MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 6, 2022

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/R. Nadal

6-2, 1-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Spanish.

Q. Of course the first question, how do you feel when you are able to win Rafa, your idol, the king of clay in his home in front of a home crowd? What does Carlos Alcaraz feel?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I'm very excited, a lot of excitement. Very few players can say that they have defeated Rafa on clay. I feel fortunate to be one of them. Right now I am very, very happy.

Q. Explain to us what happened between the second and third set where you went to the bathroom. You even changed your T-shirt in that break. What do you feel in the locker room?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it's been a tough second set. I twisted my ankle. It was a little bit painful while I was playing, but it was no reason to do the second set that I have done. I think that I have let myself go. I was thinking of my ankle all the time and not on playing the match.

I lost the second set, and then after, I went to the bathroom. It helped me. I washed my face. Okay, Charlie, if you're not going to pull out, think about playing. Don't think on your ankle. Don't think on nothing else. Fight till the very last ball, because you know that you are capable of doing it.

That's what has helped me to go upwards on the third set, to do my comeback, to play the way I have played, and I have played at a really high level as I have.

Q. I don't know what your team has told you when you have just spoken with them, I don't know how they are, but we can tell you that the ones that saw you in the challenger in Murcia, we're astonished. Is today the most happy day of your life?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, right now with my team, well, we have spoken a little bit about the match but still not much. Right now we are trying everything to can to recover for tomorrow, putting 100% of what we have in our hands to be able to be recovered for tomorrow and give 100%.

Regarding on being the best days, I don't know if I'm going to tell the best days because I have lived many, but one of the best days, for sure.

Q. Sometimes you have said you like to close matches in a spectacular way. Today it was. How have you lived that closing moment? And how is your ankle for tomorrow's match?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, in great matches you have to try to close them in the best possible way. It's been a little bit of luck, I don't know if to say luck because of the recovery that I have then with my backhand. I thought it was going out of the court. I just stood, and then Rafa had an easy ball, and then he has give me an easy ball to do a passing shot.

But then I am happy to be able to close the match with that kind of ball, because, you know, with my first match ball, it's always tough to close the match. Especially playing against Rafa, because at any moment he can come back with a spectacular moment. In a match ball against him, he can come back with an amazing point.

Talking about my ankle, right now I'm going to say that it's fine. I am going to do all that's in my hands to be able to recover for tomorrow so it's not at 100% but 200% for tomorrow.

Q. It has taken you three matches to be able to win Rafa. The first match was not very good. Second time Indian Wells you were close. Today you have been able to defeat him. How do you have it with Djokovic? Tomorrow will be the first time. I don't know if the training that you have had with Novak it helps you for tomorrow. What's your history with Novak in terms of admiration?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, of course Djokovic is one of the best players of history for me. For me, everything that he has achieved for tennis, it's amazing. You just can admire him.

Well, I am there. I have lived tough moments. The first time that I'm going to face him, but it's not the first time I'm going to play in front of a lot of people in a great court, in a semifinals of a Masters 1000.

So I'm going to step into the court the way I have stepped out today. Of course there are going to be nerves, but I'm going to try to manage them in the best possible way, and I'm going to try to give a good level. I know that I'm going to have opportunities, and of course the training that I have had with him this week, it helps me a little bit to know how to face him in tomorrow's match.

Q. Talking a little bit about this, how do you imagine tomorrow's match? Talking about feelings, do you think it is going to be similar to the match against Rafa today or different?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think that they have different games. Talking about emotions, I think it's going to be the same. As I have said, Djokovic is one of the best players of history, and I'm going to try to step out there without thinking on that.

I'm going to try to step out there to show my level, to play to win, which is my essence, which is what I do, to fight till the very last ball, which there onwards we will see what happens.

Q. I want to ask you what do you think that Carlos Alcaraz, 10- or 12-year-old Carlos that used to see Rafa, if someone came to him and said he was going to win Rafael Nadal in the center court of Madrid, what would you think?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I would say that he's crazy, how is that going to happen? Well, it's the work that I have been doing. I have been doing that work from a long time ago, every single day, and I feel very proud of knowing that all the work is paying off, all the work with my team is paying off.

Q. There are significant victories in history. We all remember the first victory in 2004, Nadal against Federer. Do you feel today's victory is going to be remembered for history or that it's going to be significant in your career with what it means to be able to win the king of clay?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yes, no doubts there are victories and moments you are never going to forget in your life. I have several moments. I would say against Tsitsipas in the US Open. This year of course I'm going to remember during all my life too.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. The King of Spain was here today. There were all these famous footballers yesterday and today for your match. What is the coolest part of all the attention that you are receiving in the moment? What's the toughest part?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it's never easy to play in front of such a big person watching you, but, I mean, trying to don't think about it. Just focus on the match, focus on what you have to do. I mean, the coolest part is they know you. They know your game.

Well, knowing you, it's the coolest part. But, yeah, is tough at the same time.

Q. At the start of this tournament, Naomi Osaka said that she has not seen someone like you in a long time in tennis that brought so much hype and attention to tennis since the big three came and all that. What does that mean to you? Do you understand what I said?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, yeah.

Q. What does that mean to you? Is it a bit of a responsibility if you keep hearing that people feel that you are kind of saving men's tennis in a way?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, yeah, I feel good to hear that, that the best, with a player as well, say good words to you.

I mean, I don't take that responsibility to do good results, to win every match. Just feel great, to hear that, but, I mean, I know that I played well, that I'm playing well in this tournament, but don't think that I have to win every match, that I have to beat all the tournaments. Just focus on every match, on every tournament, and focus on the work.

Q. Did you feel like Rafa was getting tired physically in the third set?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Honestly, I didn't feel it. I just felt that Rafa is 100% in the third set.

Q. There are several players in ATP Tour with skills of acceleration. As you can play on almost every ball, can we say that Carlos Alcaraz is currently the fastest player on tour?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I don't know. Probably, but I don't gonna say that I'm one of the fastest players in the tour, the best acceleration or on that. But, yeah, I would say probably one of the best, but I don't know (smiling).

Q. At 5-3 in the decider, you're serving for one of the biggest victories in your career. You serve and rush to the net on clay against Rafa. Can you tell us what was the exact time when you made that very successful decision?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I always think that in the tough moments, in important moments, you have to go for it. I did that great serve. Rafa returns obviously in the back of the court, and I just went to the net, just go for the points.

As all the points in the last game, I just think go for it. If you miss it, at least you went for it.