CINCH CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 24, 2023

Carlos Alcaraz

Queens Club

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/S. Korda

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations, Carlos. A first final on grass tomorrow against de Minaur. What kind of match do you expect against him?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it's going to be a really tough one. Obviously Alex is playing great, really good game, you know, with a lot of confidence. So it's going to be a really tough one.

I'm excited to play my first final on grass, and I'm going to enjoy it for sure.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You said on court that it feels like you have been playing for grass for many years after having this run. Has it surprised you? Has this week surprised you? Because it felt like you didn't have a lot of expectations at the beginning.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, I surprised myself honestly with the level that I'm playing right now. How I'm feeling on court, I didn't expect to feel that in just six days.

I mean, I came here just to get experience, to get out on court and practicing and playing with these kind of players, you know, and I'm going to say is a good preparation for Wimbledon, but I didn't expect at the beginning of the week that I'm gonna be in the final and playing such a good level.

Q. I think you're obviously aware that if you win the final you'll go back to No. 1 in the world, which means you'll be No. 1 seed at Wimbledon. How will that feel? Will it help you or put more pressure on you at Wimbledon?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, no, it help me a lot. You know, it's an extra motivation for me. Obviously during the match I'm not thinking about that, but is an extra motivation for me, you know, to go into the final with extra energy. You know, I'm gonna go for it. Obviously being top seed at Wimbledon, being No. 1, for me, it's still a dream.

Yeah, is something that I work on. You know, to recover the No. 1, I think Novak and I, we are having a beautiful fight, you know, for the No. 1.

Yeah, I'm gonna go for it. Yeah, it's been crazy for me to be top seed in Wimbledon.

Q. You said you came here for experience. I'm curious what you've just actually learned about your game on grass and the small adjustments you have to make on the surface compared to other surfaces? What's been kind of the biggest thing you have learned this week?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I mean, the most thing that I have learned this week is to move. You know, I think I'm moving well on grass right now. You know, I start the week with doubts about movement, about hitting the ball.

Right now, as I said, I feel like I have been playing on grass for many years (smiling). It's something that, you know, I came here to learn, you know, to feel great movement, to feel great hitting the ball. I think my expectation on that, you know, is very nice, so it's something that I'm not thinking about that right now.

I'm just go into the court to feel great. You know, everything that I'm thinking at the beginning of the week, you know, to came here to just get experience going, so right now I'm a good player on grass.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about Alex? Is he somebody that you look up to with his professionalism, the way he goes about his tennis? Could you talk a little bit about the one match you played against him in Barcelona, I think it was, where he held match points and you ended up prevailing?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I have seen Alex for a long time. You know, I think he shared a lot of tournaments with my older brother. They played when they were younger.

So I know Alex really well. Obviously the match that we played in Barcelona was really tough. I saved match point and with a crazy passing shot.

I know that the level of Alex, he's playing great. He has beaten Rune that he's a great player in the semifinal. He has a game that suits really well on grass.

So as I said, it's going to be a really tough final. I'm gonna say he's the favorite with the level that he's playing right now. All I can say is I'm gonna enjoy. I'm gonna enjoy my first final on grass, and let's see what happen.

Q. Is he somebody you look up to?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I mean, not really, you know, but obviously, I mean, he's doing great things that I'm really happy, well, I'm really happy for him with everything he has done so far, but, you know, he's young as well and he's not the guy who I look up to. But, you know, I'm really happy with everything he has done.

Q. You said you surprised yourself. I just wonder, your coach, Juan Carlos, isn't here this week but he'll be back next week. Has he messaged you to say he's surprised by the level that you're playing out on the grass as well?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: A little bit (smiling). But, no, he's really, really happy with the level that I'm playing. You know, we comparing with last year, you know, the first matches, the first contact on grass, and it's another world.

So every message that I have from him is I'm really happy with the level, I'm really happy to see your level on grass right now.

Yeah, but he's a little bit surprised (smiling).