CHINA OPEN

September 29, 2023

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/Y. Hanfmann

6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: This is the post-match press conference for Carlos Alcaraz. Congratulations on the win.

We will start with questions.

Q. Just wanted to get your initial thoughts on how you felt the match went, especially in the first set when you seemed to struggle on your service game a few times.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I felt really well, honestly. Even if it is the first round, I felt really well, moving well, playing well. I am really, really happy with the performance.

I did well all the things that I improving, I have to improve a little bit. I think I did pretty well, as well, returning very well. That is something that I'm really focus on in every match, in every practice. I was really, really happy with that.

Obviously I was practicing really well the serve, so I was serving really well on practice. It was kind of difficult for me that I wasn't serving really well during the first set. I was missing a lot of first serve. It was a little bit of tough, a little bit tough for me to handle that.

But at the end I think I ended the match serving well.

Q. Your name is Carlos, but people call you Carlitos. Rafa's coach, Carlos Moya, people call him Charlie. How do you tell the difference?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I don't know honestly (smiling). Probably is depending on the part of Spain that you are. Since I was little, I always being called Carlitos. All my close people call me Carlitos since I was very, very young.

I call myself Charlie. It was kind of different. I don't know. I don't mind if some people call me Carlitos or Charlie. Just depending of the part of the world, Spain, I don't know, that you are.

Q. Today is the Mid Autumn Festival, traditional Chinese festival. The holiday is about family get together reunion. I know your brother came to Beijing with you. Can you talk to us about how your family sacrificed to make your tennis career in this moment?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, for me it's really important to have my family with me. I'm lucky to be able to bring part of my family with me around the world.

I'm traveling the whole year. I don't spend as much time as I want at home with them. Knowing I have part of home, part of my family here with me, it's a little bit easier to stay well during the tournaments in the other part of the world. For me it's really, really important.

Obviously at home, taking care of them, staying with them, it's the people that you can trust the most. It's really important to have a good relationship with them. Especially with me it's great to have their support during my career.

Q. Maybe you're the most popular player in the tournament so far. What do you feel like all the atmosphere here tonight?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: It was great. Honestly since the warm-up at the afternoon, it was full court screaming my name, supporting me. I hear a lot of them screaming in Spanish, as well, saying Vamos, Carlitos. It was great for me even if it is my first time here in China, here in Beijing. Having a lot of fans show the full court, enjoying my tennis, it was great, something that I didn't expect honestly.

As I said, it's my first time here. I hadn't the chance to play here before. It was kind of great for me to have their support and hopefully to show my tennis. Hopefully they can enjoy my tennis for a long time.

Q. The competition between you and Novak Djokovic, do you think this is a great opportunity to get the No. 1 position back because of his absence in the Asian swing?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Sorry, the last thing?

Q. Since his absence of the Asian season, do you think this is a great opportunity for you to get the No. 1 position back?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yes, of course. I mean, right now I think Novak at this time defending some points. In the race, he's like 700 or 800 points over me.

Be able to play these two tournaments, and he's not playing, so I have the opportunity to get back the No. 1 or be closer. That's the point to these two tournaments, to be able to do well here in Beijing and Shanghai, hopefully to get back the No. 1.

But if I don't get it, if I get closer to him, it's really good because there are few tournaments ahead.

Q. During his latest interview, Rafa said it would be motivation to play doubles with you for next year's Paris Olympic Games. Your thoughts and plans since Rafa is your childhood idol?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yes, of course, I mean, he's struggling a lot. Hopefully he can practice, he can be able to play next year since the beginning of the year, hopefully have a good Rafa, a healthy Rafa to the Olympic Games.

Obviously for me would be a dream to play doubles with him in Paris. So it's depend of both. Obviously until Paris, there are a lot of months that things can happen. I have to be healthy, to work hard, to be ready to play the Olympic Games. Obviously for him the same.

Let's see how it's going to be. But obviously it's going to be a dream.