ROLAND GARROS

May 25, 2022

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/A. Ramos-Vinolas

6-1, 6-7, 5-7, 7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Did you expect such a tough match? Albert, of course you know him very well and you respect him so much.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, of course. I respect him. I know him a lot. I knew that it was going to be a great match, and of course a tough match.

But I'm very happy with the level, with be able to come back and of course beat him at the end.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. What is the secret of your success? Not tonight, but in general. In your age you are one of the best players of the world.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Believe in myself, and of course work hard every day. You have to have a good goal, good dreams. Of course trying to follow your dream. Work hard every day. I think that's the secret.

Q. You were called a phenomenon today and that you will be the next big one. How do you feel that everybody is talking about you, like the next big No. 1? And being called a phenomenon.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it's great that the people talk about you, think that I'm going to be No. 1 in the world, but of course it's a little bit pressure on me. But I try not to think about it. Just of course be No. 1 in the world is my dream, my dream since I start playing tennis.

So I'm working harder on it, but trying not to think about it.

Q. Just wondering how you're feeling in that fourth set. When you were down and then he served for the match, match point, just how are you feeling? How did you get out of it?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it was tough set. I mean, I was break up at the beginning of the fourth. He came back in the next game, but I knew that I was going to have my chances in the fourth set, at the end of the fourth set. I mean, I believe in myself in the whole time, you know.

Of course it was tough, saving match ball is always tough, but I believe in myself.

Q. I wanted to speak to you about your movement. If you paid any special attention when you were really young. You're still really young, but when you were 12, 13, in those years, was there any special focus on movement? And also if you have been timed over 30 meters or 60 meters, and if you have a time for us, what do you...

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Say again, please?

Q. About your movement. Your court coverage, that you're really, really quick. So I was wondering if there was a lot of attention paid to that when you were growing up, when you were like really young. And also, if you have done 50 or 60 meters, if you have a time over that, if you can tell us what that time is.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, the movement is one thing that I work on it a lot. I think is so important to move well on court, on tennis in general it's really important. I work hard on it, to move well.

I don't know. I don't know the time, but I would say I'm fast (smiling).

Q. You are still pretty new to all of this. You haven't played in many Grand Slam tournaments. You're still a young guy. Does it feel though to you like you're calm and you are okay on these big stages in these moments? It's not too big for you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, as you said, I'm still young, but I would say pretty experienced player now. Well, I feel comfortable playing on big stadium, big matches, playing on Grand Slam. As I said, physically I'm strong. Mentally I'm strong, as well.

I think I'm ready to play these kind of matches in these situations, these tournaments. I'm ready, yeah.

Q. I wanted to ask you about the last point of the next-to-last game when you broke him there for 5-4 in the fifth. Long point running left, right, the lobs, all of that. In that moment, first of all, what was your thinking in that point? Did you think you were out of it? Maybe you never think that way as he was running you side to side. I'm also wondering if you have seen that point.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I didn't see that point, at the phone or after the match. But I just try to get the point. I mean, if I run side by side and it's tough just trying to get the point.

I mean, it was a great point at the end of the fifth. Long match. Be able to run like this and got the point like I did is, yeah, it's amazing (smiling).

Q. How would you describe your nerves today? How nervous did you get? How much did you enjoy the battle out there, the combat, compared to other matches? Did you feel more pressure because of this being the French Open?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, you always have nerves in the match, but I think today I didn't be nerves, nervous in the match.

Just maybe at the end of the fourth when I had the match point, maybe thought that, well, you are one point, you lose, but just try not to think that I'm in the French Open. I'm trying to enjoy the moment. I think that in the fourth set, and in the fifth, I smile with my team. So I enjoy that battles.

I want to play big battles and tough battles against the best players in the world.