ROLEX SHANGHAI MASTERS

October 5, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz

Mixed Zone

C. ALCARAZ/Shang Juncheng

6-2, 6-2

Q. Could you just describe your feeling, like why do you still have such a momentum, energy late in the season. Like you described, you've been playing some of your best tennis, especially late in the season, during the Chinese swing, when everybody obviously feels the fatigue is kicking in, but you're still playing some of the best tennis, as you mentioned, what's the trick to that?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I'm trying to get the momentum. I think I'm feeling great on the court, physically I'm feeling good. For me, for my tennis, it's really important to feel that way. I'm hitting the ball really, really well as well, so I'm trying to be the same way in the matches.

I'm a guy that tries to keep the positive things. For example, in the American swing, it didn't go as I expected, so I had more time to prepare well this part of the season. I had some weeks that I really worked, I put in really good work physically on the court as well, just to feel great coming to this tournament. I think that's the difference, and that's why I'm showing really good tennis, because physically I'm feeling great and, you know, I'm just trying to have joy and enjoy my time on the court, playing good points, playing good rallies, and the way that I'm hitting the ball is quite good lately.

Q. Looking into the next round, obviously going to play another Chinese player. What do you know about Wu Yibing's game, have you watched any of his game, what do you expect for the next round?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I know that he was in the top 100. He have won one ATP title, if I'm not wrong. I know he plays really good tennis. I watched some of the matches when he was in the top 100. I don't know what happened to him, if he got injured, I don't know, but he just beat Jarry 6-2, 6-1, really easily for him. So, beating a guy like Jarry in the way that he did is impressive, so I have to be really focused on that match.

I'm going to watch or re-watch the match he played here in Shanghai against Jarry yesterday, just to see how it is his level, and approach the match tomorrow in the best way possible.

Q. Jerry commented that it was a pleasure sharing the court with you. You're still 21 yourself, what's it like being a role model to some of those younger players?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, for me it's great, honestly. We're going to see the generations that, you know, well, he's younger than me, but then just to play against the youngest players, but for me it's great to hear that word from him. We're going to share the court more and more often, for sure. We're going to practice in the future, playing important matches, I'm sure, because he's going to be there, he's going to be in the top. Yeah, just happy to face them, playing against them, so let's see in the future, but for me it's really a pleasure as well to stay on the court with him.

Q. You played with Jerry in Melbourne and also here, what area of his game has improved the most?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I'm not going to count the match that I played against him in Australia, because he got injured and, you know, we just play one set, and for sure he wasn't the same, you know, in a good level physically.

I don't know. I've seen his last matches, he just got his first ATP title, it is impressive as well, playing good tennis. I'm going to watch, I'm going to follow him, I'm going to watch a lot of matches from him as well. I think he's going to improve fast and pretty well, so this is a guy who we have to put an eye on him and follow his results, because he's going to do great at the end of the season and the next years.