NATIONAL BANK OPEN

August 11, 2023

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

T. PAUL/C. Alcaraz

6-3, 4-6, 6-3

CARLOS ALCARAZ

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. Obviously, not the result you wanted, but when you look back at this week and the matches you played, how will that help you in terms of preparing for the US Open in a couple weeks?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: A lot. I mean, I, you know, see myself back. And, you know, I realize that I didn't play well, you know, these matches.

So all I can do now is practice to be better. You know, I have some weeks before US Open. But now I have to be focused on Cincinnati. It's a Masters 1000. It's a big tournament as well.

So I have to talk with my team. You know, I have to fly to Cincinnati, prepare well Cincinnati.

But, obviously, I take a lot of lesson from this tournament, you know, coming to the next ones.

Q. Tommy defeated you also last year in Montreal. What makes him tough to play against?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Against him?

Q. Yeah.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I mean, he's certainly a complete player. You know, the matches that we have played has been really tough ones, you know, last year in Miami and this one.

He's a really solid player. Has great talent, great shots. You know, he's really, really fast as well. So he's one of the best players in the world right now. There's no doubt about it.

So he's really tough on every surface. I mean, he's a mix of everything. It makes him really, really tough.

Q. You mentioned lessons to take away from this tournament. What are the lessons you think you're going to take away? Were there any parts of your game that think need to be better in Cincinnati next week?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think I did well some things, you know, in this tournament, but probably everything can be better. I always say that you can be better in everything even if you have played your best matches in your career.

But right now, I have to improve a lot of things, you know, getting more confidence on my game. And trying to play in Cincinnati as best as I can.

Q. Did you feel that you gained the momentum in the match when you made that between-the-legs winner in the second set?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah. Yeah, I think, after that moment, I probably increased my level a little bit. You know, I'm going to say it's a key moment of the match, you know. I pushed myself up a little bit. I'm going to say, after that moment, it was unbelievable.

Q. With all you've accomplished in your career so far, and you're still getting a chance to see different parts of the world, is there anything that stuck out to you from this week and the tournament as a whole in Toronto?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I don't know. It's my first time. You know, I didn't think about this tournament, you know, before coming.

So everything, you know, the people here was so involved, you know, on me and my matches, for the love from.

So probably the love from the people, I'm going to keep, yeah.

Q. Do you think maybe because you played the Hopman Cup on clay you maybe need more practice on hard courts?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: No, I don't think so. I had a lot of days, you know, to prepare this tournament on hard court. I practice well.

So I don't think Hopman Cup has something bad, you know, about this tournament.