US OPEN

September 5, 2021

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/P. Gojowczyk

5-7, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Tell us your thoughts about today's match and now into the second week of the Grand Slam.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I'm super excited to be in my first second week in the Grand Slam, so it's amazing for me. It's a dream come true, no?

It's really good for me, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Now that you have made a quarterfinal, you beat Stefanos, people are going to expect you to do this all the time. What does that feel like to have that expectation that you're going to have to perform at a certain level?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I mean, it's really tough to play these kind of matches, to play fifth sets. And, yeah, I mean, I hope to play more second weeks, to play more quarterfinals of Grand Slams.

I didn't expect to play quarterfinals here. So I think it's a really good performance from me in these matches, so I'm really happy to play these kind of matches.

Q. In the third round, you were sort of the underdog. No one really expected you to win. But today you were the favorite, and people were expecting you to win. Did that change anything for you going into the match?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: No, no. I knew that Peter is a really good player. I had to play a really good level, so I tried not to think about the Stefanos match. Yeah, to be focusing in this match, I knew that it's going to be a really tough match against a really great player.

Every day is a new day, so the past day, you have to forget it and still focus on next rounds.

Q. I was curious, from the first set when you went into the second, what kind of tactical changes did you make, adjustments?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, the first set was really, really tough. I think that I was two breaks up in the first set, and end the set losing, but start the second set with more power than the first set. I forgave the first set, and still focus on what I have to do in the second set.

So it's a really good performance in the second set for me.

Q. Are you reading what's being written about you in Spain, back home?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Not really. Yeah, I know that in Spain, they are talking about me a lot, and, yeah, I trying not to think about this, about this. Just focus on New York, on focus on every day here.

Q. Felix Auger-Aliassime is up two sets to one against Tiafoe. If you play Felix next, what stands out to you about him?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, just said two sets to one, so one set left. I don't know. Frances can change the match, and could be able to win the match. So let's see what happen in these sets. Yeah, let's see against I gonna play in the second round.

Q. Can you tell me what it was like to play that fifth set today? I know you were feeling low on energy, but how much of a role did the crowd and the energy of the crowd help you finish that match?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, yeah, I mean, in the first sets I thought that I reach my limit physically and mentally. Yeah, I think the crowd was really, really important for me in this situation.

So I felt the energy of the crowd pushing me up. Yeah, I think without the crowd, it couldn't be possible to be here.