ROLEX MONTE-CARLO MASTERS

April 13, 2022

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

S. KORDA/C. Alcaraz

7-6, 6-7, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Bad luck, Carlos. How did you feel out there on your first match on clay in a long time?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it's never easy to get used to play on clay court. The first match is always tough, even when you are playing against Sebastian, a great player. I mean, today was difficult conditions, the wind and everything.

Well, now is time to be focused on the next tournament and, yeah, keep playing on clay.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Are the challenges greater in transitioning from the hard courts in Miami to here? What are the technical challenges, and are the technical challenges more difficult or are the mental challenges more difficult in that transition?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I mean, is totally different to play on clay than on hard court. I mean, points are longer, the slice much than on hard court. But yeah, you have to, how to say, you have to adapt your game to clay court.

As I said, it's totally different. More topspin, points longer. I mean, I don't know. You have to try and allow, you have to get, play matches, play sets, to get used to play on clay court. Well, it's tough, the transition, no, to hard court to clay court.

Q. For such a young champion managing expectations, high expectations, is probably as demanding as managing disappointment. How do you see yourself in such a position as the one that is possibly on today? Are you disappointed? How do you see this, especially like vis-a-vis the continuation of the clay court season?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I'm a bit disappointed with myself. I had a lot of chances to be up in the match and close to win, but, I mean, these losses sometimes is good to live. You have to play, as I said, to play matches.

But I didn't think about the expectation that the people has to me. I mean, I just focused on me and what I have to do, but as I said, you have to play on clay court more matches (smiling).

Q. Is it just a question of playing matches, or were you feeling tired mentally, physically?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Sorry, say again. What do you mean?

Q. Were you feeling mentally or physically tired?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: No. No, no, no. I'm ready to back on training and focus on the next tournaments. I mean, it has been a tough match, but I think mentally I'm ready to play these kind of matches, long matches, and tough matches. I mean mentally and physically I'm ready.

Q. You had incredible February, March. Everything went very fast for you. Did it take you a while to realize what you were doing? And can you talk about what you have done before coming here after Miami?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, yeah, I had a week before Monte-Carlo to realize what I did in Miami, and trying hard to get used to play on clay court and trying to be as match-ready as I can to play here in Monte-Carlo.

Yeah, just a couple of off days before training on clay and came here to Monte-Carlo. Well, I could train just three or four days in clay court I think is not too much day to be in a transition to go hard court to clay court, but, well, I think I played a good match on the first match on clay court, but yeah, as I said, I have to be more ready on clay.

Q. Between the duties of a tennis player, there is to attend a press conference even after a loss. Is that painful for you? You would have liked to be somewhere else now? Or the fact that you are here, journalists asking you questions and so on, it belongs to your professionality and you seem to be very professional. You like it? Is it fatigue you would like to avoid? How do you feel it?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: It belongs to your work. I mean, you have to live the loses as good as you can. I mean, it's a lose; it's not a die, you know. Next week you have another chances to get better, and, I mean, just there are just questions hurting you, you know. I mean, it's part of your work.