AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2025

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/A. Davidovich Fokina

7-5, 6-1 (ret.)

THE MODERATOR: Carlitos, certainly not the way you wanted to win. What did you tell Jack at the net?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, for me in that situation, I don't feel comfortable. Obviously it's not the way I wanted to get through to win matches. When I see someone that has to retire because of an injure, for me it's not an easy moment.

I couldn't tell anything to Jack in that moment. Just wish him a good recovery. Just said sorry. I saw him in the locker room that I could speak more with him about it.

But I just said that I'm going to see him soon playing his best again.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I noticed you haven't been asked about it in the past week, about the possibility of winning the career Grand Slam, whether that's playing on your mind at all.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, obviously I'm one step closer. But what I've learned in the previous Grand Slam that I've played is going day by day in a Grand Slam. Grand Slam could be so long if you're thinking about what's next or about thinking in the future.

I just wants to think about the present day by day, just trying to feeling as good as I can every day, respecting every round, every player. That's it.

I think that helps a lot to show your best tennis in every match, just thinking about the present and giving the hundred percent of yourself.

Q. We're so used to seeing you playing Novak in finals and semifinals. How has this idea that you would potentially face him a quarterfinal change your thinking in any way? Something you haven't done in a long time.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, this is not the right player to play in a quarterfinal, I guess (smiling).

I think in a Grand Slam, from quarterfinals to the final, those players are the best in the world. If it wasn't Djokovic in the quarterfinal, it could be another players who are in top of the ranking, top of the world.

But facing Novak, for me it's not going to change anything if I'm playing him on quarterfinal or semifinal. Probably change a little bit if it is a final obviously.

Being in a quarterfinal, I'm going to approach the match the same as I did in the previous matches against him, and let's see. He has to win obviously. But let's see.

Both players are amazing. If it's Novak, I'm going to approach it in the same way I approached the previous matches.

Q. If you do play Novak, when you start thinking about your legacy, how much do those matchups against one of the greatest of all times play into what your legacy will be?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I mean, you mean if I'm thinking about everything he has done when I'm facing him?

Q. Yes.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I'm trying not to think about that. If I think about everything he has done in tennis, I couldn't play. I mean, 24 Grand Slam, the most weeks at No. 1, everything. He almost broke every record in tennis. I'm trying not to think about that when I'm in the match. I'm just trying that I'm able to beat him.

I know my weapons. I know that I'm able to play a good tennis against him, I'm able to beat him. That's all I'm thinking when I'm facing him.

I think every player or the best players thinks when they facing Novak, just playing and believing in their-selves.

Q. Youth versus experience. If you're youth and Novak is experience, do you think one of you has an edge over the other?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Sorry?

Q. The debate of youth versus experience. If you're youth and Novak is experience, do you think one of you has an edge over another? Does experience play into a quarterfinal at a Grand Slam?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think he's the player who has the most quarterfinal in a Grand Slam in history, if I'm not wrong. I don't know. I think, yeah, obviously he has experience. When we are seeing him playing, he seems like he's young again, so... It's unbelievable. He's in a really good shape.

I mean, in a quarterfinal, I've been in this position few times already. I don't know. Obviously the experience, getting more experience on that situation, is important. I don't think that it's going to take advantage on it.

I just ready and I know what I have to do in quarterfinals.

Q. Yesterday your little brother played Le Petits As. What do you remember about that stage in your career, and if you had a chance to talk with him?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, I saw. I saw the results.

Yeah, I remember that tournament, that period of my life. I made a lot of friends in that circuit, let's say. I'm just happy to see my little brother playing those tournaments the same as I played when I was his age.

I just saw the results. I couldn't talk to him yet. I spoke with my mom because he's with my mom there. I mean, she said that he played great. Hopefully keep going.

I'm just supporting him every time. Doesn't matter that I'm in the other part of the world. I'm just trying to support him, being supportive for him, trying to pull out all the pressure that the people puts on him.

I'm just happy to see him growing and getting or becoming let's say a grown man.

Q. You played Novak on all surfaces. Have not beaten him on hard court yet. Do your matchups change much between playing on grass or clay or hard?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Not really. Honestly, I mean, depends on the surface that I'm playing, I change my game a little bit. It's not going to be the same game style when I'm playing on grass or clay court obviously.

I think everybody has they weakness. It doesn't matter if we were playing in one surface or other, we are going to still having the same weakness.

What weakness Novak has? Just few or none. I know what I have to do on clay, on hard court, on grass. This is going to be the first time that I am playing against him in a Grand Slam on hard court, so let's see.

I'm just excited. Just we are talking if he already won. He has to win obviously. He plays against a really difficult opponent.

If I'm playing against him, I'm ready to take the things that I have to do on hard court.