BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 17, 2022

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/C. Norrie

6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Well done. How does it feel to reach your first Masters 1000 semifinal.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: It's amazing. I'm really happy to be able to play my first semifinal in a Masters 1000 here in Indian Wells. Amazing place to be. Amazing place to play. I mean, it's unbelievable achievement for me.

Q. I know you get asked a lot about Rafa, but it is kind of incredible that you guys are going to be playing here. Just talk about that experience and what that will be like for you.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it's amazing to play against Rafa. It's my idol since I'm a kid, so it's never easy to play against him, but I think it's going to be a great match. I think it's a great experience for me to meet him in Masters 1000, semifinal, here at Indian Wells, but, yeah, I'm going to have fun out there and enjoy every single second in the match. Yeah, it's a very special experience for me.

Q. He said today that when he sees you it makes him think of himself when he was 17, 18. That's got to be a pretty nice compliment for you.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Sorry, say again, please.

Q. When he sees you, he sees himself back when he was 17 and 18. So it must be nice to hear those kind of comments from a player of his stature.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, it's pretty good. I mean, when he was 17, 18 or 19 years old he got one Grand Slam, so it's good to know that Rafa said that to see himself in my age. But, yeah, it's quite cool, yeah.

Q. What do you think you have to do to beat Rafa?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Sorry?

Q. What do you have to do to win your semifinal against Rafa?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Sorry, I can't hear you well.

Q. What do you have to do to win your semifinal?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I don't know, honestly. I think you saw my level, I think I'm playing a good level in this tournament. Yeah, I know it's going to be a really tough match, but everybody knows how is Rafa's game and he has a thousand lives in the match.

When he's down, he can turn the, turn up the shot, turn down the, turn around the game. So I think, my level in the semifinal, let's see what's happening.

Q. What will you do tomorrow?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Take it easy. Yeah, take it easy. Training a little bit, I mean 45 minutes. Take rest, maybe play some golf to tune out the mind a little bit, but at the moment just focus on the training.