US OPEN

September 2, 2023

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/D. Evans

6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I just wanted to ask you about, I don't know if you saw any of Novak's match last night, obviously it was on late, but since you played him a few times, can you comment on his ability to keep fighting through the end of the match no matter what the score might be.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I watched the first two sets, then I had to go to sleep.

But, you know, when I go to bed, I was thinking Novak is going to come back, that's for sure. He shows once again that he's one of the best in history. Just he has come back from two sets to love down, I think I saw, like, six, seven times. So it's something crazy.

Stay 36 years old and doing the same things that when he was 20, it's incredible. We have to give credit about that, and it's something I admire.

Q. Are you happy with where you are right now as your game has progressed through the first three rounds? Are you satisfied with how you're playing?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah. I think I'm playing a good level. I'm feeling really, really well on court, really comfortable. I always say that I can be better, but right now I'm really, really happy with the level that I'm playing.

Q. Do you ever struggle with your obvious desire to have fun out there, but also the serious business of winning a tennis match against some players playing really well? Is this ever a dialogue in your head?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Sometimes. I mean, obviously I want to win every match that I play, but at the same time, I want to have fun, trying different things, make the people enjoy watching tennis, watching my matches. Sometimes I talk to myself about what is most important: If I win or doing great things (smiling).

Obviously win the matches is always most important. But sometimes I talk about that.

Q. You have a lot of variety to your game. Your opponents often talk about how many different choices you can make on a shot. Is that something that early on was a goal, something you worked on being able to have all of these many elements, or did that come later in your still young life?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I always have that. When I was young, I'm playing, you know, under-12, under-14 tournaments. In my mind come a lot of different things before hitting the shot. Probably the dropshot, big forehand, go to the net, you know, multiple things, you know, and sometimes it was tough to find the right one.

For me, you know, when I was younger, it was difficult sometimes. But right now I think most of the time I find the right one, but sometimes I struggle, you know, to hit good shots because of that.

Q. That was obviously a very entertaining match, but were you actually getting worried about it in the fourth set? Because Dan was challenging you, making life quite difficult for you.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Sorry?

Q. Were you worried in the fourth set that this match could possibly get away from you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Not really. Honestly, the first set was close. I didn't take my opportunities to break, to break again. In the fourth set we were playing a great match. You know, I was not thinking about I can lose or not. I just, I was focused on play my best in that game, try to break his serve as soon as I can.

That was the only thing that I was thinking about. I was not worried about I can lose or not.

Q. You spoke a moment ago about the fun during a match. What is it like after the match on Ashe when you're hitting the balls into the crowd? What's going through your mind, and where are you trying to hit them?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Honestly, I was trying to find Spanish flags (smiling). You know, hit the ball to them. I didn't find too much. It was anywhere.

Q. Is that what you do after any victory in Ashe? Are you always doing it, looking for the flags?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah (smiling). Sometimes I find a lot of them; sometimes not too much.

Q. Speaking of variation in your game, you hit some amazing dropshots today, as you typically do. What does it feel like to hit those perfect dropshots? What do you feel?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: It's a great feeling (smiling). You know, when I hit the dropshots, and the opponent couldn't reach it, it's a great feeling.

I mean, I feel like I'm gonna do another one. (Laughter.)