US OPEN

September 3, 2021

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/S. Tsitsipas

6-3, 4-6, 7-6, 0-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Could you tell us your thoughts about today's match.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I mean, I have not words to explain how I feeling right now. I just don't know what happened out there in the court. I can't believe that I beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in an epic match.

For me it's a dream come true.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Were you surprised that the crowd, the fans, were so behind you? Did you expect that?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: It surprise me, really. I didn't think that -- yeah, the crowd was behind me all the time, supporting me, pushing me up in every moment. It surprise me, yeah, really.

Q. What player have you most patterned your game after or think you're similar to and why?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: A player that his game similar of mine or...

Q. Yes. Is there a player that you've tried to copy or be like?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Honestly I don't copy any style of a players. I just play my game. But if I have to say one player that is similar my game, I think it's Federer. I think similar as mine game, trying to be aggressive all the time. I think it's a good similar for me.

Q. How so? In what ways?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: In more ways?

Q. Yes.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I don't understand.

(Translation in Spanish.)

Yeah, trying to be aggressive all the time with the forehand, backhand. I think I have to improve a little bit the serve. But I think is similar, yeah.

Q. What did it feel like to hear the crowd chanting for you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I think the crowd was an important, how to say, it was important for me the crowd. I think without the crowd I couldn't have the opportunity to play a great fifth set and be able to beat Stefanos. I think the crowd was really amazing. I really loved it.

Q. When you fell onto the court at the end of the match, what was that feeling like? What were you experiencing? What has Juan Carlos Ferrero said to you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: When I fall into the court at the end of the match I thought my family and my friends, other people who was supporting me in Murcia. All my team was also supporting me from the academy.

I thought every person that was supporting me from Murcia from the beginning of this history when I was a kid and everything. Was amazing.

Q. It was very tight in the tiebreaker. Before the last point what was going through your mind?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I think when I missed the last two points with my serve, I didn't give up. I believed in me in the last point.

He was serving really, really well. As I said, I didn't give up. Yeah, I think it was a great last point. I thought I had to be aggressive until the last point. I think I did it. Yeah, was really good.

Q. When the trainer came out, did you have muscle cramps or pain? What was happening then?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I felt physically in my limit, I think in my limit at the end of the third set. Stefanos started the fourth set really, really good. He break my serve at the second game.

Yeah, I think I was thinking in the fifth set. He played a really good game in the first four sets. In the beginning of the fifth set, I had to play really aggressive, the best tennis I've played. Yeah, was really tough for me.