s moving very fast still, and how he walks it’s really nice on court. I like that he takes the ball fast. I can learn many things from him. … My game is similar to him because I like to take the ball fast.”

With the WTA in a bit of a chaotic state and many top players struggling to find form, the time might be ripe for Halep to produce a thrilling title defense and let the tour know that she can be a stabilizing, elite force.

Asked why her results have suffered in 2016—she is 3-5 in 2016—Halep was quick to discard them due to the fact that she was physically ailing.

“I was very sick for two months,” she said. “December and January, and I had infection in my stomach so it was tough to practice, tough to eat. I lost all the energy I lost the power, but now I’m okay and I want to forget those months. I had a break and now I want to start again to work.”

Halep will begin her 2016 title defense with a second-round tilt with American Vania King. King won the only meeting between the pair, six years ago in Rogers Cup qualifying.