ROLAND GARROS

May 29, 2023

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/F. Cobolli

6-0, 6-2, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Well done, Carlitos. How do you rate your first match here at Roland Garros?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think I played great. It's been a great start here in Roland Garros, great match. You know, in the third set I was in trouble a little bit. But, yeah, at the end he played a good level so I'm really, really happy to get through the first round.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. At the start of the match, did it feel like you weren't going to lose a game? It seemed to be going so fast. What did that feel like?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, yeah, I felt I couldn't lose a game. You know, I thought that I was able to win easier than I did, but, you know, a match can turn around in each game.

But, yeah, at the start of the match, I felt invincible.

Q. Today I spoke with a lot of Rafael Nadal fans and even he's not here they said that they will be cheering for you. Do you feel that love from the Rafael Nadal fans?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, yeah, I feel the love from the people. You know, I don't know if they are the Rafael Nadal fans or not, but I felt the energy from the crowd. I felt the love, you know, and it was great to feel that.

Q. In the next round you're going to play Taro Daniel, who you played two years ago. Back in that time your ranking was like 120-something and now you're No. 1. So can you recall a little bit about the match against Taro two years ago. And how do you look these past two years in terms of your progress?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I have to watch that match because I didn't know that I played against him, honestly. I don't remember.

Yeah, I grew up a lot since that match. Taro, as well. I know that Taro is having a great year. You know, he's playing great. He has won great matches against great players, you know. And of course he won easy against O'Connell, and he played a great tournament before Roland Garros. So I know that the level of Taro, so it's going to be a really tough second round, really tough match.

So I have to be ready of that, and I have to be prepared for a really tough one.

Q. Charlie, congratulations on your win today. Keep smiling. You are No. 1 in the world right now. Can you remember when you were growing up the first time you thought about being No. 1, how old were you, and what is it like being No. 1 now? Do you feel like the best player in the world right now?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I was 10 years old, something like that, when I started, you know, to think about being professional player, you know, about my dreams. I started to think about that. It was that age, and yeah, it's a great feeling to feel that, you know, 10 years after. So it's something crazy for me.

Yeah, I do think it's the best feeling in the world to be No. 1, to know that I reached my dream really, really quick. Yeah, that's all (smiling).