NITTO ATP FINALS

November 15, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz

Inalpi Arena,Torino

Press Conference

A. ZVEREV/C. Alcaraz

7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Carlos, this was not the result you wanted. Can you walk us through your time in Turin, just overall how it went here.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it has been a difficult week, I guess, for me struggling with some physical problems, but at the same time it has been a really beautiful tournament. It is a privilege every time that I play this tournament, the best eight players of the world. I try to take the most of these matches. I will learn from this.

I think I've played good tennis here this week. Today I faced one of the best players in the world, without a doubt, playing really solid and great tennis. I was there. Just a little bit disappointed, but happy anyway to have played this tournament once again.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You said the other day that other players are better in not being mentally tired or playing good tennis when they are mentally tired. Are there things that you think you can do next year to make this time of year more enjoyable and still have more gas in the tank as you get towards the end of the season?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: It is a goal (smiling). As I said, I think this year I came to this part of the year much better than last year, but way far from where I want to rest.

For me, it is a goal to come here, come to this part of the year, as much fresh mentally as I can, try to find every place, every tournament, every match enjoyable.

Yeah, it is not easy. It is not easy, at least for me, traveling a lot in this part of the year. I miss home. I want to spend time with my close people at home. I have to travel. I have to play more tournaments, more matches.

But anyway, as I said, I have to find it enjoyable playing these kind of tournaments, because is a privilege. But, yeah, next year I will try to be better on that part.

Q. Now the season is next to the end, but you have to be in Davis Cup. You will find again Rafa, as you were in the Olympics. Can you explain how special it is for you to live this kind of moment with him?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it is the last tournament of the year for me, probably one of the most special tournaments that I'm going to play. Last tournament of Rafa, I'll be able to be next to him in the last moments on a tennis court for him.

But I would think that it is the Davis Cup. It is a tournament I really want to win one day. When I was a kid, I'd dream about winning the Davis Cup, for Spain. This year we have a really special chance to win it. I will try to help the team to win the Davis Cup for me.

But I think it's most important for Rafa, for his last tournament. I really want him to retire with a title. It's going to be really, really emotional and a really special tournament for me.

Q. A question about Novak, who obviously hasn't been here. He's home resting. He's going to go to Australia, where he's won so many times. What do you think we're going to see from Novak in Australia?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: A really dangerous player (smiling).

I mean, he deserves to choose what tournaments he's going to play. We've seen before that it doesn't matter that he doesn't play an official match for two, three, four months because he's going to come again and be able to win the tournament, be able to show a really high level of tennis.

So in Australian Open, is depend of the hungry he is. If he goes to Australia with hungry, is going to be one of the favorites to win Australia. Let's see.

He's going to be fresh, for sure. A lot of time with his family, kids, wife. Have time to practice a lot, which is pretty good for a tennis player coming to a tournament with motivations.

Is going to be a fun player to watch, for sure (smiling).

Q. Sascha just told us that you were a totally different player and person when it comes to the very important points of a match. He mentioned the tiebreak today. We've seen earlier this season you were able to do that. Can you tell us how you feel emotionally at these type of moments? How do you use it and how do you explain this capacity that you have?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I'm happy to hear it because I left the court thinking about the opposite thing, that in difficult moments I'm not showing the best tennis. Thank you, Sascha, if you see this in the video (smiling).

But yeah, I mean, I've played a lot of important moments during the season in a lot of matches. But I feel like, for example today, yeah, the tiebreak I played really good points when I was 5-2 down, for example. At the same time second set when I had my chances 15-40, first out, 30-40, second ball out. In those moments I feel like I'm not ready to put in a battle.

Some matches I have not, let's say, I'm not constant in those moments. Probably in some matches I've played unbelievable points, unbelievable games. But in some matches when the chances is there, I miss a lot. I have to work on it. I have to work to be more consistency. Let's see.

But yeah, I'm happy to know that I have to work on it, that I have to improve it. Let's see next year.

Q. Of course, two title slams this year. Youngest No. 1 in the world. Your legacy, we know about it. Is consistency a topic in your team? When things are not going an amazing way, win more dirty matches. I don't know if you understand what I mean. Can you play your best tennis, you can either be offensive as you did against Rublev, maybe it's something about slow down in your tennis when your best tennis is not working, something you're thinking about? I hope I explain myself.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I will try to answer.

Every player wants to be in the final, wants to go as far as you can during the tournaments. This year, as I said, I've played great tournaments and really bad tournaments. My goal at the end to be there all the time. Every tournament that I'm going to play, at least reach the semifinal, final, give myself the chance to win the tournament. So I have to work. Thanks God I'm young, I'm still super young, so I have or I hope to have many years to get there. But yeah, I mean, at the end of the year we have to put ourself...

The goal of next year is I'm going to go to the pre-season, before we start, I will talk to my team and let's see, Okay, what things I have to improve to next year? I will try to work in it. Let's see in 2025, I hope to be a better player and more consistency.

Q. Sascha leads 6-5 in your head-to-head. What makes him difficult for you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it is difficult to play against a player who has a really big serve, from the baseline is really, really tough, really solid. You feel like when you're serving, you feel an extra pressure 'cause almost he puts every return in, he makes you play long rallies. Then when you're returning, he's able to do it again with four big serves.

You're playing with an extra pressure, let's say, when you're playing against these kind of players. It's really tough. Even tougher when he has a lot of confident.

Probably every player has their weakness. Zverev, he has a better backhand than the forehand. Today it was kind of, like, both shots were equal. It is really difficult to find the hole. It was very difficult to find his weakness side.

Playing like that, it's really tough. Hopefully in 2025 I be in the top in the head-to-head (smiling).