AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 11, 2025

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Carlitos, welcome back to Melbourne. This is your first tournament of the new season, but you had a busy week. How is the preparation going?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it's been a really good week. Yeah, I prefer to not coming to any tournament before the Australian Open, just to have more time to do a good preseason to get ready for this swing, for this tournament.

Yeah, has been, as I say, a really good week, practicing with the best, seeing where is my level, just getting ready.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I was wondering if you could pick any skill set from any player, past or present, which player and what skill set would it be?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: That's a good one.

I would pick probably Agassi return. I'm going to go with... Agassi return. I think it's a good one, yeah (smiling).

Q. I want to ask about the changes to your service motion. Talk us through what they are, whether it feels natural to you yet, whether you're having to remind yourself to do it the new way. Talk us through all of that.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, yeah, I mean, I didn't have too much time in the preseason, so I just work as much as I could in the preseason to do a good serve. But right now I'm still thinking about it. I still reminding myself how I have to do it.

But every day is getting better and better, or I'm feeling better and better with it. We knew that I had to change something in the serve to be better on it.

Yeah, I think there are some times that I think or I feel like it is a problem with it, because sometimes in the match that I've played or during the practice, there are some games that I not doing the right thing. I have to keep thinking about it.

But it is something that I will taking really good. I will serve without thinking about it. Just going to be natural. But right now I'm still working on it. I believe it will lift that doubts and it's going to be natural.

Q. Last year your coach, Juan Carlos, wasn't here in Melbourne. During your matches he talks to you a lot. How important is it for you during matches? What kind of advice does he give you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, Juan Carlos with me six years now. He knows me really well. He knows what I need during the matches, how the things has to be said during the matches.

I don't know. I mean, as I said last year, for me, Juan Carlos is really important. I really like being with him in the tournaments. But last year, for example, I was with Samuel that right now is my second coach. I trust him 100% as well.

But right now this year, he's here in Melbourne. Probably some situations, I don't know, depends on him, depends on what he's watching on the matches. He has to tell me some or other things. Can't tell you one right now.

I mean, for me, being with Juan Carlos and having him here is great.

Q. You obviously know that a career Grand Slam is on your mind this year. Any other goals apart from that for this season?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, for me the goal is try to win Grand Slams, Masters 1000s. That's for me the most important tournaments of the world.

Obviously the ranking is up there in the goals, as well, trying to get as close as I can to Jannik or try to pass Zverev as well.

The ranking is there. But mainly thing for me is Grand Slams, try to win as much Grand Slams as I can. That's my main goal.

Q. What is the thing that gives you the most satisfaction as a player? Is it a particular shot? Coming through tight matches?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I think when everything is going right. So when you feel like you can't miss, you can do whatever you should do, everything is going to be in. That's the most satisfaction thing that I feel on court.

You hit great shots, running forehand, dropshots, volley, serve and volley. Everything that you want to do, you feel like it's going to be right.

That's the most satisfaction thing for me.

Q. What do you like best about the rivalry you are establishing with Jannik? Do you go into matches against him with a different mindset than against other opponents?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, little bit. When I'm playing against him, I have, yeah, have different mindset, a little bit. I mean, when you facing the best players or the best player in the world, you have to do something different, different preparation, or different mindset or whatever.

When I'm facing him, I just know that I have to play my best if I want to win. That's it. Probably if I have a bad day against Jannik, it's 99% that you're going to lose. That's what is in my mind every time that I'm going to play against him.

The good thing for me is when I'm seeing him winning titles, when I'm seeing him in the top of the ranking, force me to practice even harder every day. In the practice, I'm just thinking the things that I have to improve to play against him.

That I think is great for me, having him, have such a great rivalry so far, just to give the best of me every day.

Q. Obviously another long season ahead, tiring season. What has last year taught you about being able to perform at a high level consistently throughout the whole year? Separately, what was the thought behind hiring Samuel Lopez?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: What is the second question?

Q. Hiring Samuel Lopez as your other coach, what are the thoughts behind it?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I mean, I don't want to think about the long season is going to be (smiling). I just want to go month to month, tournament by tournament.

As I say so many times, after US Open for me is kind of difficult to stay at a high level. I mean, is kind of I'm tired, I've played a lot of tournaments, a lot of time outside home. So for me is difficult, that part of the year.

Last year I did much better than 2023. So hopefully this year is going to be better. Is depends on the year, at the beginning of the year how it's going to be, if I'm going to play more matches, less matches, if I win or not.

That's tennis. You can't see what's going to be in May or June if you don't play any matches at the beginning. So I don't know how it's going to be.

But yeah, then when Samuel, I knew that I had to be with someone else than Juan Carlos that can help Juanki sometimes and travel or mix or split tournaments. So have someone to refresh a little bit between tournaments is going to be great.

Obviously is someone that I trust 100%. He's really good coach. Has been coach of Juan Carlos when he played. Is going to be a great coach for me, I'm sure.

Q. What is it that you want to get out of the new serve motion? Why are you hitting it that way? Is it power, spin, placement? What is the goal?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Good rhythm. Before probably one of the most issues that I have on the serve is the rhythm. I didn't get the good rhythm. So I think with this one I'm going to get a good rhythm just to hit in the right spot every time.

I think something I have to improve, the precision. I have to be more precise on the serve. I think with a good rhythm is going to help a lot. I think that's what I'm looking for.