ROLEX PARIS MASTERS

October 31, 2022

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Carlos, welcome back to Paris. What do you think about the race for the year-end No. 1?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, I'm really happy to come back here to Paris. Well, last year it was my best match, my best tournament. I mean, I'm really happy to come back to change my, let's say, mind about this tournament.

Yeah, I'm really excited to play here. Yeah, I'm gonna try my best to of course end the year as the No. 1.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. A few doubts about your knee, could you talk maybe about the problem with your knee? What is your shape right now just a day before the tournament?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Say again, please?

Q. Your knee, could you just talk about that?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, just some a little problems. You know, I'm going to say as every player at the end of the year have problems in their bodies, you know, and you have to play with that just a little bit. But not too serious.

Q. Would you say it's more pressure to have a chance to finish No. 1 or a small challenge? Do you feel it's too much pressure because people expect you to do it or it's more pressure to have to fight for it, because you are so young and already a lot has happened for you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I don't feel the pressure. I just put that goal myself, you know, to end as the No. 1.

But of course is really tough one. There is great players behind me, and, yeah, they have the chances, as well.

So I don't take that as a pressure. Just trying to show my best in every tournament to, I mean, keep playing, you know, keep going up. And yeah, that's what I am. Just enjoy playing tennis, and the pressure is a part.

Q. Carlos, everybody remind you the game last year against Gaston. Could you talk about the tough moment you have on the court during this game and how you deal with it after that?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it was a tough match (smiling). Probably one of the toughest match that I have played. But of course it help me a lot, that match, that experience, to deal about that, let's say, pressure, you know.

I mean, during this year I played so many matches, so many tough matches in that great times, you know, fighting for good things, you know. And thanks to that match, I mean, to know what I feel when everybody's behind, supporting the opponent is different. You know, you have to take lesson from that match.

And, yeah, that's what I did. I took lesson from that match, and that helped me a lot during this year.

Q. I guess it was a dream for you as a kid to be a Grand Slam champion and No. 1, but is there anything that has been surprising you? I'm guessing you had an image what it meant to be No. 1 and win a Grand Slam but now that it's been real, is there something that has been completely unexpected for you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yes, I mean, it was my dream to win a Grand Slam, to become No. 1 of the world, but I didn't expect to do that at 19 years old, you know. Everything came so fast, faster than I could imagine. Yeah, right now I can realize what I did, my dream came true, but of course it was unexpected.

Q. What's changed in your life since the US Open? You can't realize the performance, we hear that, and that's normal because you are so young. But necessarily a lot of things change in your daily life and in your routine. How did you adapt to this new stature?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I didn't change at all. I just had -- well, a lot of things changed but I didn't change myself, you know, as a person.

I think that the people who are around me, my family, my team, my friends, I mean, nothing change with them, with my normal life, let's say. Of course, I mean, the media, the fans, let's say, that's part of course change a lot, but in my normal life, let's say nothing change.

Q. So you come back in Paris. What is the difference between the Carlos in Roland Garros and the Carlos in Bercy?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, honestly, I don't know. Nothing change. I mean, it was a short period. Just couple months between, yeah, between Roland Garros and here this week.

I mean, I don't change (smiling). Honestly, I don't change.