CINCH CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 18, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz

Queens Club

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/F. Cerundolo

6-1, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Carlos.

Q. I just wanted to ask what are your sensations after this match? And what happened in the second set when you struggled a little bit?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I'm really happy with the level of everything in this first match. I mean, I practiced just twice here, playing points on grass, so I had not too many days to track down my game on the grass.

Coming here to my first match, I felt really well moving, hitting my shots. I think it was a really good first match on grass. A lot of things to improve, to be better, but in general I'm really happy with my performance today.

The first set, it was, I'm going to say, unreal. He made a lot of mistakes in the first or second ball, so I couldn't get a good rhythm. Then he started to play better, longer rallies, and he got into the match. I was a little bit, let's say, surprised.

So I had to stay there, trying to get my good rhythm, my good level, and I found it at the end of the second set.

Q. If your next match is on Thursday, Spain are playing in the Euros at 8:00 p.m. Are you going to make any requests to play earlier so you don't miss them?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I will do, yeah (smiling). I mean, the Euro Cup is every four years. Now is time to watch and support Spain. Yeah, hopefully I will request to play early (smiling).

Q. It might be this year at Wimbledon there is no Djokovic, and we know there is no Nadal, obviously no Federer. How different do you think it will feel being at Wimbledon without all of those Big 3 guys? It will be the first time in so long. Do you think that will give the tournament a slightly different feel? Is there more pressure for people like you and Jannik to really be the dominant guys again?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, honestly, I didn't think about it. Of course I saw the stats that is the first time since 2004 that no one of the Big 3 is playing Wimbledon.

I saw it, but I don't think about it. I don't feel more pressure about playing a tournament that not one of the Big 3 is playing. I'm just focus on myself. For me, I'm gonna play the same level or I'm going to feel the same pressure being with the Big 3 in the tournament or having none of those three.

It's going to be, for me, the same tournament. Of course, as a fan of tennis or to every people who are going to watch the tournament, it's going to be the same, no, not being able to watch those players. But for me, it's going to be the same.

Q. You said you only had time to practice twice on grass. With such a short time on the surface, what is the most important thing you have to concentrate on when you switch from clay to grass?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Physically and the movement. That's for me the most important thing that I'm really focus on.

Yeah, I came here on Saturday, and I couldn't practice, just 20 minutes due to rain. Then Sunday morning, I had, yeah, good practices, playing sets, playing points with Andy and Cerundolo as well. Trying to get a good rhythm before start of the tournament.

But the first, you know, first thing that I really focus on and I practice when I switch from clay to grass is to be good physically and try to move well.

Q. Carlos, after Roland Garros, you said you went to Ibiza. When did you pick up a racquet the next time? Also, with the three trophies, U.S. '22, Wimbledon '23, Roland Garros '24, do you keep them all alongside each other? Where do you keep them?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Where?

Q. Do you keep them one next to each other, or where do you keep them?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, the first question, I picked up the racquets on Friday. So I had four days without touching a racquet. I just threw it in my room. Didn't wanted to see it. I enjoyed my days off. But I did the preparation before getting racquet, but yeah, it was a few days.

And the US Open, it's in my room, and the other two is in the living room. Wimbledon, Roland Garros is next to each other, but the US Open is separate.

Q. I noticed you played with Cerundolo in practice on center court and today you played him in round one competitive. Is that a little bit odd, or how do you approach that going from practice to competition with the same opponent?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I have practiced with Francisco a lot of times. So, for me, we knew each other, that we are going to face in the first round before practicing that day, but we didn't care about it. So we know each other very well of all the practice that we have done, and I saw him playing a lot of matches, so I know his style. I know his game. I know what I have to do when I'm facing him. So it's not weird for me. I find it as a normal thing for me.

Probably other players, they're going to look to somebody else to practice if they're going to play in the first round, but for me, it doesn't matter.

Q. It might be Jack Draper next. I know he has to play today still. If you do face him next round, what challenge will he pose for you on the grass?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think a lefty player is going to be difficult here on grass. I don't know. I know he's playing great tennis. He's coming here, winning a tournament. He won last week.

So I know he's playing really well on grass. I think his game suits very well on grass, as well, with a big serve. I think he moves well and hitting good shots, so it's going to be a good challenge for me being my second match this year on grass.

Let's see. He has to win first, but if I'm gonna face him, it's going to be a really good and interesting challenge for me.

Q. You mentioned Andy there before. This could be his last year. We think it probably will be. Could you just talk about his legacy on the game from your perspective? And if you've had any interactions with him off the court, yeah, any memories to share about him.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I didn't speak to him too much, you know, off the court, but every time that I talk to him, we had a conversation, I was really focused. Every word I'm hearing from him, it is amazing for me.

I hear a lot of good things. He spoke to me in Twitter, in Instagram. He watched a lot of my matches. So for me, these things are amazing.

You know, yesterday when I practiced with him, he congratulated me about the French Open, that it was an amazing stuff. Hearing these words from him, it was amazing for me. He's a legend. I have huge respect for him, everything he's done in sport. He has beaten the Big 3 many, many times in the prime level.

It is something amazing. I mean, his legacy in tennis and in sport is going to be forever.

Q. You're here while Jannik Sinner is in Halle. You are both the favorites for Wimbledon, as well. Are you going to watch his matches in Halle while you are playing here?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yes, of course. As I said many times, I love watching him play. I mean, his style, it's really amazing to watch.

I mean, he's really aggressive. I love these kind of players. If I can, I'm gonna watch his matches for sure, and I'm going to follow the tournament in Halle and the tournament that they are playing right now, but it have to be a good time for me.