CINCH CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 25, 2023

Carlos Alcaraz

Queens Club

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/A. De Minaur

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations, Carlos. First tournament on grass. Back to No. 1. What is your first feeling?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I mean, I feel great, you know, to get this trophy, to have my first tournament on grass. You know, it's amazing run for me this week. I played an amazing level at the end of the week.

See my name on the trophy means a lot, so I'm going to keep that memory for the rest of my life, for sure.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Carlos, Alex was saying the wind made it difficult today, but also in that first set when you saved the breakpoints, did you feel that was a really important time of the match for you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yes, I mean, I agree with Alex that it was a really tough day, you know, a lot of windy. We have to adapt our game as best as we can.

But yeah, that moment, it was a really tough moment for me, but, you know, after save that game, I knew that I was able to have my chances, you know. I think in that side I was plus windy, so I have to have advantage in that side and was able to, you know, have more chances than the other side. But obviously, you know, I was happy to save that really tough moment.

Q. You said coming into Queen's that you didn't have many expectations for the tournament. You have won it. What are your expectations going into Wimbledon now?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: No expectation. You know, if I have no expectation, I'm gonna win it (smiling).

But, no, honestly, yeah, I have a lot of confidence right now coming into Wimbledon. I ended the week playing at the high level. So right now I feel one of the favorites, you know, to win Wimbledon.

But honestly, I have to get more experience on grass. Even if I win the title, I just played 11 matches in my career on grass, so I have to get more experience, more hours. But obviously after beating amazing guys, you know, great players, and the level that I played, I consider myself one of the favorites or one of the players to be able to win Wimbledon.

Q. Congratulations. I was just wondering, at the end of the first set you're getting treatment on your leg and then had it all bandaged. Was that something you were carrying during the week, or was it just tightening up? Were you concerned at all at the time?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: No, no. I mean, it appears here in the final. This is something I didn't feel during the week, but I think it's normal. It's something that all the players, you know, feel some problems, you know, during the week, during the year, and you have to take care about.

But it's nothing serious. We are gonna work this week before Wimbledon, you know, to be at or 100% to Wimbledon, but, you know, it is something that I'm not too worried about.

Q. Alex was saying that you have a lot of weapons for grass. He mentioned your serve. You hit 137-miles-an-hour serve. Do you feel now that you're not just learning with your movement but you have weapons on the serve? And he said you were able to hide your backhand as well. You were hitting lots of good slices. Do you feel you're get becoming a better grass player by the day?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah. I mean, I see myself with a lot of weapons, you know, on grass. I try to hit big shots all the time, you know. I think I improve my serve really well. You know, with the forehand, you know, I try to dominate all the time.

You know, yeah, the serve today was really helpful weapon for me. You know, I think I saved a lot of tough moments thanks to serve. So it's something that I working a lot during, you know, the past months, you know, and obviously coming to the grass is something that, you know, I work more than probably other shots.

But yeah, I consider myself, you know, a good player on grass with all the weapons that I have.

Q. Firstly, you'll be going into Wimbledon as top seed, and I believe you'll ousting Novak Djokovic. How much of a statement is that for you going into Wimbledon? Because obviously he's defending champion as well. What does that mean about the way things are changing in tennis with you coming forward? And secondly, there has been quite a controversial story the last two days that the chair of the ATP has been negotiating with people in Saudi Arabia for extra investment and may be taking tennis tournaments over there. We realize there is a lot of baggage that goes with Saudi Arabia. As the World No. 1, I just wonder what you think of the prospect of the Saudi Arabians getting more involved in tennis, please?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Sorry, can you repeat a little bit the question.

THE MODERATOR: Repeat the first question.

Q. The tennis question. Your ousting Novak Djokovic, going into Wimbledon as top seed, how much of a statement is that for you going into this tournament that you'll be the top seed instead of him? And secondly, the question about the Saudi Arabians, please.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, mean, I go into Wimbledon right now with a lot of confidence. That's obvious.

So I saw a statistic that Novak has won more matches in Wimbledon that the other top 20 players. What can I say about that, you know? I mean, Novak is the main favorite to win Wimbledon. That's obvious.

But I will try to play at this level, you know, to have chances, you know, to beat him or make the final at Wimbledon. A lot of players are coming with a lot of confidence, like Bublik has won Halle as well. So there are a lot of great players playing on grass.

So I have to play my best, you know, go to Wimbledon playing at this level. I will have chances, that's for sure. But I see Novak as the main favorite. Is not going to change that.

And the second question, I mean, I think they have the power, you know, to have a lot of tournaments. I don't know. I have never played a tournament, an official tournament over there. But, you know, let's see how is gonna be in the future, but, well, I have no doubts that I will play over there in the future.

Q. Considering how things ended for you in Paris against Novak, does this feel even more special, more important to have had this result this week to kind of bounce back and recover from maybe the disappointment of how things ended in Paris?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yes, of course. I mean, moments like this, lifting this trophy helps you a lot, you know, coming to the future tournaments. And obviously seeing a little bit back, you know, ended the French Open like I did, a little bit disappointing.

Come here with not a lot of confidence, and, you know, see myself playing a high level is special for me. And obviously I see Wimbledon as the most beautiful tournament on the tour. It's a tournament that I really wanted to win someday.

Of course, you know, preparing the Wimbledon as I did this week is so special for me, and I have a lot of confidence to make that dream possible this year.

Q. I think when Rafa won here, the tournament, he actually went home for a few days afterwards to relax and whatever. I'm wondering what you were going to do for the next few days. Will you stay in London or will you take some time off in London, or will you go home or what?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I'm going to stay in London. I will have some days off, you know, to recover, to turn off my mind and be ready at the practice before Wimbledon.

So I will try to enjoy London city that I was not able to go to the center, to visit London this week, but, you know, if I have time these days, I will go for sure. Play golf. That's for sure as well when Juan Carlos coming. You know, but I'll stay here in London.

Q. Is there anywhere you'd like to go in London that you'd not been to visit?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, honestly, I have never been to the center, I think. I had no time. I was not able to visit the city. So have a walk around and visit the most important things, you know, in London.

Q. Novak's not always been the most popular player in England, but the crowd seem to love you a great deal. Do you think that the Centre Court crowd and the fans on The Hill at Wimbledon can help you get through the tournament?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I hope so. As I said, I felt the love from the people since day one, and for me it's really, really important I hope in Wimbledon to feel the same energy, the same love that I felt during this week.

You know, I hope it will help me, you know, to get through the rounds in Wimbledon. But I saw as well that Djokovic has never lost a match in the Centre Court since I think 2013 when he lost against Andy, so it's 10 years without losing a match in the Centre Court of Wimbledon. So it's been crazy, but I hope to have the crowd behind me to have chances to change that statistics.