CHINA OPEN

September 29, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/T. Griekspoor

6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: This is your 200th tour-level win. You have a special guest, Chinese gold medalist Fan Zhengdong to witness your victory. How was your interaction? How did you enjoy tonight?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: It was a great achievement, getting my 200th wins on the ATP Tour. I always try and wants to win every match that I played.

Yeah, just two years and a half, more or less, being in the tour, playing the tour, having my 200th wins is great for me. I just want to keep going, to keep getting more and more wins.

Obviously a special guest in China, getting the gold medalist, great having him here. I hope he enjoyed my match. Yeah, it was a great day for me.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. In the next round you're face Karen Khachanov. You've won all three matches you played. You've never lost a set. What sort of preparation are you going to have for this match?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it's a difficult player to play, honestly. Doesn't matter that I won the three matches that I've played against him. I have to be really, really focus on the match. He's a really solid player. I have to be focused on my game, don't let him to play his style or don't let him to feel comfortable on the court.

I will try to put my good shots, pushing him in the uncomfortable positions. Let's see. I'm going to approach the match in the same way that I'm approaching every match: just focus at the beginning of the match, try to take the opportunities that he bring to me, don't being afraid of making mistakes.

I'll just try to reach the goal of the match, and let's see what happen. But it's going to be an interesting match, for sure.

Q. I'm sure you saw the news yesterday about WADA appealing in Jannik Sinner's doping case. I understand this is a sensitive topic. Could you tell me, what do you think this case means or says about the reputation of tennis?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, yeah, as you said, it's really sensitive things to Jannik and tennis in general. I mean, after everything was decide, let's say, before Cincinnati, that the ITIA said that Jannik Sinner saying he didn't do anything wrong, and now came again, it is open again. I think for tennis is not really good, not really good sign for tennis in general.

It seems like something happen. But, you know, after one months, let's say, I thought it was closed, anything is going to happen again, Jannik is innocent, and they saw that Jannik didn't do anything wrong. So I started to thinking about it and start thinking about myself.

This month I didn't know what happen exactly. I just saw the news and it surprise me a little bit. Okay, what's going on that the case is open again?

I don't know how it's going to be the next months. For sure to tennis, not a good sign.

Q. Fast win tonight. You look more comfortable in Beijing. Do you believe you are ready now for some big results here in Beijing or maybe in Shanghai?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, I mean, I feel comfortable play here in Beijing. I think the conditions suits pretty well to my style, to my game.

I just want to keep going. I think today I played a really solid and pretty good match. I felt really comfortable. Hopefully in the next round I going to feel even better or same way that I felt today.

Yeah, a long time that I'm not playing - a long time (smiling) - that I'm not playing a final. I'm excited and looking forward to doing it again. Obviously in every tournament that I go, I will try to put my best tennis to make the finals or win the tournaments. The last couple of tournaments, didn't make it, didn't feel as good as I wanted. Right now I feel ready, I feel good. I feel like my tennis came again.

Every match is difficult, but I feel like I'm ready to keep playing a good tennis and making good results here in Beijing and Shanghai.

Q. What would you like to Jannik Sinner, if you want to say something to him in this particular moment?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it's difficult. I know that is a really difficult point. Is difficult for him. I know everyone talking about it, the news, talking about it.

Probably, as he said before New York, the people started to look at him in different way. I don't know how it can be. But for sure I understand the position. I feel him.

But anyway, the game and the level that he's playing with everything he's been through right now, it's insane. He's able to put all the things aside when he step on the court, playing a good tennis, is unbelievable.

I hope that this thing, this term will be aside soon and he's able to stay focused on what he loves, and that is playing tennis, trying to keep going.

All I can say, I hope that with his people around, his close people and him, not going to feel bad these next months.