NITTO ATP FINALS

November 13, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz

Inalpi Arena,Torino

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/A. Rublev

6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Carlos, congratulations. Can you give us some words on the match and how are you feeling.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, today was a pretty good match. I felt great on the court. Well, great... I try to feel great.

Yeah, he played a really good tennis. Obviously Rublev is a really tough player, aggressive one. I tried to play a really good tennis, tried to dominate the match as much as I can, try not run as much as I can.

I think today I did that pretty good work.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. At Laver Cup you said you preferred to look at tennis as a field full of opportunities because it helps you improve your game. What did you change in your game after the match with Ruud that you think was the most important thing in today's win? Is it truly possible to take into account that you're not feeling so well and adjust your game to it?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, I mean, absolutely. The match against Casper, it was difficult one for me. I didn't feel well. It doesn't matter. I had to play better feeling the way I felt against Casper. Today I felt almost the same. Probably a little bit better, but not too much.

Yeah, today I step on the court thinking I have to play better. That's it. Try to forget about I'm not feeling well and focus on I have to play a good tennis, playing good rallies, good shots from the baseline, try to serve better. It's going to be helpful for today's match, the serve.

I had many options in my mind if I could not feel well on the baseline running. I'm really happy that everything worked today from the baseline. Long rallies. After that, I could recover between points. I'm really grateful and really happy to be able to do it.

Q. You're now 12-4 this year against top-10 players.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: How many?

Q. 12-4.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: That's good to know for my confidence to go up a little bit (smiling).

Q. What do you think makes you so successful against the very best players? Do you do anything in particular or focus on anything in particular?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, just focus on playing a good tennis, deliver a good tennis. Obviously playing against the top players, you think to yourself that you have to play at your best tennis. If not, you are going to lose against them. That help a lot.

Before that matches, before matches against top players, realize what kind of game, what kind of shots you are going to play or you're going to hit. I think that's it.

In tennis, really important the mental game, the way you talk to yourself before the matches. When I'm going to play against a top player, I'm going to repeat myself that I'm better, I'm going to play my best, my 100% just to beat them.

Q. Nico Jarry always wears the strip. Are you wearing it only for a brief period or do you think you'll continue with that? How difficult are you finding it to breathe? And what were you sniffing during the change of ends?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, I know Jarry wear that thing in the nose. For me, it helped a lot today. I could breathe much better.

It is something that I'm going to wear more often, I don't know (smiling). Right now in the situation that I'm right now, it help a lot. I'm pretty sure that in the next match I'm going to wear it. Tomorrow's practice I'm going to wear it, for sure. I felt better. I could recover better between points.

Yeah, the thing that I sniffed in the changeover, it is for that. It is just to breathe a little bit better. The things between points that I'm doing like that is because of it. It help me a lot to recover and to breathe better.

Q. When you played against Andrey in Madrid, he was sick, and he won. Now you're sick, and you won.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: (Smiling).

Q. How are you feeling different when you sick? Maybe it's much more adrenaline? How can you explain it?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I don't know. Probably next match I'm going to play against him, I'm going to get sick the day before (laughter). I don't know.

He played a really good tennis in Madrid during the whole tournament, even if he was sick. As I said, it shouldn't be an excuse. You have to play your best tennis, even if you're sick. That's happen today for me.

As I said, I tried to forget about I'm not feeling well, I'm sick, and deliver a really good tennis. That's what good tennis or top players do it, even if you're not feeling good.