BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 17, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/D. Medvedev

7-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations, Carlitos. You are the first player to defend the title in Indian Wells after Novak in 2016. How do you feel about that?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it's great. It's never easy. I think it's even more difficult if it's a Masters 1000. I'm really happy to show really good tennis this tournament. It's a really special place for me. Yeah, really happy to be able to defend the title here in Indian Wells.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Congratulations. What's the most important lesson for you to take away from this tournament?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: That you can overcome all the problems that you have. It doesn't matter what problems you have. If you believe in yourself, you have a really good team around, you work hard, everything can turn around.

I think that's the most lesson that I take from this tournament.

Q. Carlos, it's been nine months since you won a title, which I think a lot of people would not believe, considering your record. When you won that match point today, are you able to put into words your feelings, your emotions, all of that?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, yeah. It's difficult to put it into words, because I had really difficult months. Let's say the last two months it was difficult for me to find myself. I didn't enjoy, let's say, stepping on the court. I wasn't myself on the court the last two months, let's say, two months, three months, so it was difficult for me.

Even more difficult after that was (indiscernible), which is my uncle, so has been really difficult weeks after that.

Yeah, it means a lot to me, lifting this trophy, winning this tournament, because I overcome a lot of problems in my head, a lot of problems physically. It was so special for that. Not that I didn't win a tournament since Wimbledon.

For me, it doesn't matter. It's about the feelings, as I said. For me, if I win tournaments or not, I don't care. It's about enjoying playing tennis, once I step on the court, putting my game. It's what only matters.

That's why I'm really, really happy to lift this trophy, because I found myself at this tournament, and I felt really, really good.

Q. Have you enjoyed it any less when you haven't been winning titles? Have you enjoyed being on court less in the period when you were not winning titles?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it was really difficult period after Wimbledon. I couldn't find my style, my game, but anyway, I was enjoying after Wimbledon a really good American swing after that.

Of course in Beijing, Shanghai, I did pretty well. At the end of the year I didn't play well, but it didn't matter that I was not playing well. I was enjoying.

You know, the last few months it was difficult for me because I didn't find myself. I was struggling to enjoy on the court. My family, my team, people close to me was telling me that, that what happened to me, that I was not smiling as much as I was doing before. Yeah, it's difficult moment for me, but yeah, I was enjoying after Wimbledon.

Q. Congratulations. Can you talk us through the point where it was going over your head and you almost swung, and then you ran back and then you did that weird thing where you hit it with the wrong side of your racquet. I mean, what was going on there? How quickly did you make that decision? What did winning that point and winning points like that, what does that do for you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, honestly, I didn't know what happened. (Laughter.) I mean, I was about to jump and smash it. Yeah, something happened to my feet that I couldn't jump.

Yeah, when something like that happen, you have to put one more ball in and just run to the next one. That's what I did. I put it in, it was a pretty good lob that Medvedev couldn't smash it in a good position.

Yeah, it gave me an opportunity to stay alive in the point and make (indiscernible) actually, I think. It was quite cool that passing on that point. It give me, you know, motivation, you know, to keep doing points like this one. I always try to, you know, put good points, good game, just to try to the people enjoy, enjoy watching the match. I think it's good for everyone.

Yeah, points like this one give me extra motivation to put a smile on my face, as well (smiling).

Q. A couple of years ago in Wimbledon, you practiced with Daniil and you told me that you wanted to play with expert players on grass, to learn how to manage the surface. Then next year you won the tournament. Now many of your colleagues tell me that today people were practicing with you to learn from you. So how do you feel in such a short span of time becoming from the learner and you have become the one who people look up to to become better? How do you feel?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it feels great (smiling). I mean, obviously it means that I've done really good work in a short period. With my team, we did the right things. We followed all paths. I think that's a really good point for me.

I mean, I'm still learning from the players. I'm not gonna lie. I'm still learning how to play against different players. A lot of the times on the tour you have to adapt your game. Depends on the player a little bit.

Of course every match that I'm playing I want to focus on myself, on my own game, but you have to, you know, think a little bit to your opponent as well, what he thinks, his style, and a part of that you have to set the tactics.

I'm still learning from them, but it's great to know that I'm the guy who make them trouble and want to practice to, you know, learn a little bit from me as well.

Q. Congratulations. Well done. Today and against Sinner, and almost every match you have you have one or two or three of these really magical inventive points. Is that based on speed? Is it anticipation? Is it a sense of creativity? Secondly, is that one of the things that...

(Emergency announcement.)

CARLOS ALCARAZ: We're in trouble? (Laughter.)

I try to be focused on the question. (Laughter.)

Q. You have all these creative points in so many of your matches. How do you do it? Is it anticipation? Athleticism? Creativity? (Indiscernible.)

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I'm trying to do that kind of points. I mean, it give me extra motivation. That's why I'm trying to find, you know, amazing shots, amazing points. Like this one give me extra motivation to keep going, to keep showing really good tennis.

I think it's great for the tennis, as well, having these kind of matches, these kind of points for the people that not usually watch tennis, and I try them to start watching tennis. I think it's great.

I mean, I always say that I'm playing better with a smile on my face, and points like this one, doesn't matter if I win it or lose it, it put a smile on my face anyways. I think it help me to keep improving my game on the match and showing my best tennis.

I don't know if it's anticipation, fast, I don't know, I think a mix from both. But sometimes I do it pretty well.