BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 14, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/A. Zverev

6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Carlos, obviously congratulations. It was quite an unusual match. Where does that rank in some of the most unusual matches you have had in your career?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: For sure the most unusual match I have ever played in my career. I've never experienced something like that. I've never seen something like that.

So I think I will remember that match because of that. I think everybody will remember this situation, and we found it as a funny thing. That's for sure.

Q. Can you tell us exactly what happened. I believe you were stung on the forehead?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, I won the first point of the third game of the match, and I was ready to serve to the next point. I saw some bees around, but I thought it was just a few of them, just not too many. But I saw the sky and there was thousands, thousands flying, stuck in my hair, going to me. It was crazy. One of them was hitting on me.

But yeah, I tried to stay away from them, but it was impossible. As I said, stuck in my hair, so I was running out. I'm a little bit afraid of them (smiling).

I had to stay safe, and yeah, I was running everywhere. Nothing (indiscernible) bees anymore.

Q. Before you started playing again, I mean, you said you were afraid of them. Seemed like you were really scared when you were talking to the supervisor and you said, you know, I see the bee when I see the ball. Then you went back, and you started playing and you played great. What happened there? How did you put the bees out of your mind? What did you do in order to start playing some of the best tennis since you've been here, I think?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, yeah, when we step on court, there were a few bees in the corner that it was bother us. We couldn't start playing again.

Yeah, when we decided to warm up a little bit to see how it goes, yeah, I just hitting some ball and see some bees around me, so I couldn't stay my focus, on the ball, I was focused on the bees and try to stay away from them.

So that's why we stopped a few more times before the match began again.

But yeah, after that, we decide to warm up again, and yeah, I saw that the bees, it wasn't around anymore. Just one or two. So I tried to, you know, not think about the bees anymore. I tried to stay focused on the ball, stay focused on the point.

It was a really important game for me. I surprise myself that I stay focus on the match, not on the bees. But yeah, it was a great start from my side.

Q. Your next match against Jannik Sinner. You guys have got already at a young age an extraordinary rivalry. Could you talk about that a little bit, what it means to you and how you have adjusted and made changes in order to play him and play him better.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, honestly, I don't know how I'm gonna approach the game, how I'm gonna approach the match. He's the best tennis player in the world right now, without a doubt.

I mean, I hear some declarations from Tommy Paul that was funny for me, that he's absolutely naked right now (smiling). He's playing unbelievable, no losses this year. I really enjoy watching him play. So it's going to be a really difficult match. It's going to be a big challenge for me and see what is my level, you know, facing him.

The last, I think the last two matches that I have played against him I lost, so I have to adjust a little bit my game and let's see how it's gonna be.

But for sure it's gonna be the most difficult match that I'm gonna play this year.

Q. You're the kind of player who has big impacts on the audience. Sometimes they cheer, sometimes they even laugh, sometimes they scream. How much energy do you get from those different emotions as you're playing the match?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it's crazy. For me it's great to have such a great energy from the crowd. You know, as you said, different emotions, screaming my name, then laughing, or don't believe it what happening in the game.

So for me, it's great. As I said many times, my best level show up when I'm smiling, when I sometimes stay away from 100% focusing on the match. Probably watching some of the crowd, you know, dancing or some funny faces or funny things that help me a lot to, you know, putting a smile on my face and enjoying my time on the court.

So having those different emotions from the crowd is really helpful for me, and, you know, funny, as well.