US OPEN

September 7, 2023

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/A. Zverev

6-3, 6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Straight sets. You were only on the court for 2 hours and 30 minutes. We are going to try and keep this as efficient as your victory.

Questions.

Q. With how well Sascha was playing in set one, yet you were able to overcome him despite your level of serve not being as good, how did that give you more confidence for the rest of the match?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Obviously watching the level Sascha was playing in the first set, being able to win it, it was great for me, you know, to give me more confidence and probably he got down a little bit in the second set. Took my chances.

So it was great. Coming to third set, knowing that I'm up, playing a great level, for him it was really, really tough.

Obviously he was struggling a little bit physically in the third set, but it was great to be able to win in the straight sets.

Q. How does your approach change on breakpoints, whether you're facing them or you have breakpoints on your opponent's serve? Or maybe it doesn't matter.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, honestly, it's differently (smiling). When I am facing breakpoint down, I try to, you know, I try not to think about this breakpoint down. I try to think about it's a normal point. Try to do the things that I was doing well.

Trying to play my style, trying to go aggressive. If I can go to the net, I go to the net.

I try to do it in breakpoint down, and of course in breakpoint when he was serving as well, you know, I try to, if I can return volley, I do it. If I go to the net in the second ball, I do it. That's what I'm thinking about in that moment.

Q. What have you learned from facing Daniil before? How does your level of play right now fit with meeting such a tough player in the next match?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, last matches that I played against Daniil I played a tactical game played perfectly. You know, I did pretty well all the things that I had to do against him, so I think my game suits pretty well against that type of opponent, you know, like Daniil.

So I gonna try to do the same things that I did, for example, in Indian Wells and in Wimbledon, and hopefully to get the win and play the same level that I played in that matches.

Q. Before the tournament, you spoke about how so many people were looking forward to the possibility of you versus Novak again. Now you're one match away from it. He's one match away from it. What do you sense about the anticipation of that possibility right now being so close?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, obviously it's closer than the beginning of the tournament. That's obviously, you know, we just one match from that potential final (smiling).

It would be great to play a final against Novak here in New York, but we, well, both of us have really tough semifinal, so let's see.

But obviously both of us are looking for that potential final.

Q. Compared to this stage last year, 12 months ago to now, if there's one thing that's changed the most in you, what would that be?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think I'm more mature now. I grew up a lot since last year. Last year I was facing my first semifinal of a Grand Slam. Now I'm facing my fourth one.

I feel like I'm a totally different player. Doesn't matter that last year I got my first Grand Slam, I won my first semifinal, final of Grand Slam. I feel like I'm more mature. I deal better with the pressure with that kind of moments.

Yeah, I feel like I'm different, different person and different player.

Q. Going back to last year's US Open, you had a lot of success in the Grand Slam tournaments. Do you alter and change anything in your preparation and the way you go into Grand Slam tournaments versus other tournaments the rest of the year?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Not really. I'm doing the same things. You know, before matches I'm doing the same things. Mentally, you know, can change a little bit mentally going tournaments the best-of-five, but I try to do the same things.

You know, I'm doing well during the season. Why I have to change it? I just doing same things.