ROLAND GARROS

June 4, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/S. Tsitsipas

6-3, 7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Into the Roland Garros semifinals and Friday another match against Sinner. You have had great rivalry. How do you look ahead to that match?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, first of all, I'm really, really happy to be back in the semifinal here at Roland Garros. It's always special being able to play a semifinal in a Grand Slam.

I'm really, really excited to play Friday against Jannik again. A really difficult challenge. I'm ready for that. Hopefully everyone are going to enjoy that match as much as I'm going to do it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Looking ahead to playing Jannik, what would you say is the hardest part of playing against him, and what do you enjoy the most about your matches with Jannik?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, you have to run like it is a marathon, you know, side-to-side. I think he has nothing back. Everything he does, he does it perfectly.

The way that he hit the ball is unbelievable. The way he moves, it's really, really well. He push you to the limit in every ball, in every point. I think it is the hardest thing to face Jannik.

At the same time I love that. I love these kind of matches. I love this kind of challenge, you know, to have a really difficult battle against him. The previous matches that we've played I think it was like that, and I love that.

I love to find solutions, to find a way to beat him the way that I did in Indian Wells. For example, that 6-1 in the first set, and then I found a way to make him in trouble. I think those situations is great for tennis to try to find the right ways, I would say.

Q. The tennis world gets so excited before you play Jannik in these matches. Do you feel any different in the days leading up to these matches, and do you feel any different when you step out on court to play against Jannik?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, probably a little bit more nerves before facing him. I'm not going to lie. I mean, he probably is one of the most difficult challenge that we can face in tennis right now. I think he's the best player in the world. I think, no, he is No. 1 right now, so (laughing)...

It's going to be an interesting one. As I said, the matches that we've played before has been unbelievable games. I think everybody wants to watch this match.

When the draw came out, I think everybody wanted Jannik on my side playing the semifinal. Let's see how it's going to be, but I think it's going to be great for tennis and for the fans.

Q. I wanted to ask you about Novak Djokovic and his decision to withdraw. How did you react to that, and what are your thoughts about that?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I was surprised that he withdraw from the tournament after watch the match yesterday. He finished the match playing great tennis and he didn't show pain at the end of the match. It was surprise at all for me. Well, surprise for me that he withdraw from the tournament.

He talked with his team, with the doctor, and tennis is like that. Sometimes you have to deal with it. But I think not having Djokovic in the tournament, it's I'm going to say distressing for the fans not having one of the best players in the world in the tournament.