NITTO ATP FINALS

November 13, 2023

Carlos Alcaraz

Pala Alpitour,Torino

Press Conference

A. ZVEREV/C. Alcaraz

6-7, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Carlos, if you can walk us through today's match. That was a tough one.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, I mean, it was a really difficult one. I think it was a close match, but I couldn't take the chances that I had. This guy has one of the biggest serve on the tour.

I had a few break points that I couldn't take, and I think that was the key of the match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You had an injury. You didn't play many matches at the end of the season. Is it correct to say that you lack this maybe?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Sorry?

Q. Is it correctly to say that you lack this?

THE MODERATOR: What is he lacking?

Q. Practice matches.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I don't think so. I don't think so because I am one of the players that has played the most matches on the year. I don't think that.

I mean, I feel good physically. I've been playing probably not a lot of matches at the end of the season, but a few matches was good for me, even if I lost or not.

I don't think I need more matches at the end of the year.

Q. I want to know if you think that this surface is too fast, too quick. For many years Rafa Nadal was saying that the ATP Finals should be played sometimes outdoor or on clay. Today 16 aces by Zverev, six games won at Love. Do you think it's too quick, they should do something different?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, I mean, this surface is the fastest on the year, that's for sure. I don't know why they put this kind of surface at the end of the year because all the tournaments that we have played on hard court is so, so slow, then we come here to the Masters and they put this court so, fast. I don't know why.

I'm not going to say they should do the tournament outdoor or indoor. I don't understand about the speed of the surface because we never played in a surface like this in the year.

Q. Your next opponents will be two Russian guys: Andrey and Daniil. What impressed you most in Daniil's game? What impressed you most in Andrey on the practice?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Both players are great. They playing such a high level. Medvedev has his style. He doesn't miss any ball. He's really, really tough. He's a wall.

I think the last tournaments that he has played, he was more aggressive. For example, in the semifinal of the US Open he was more aggressive than I thought. I think that's why he's really, really tough.

And Rublev, his power of every shot, it is amazing. His forehand is one of the biggest forehand on the tour, for sure. He hit the ball 100% every shot during three, four hours. It is amazing.

I will have to be really, really focused on every match if I want to give myself a chance.

Q. We talked about the surface, but there was another question during all the season about the balls. So many different balls were used during the season. Novak said he thinks on clay you should use the same balls from the first tournament till the final of Roland Garros. What do you think about the many balls used during the season?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, they should do something about it 'cause it's unbelievable that if we play three or four tournaments in a row, we play four tournaments with different ball. This is amazing. They should do something about it.

Every swing should play with the same ball. For example, Australia, the tournaments in Australia, with the same ball, and then come to South America with the same ball, America with the same ball. Every swing should play with the same ball and not change in every tournament.

I think if I hear well, we've played with 20 or 21 different balls, something like that, in a year. It's crazy. There are a lot of players that got injured because of that.

If the ATP want the best players in every tournament, they should change it. If not, every player's going to be injured because of that.

Q. Last night and today Novak was awarded with the year-end No. 1 ranking. Some comments from you. You were in the race for that right up till the end. Your thoughts and any comments on him getting it for the eighth time?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, he deserve. He deserve it, for sure. I mean, he has won three Grand Slams and reached the final of the fourth one. He won two or three Masters 1000. I mean, he deserve to end the year as No. 1.

He has lost just five matches in the year. It's unbelievable. I hear that he said it wasn't the best year of his career. It is amazing (smiling).

I've been fighting for the No. 1. I had the chances in the last tournament that I've played, and I couldn't take that opportunity.

All I can say is congratulations to him, the eighth time that he has the No. 1. I will fight to have the chance in the next year.

Q. Obviously not the result you wanted today, but I wondered how you found your first Nitto ATP Finals experience, the walk-on, the music, walking on with the local kid...

CARLOS ALCARAZ: It is unbelievable. Honestly, the best walk-out that I've ever done. It was unbelievable experience for me to play my first match in the Masters, even if I lost.

I would love to reach the Masters in a better shape, in a better feeling that I did today. But the experience was unbelievable.