MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 6, 2022

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/C. Norrie

6-4, 6-7, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions for the Birthday Boy, please.

Q. Rafa just said that you're the favorite for tomorrow's match, that he doesn't have any pressure on his shoulders. How do you feel? Do you feel favorite?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I'm going to say the opposite of what he says. He's one of the best players of the world, and I would say the best player in the world on clay. You know, even though he says that I'm the favorite, that he's not fit enough, that he comes from an injury, you always have to think of Rafa as the favorite because he has already won here five times and all of the things he has achieved on clay.

At the end of the day, I'm the new boy, the newcomer, the one that should not have any pressure when playing against one of the best players of history.

Q. Virtually you're No. 7 of the world now. A couple weeks ago you said to be the best you had to beat Rafa Nadal on clay. That day has come. How do you face it?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think I'm going to give my 100%. I'm gonna try to show my best side on tomorrow's match. Of course I dream and I fight to be the best one.

As I already said, to be the best one you have to beat the best ones and the best. I think I'm ready to achieve that ultimate goal.

Q. The court supports you. They have sang to you "Happy Birthday." Tomorrow you have Rafa Nadal in front of you. This is going to be like to see the people who love more, either mom or dad. I don't know if tomorrow you expect to play at home or is not going to be a home crowd for you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think that I am building my path. I feel very happy on the way that the people are cheering me up, the way they are supporting me.

But I think that Rafa is Rafa, even more here in Spain. I think that little by little, people are supporting me and loving me a little bit more, but Rafa has been many years with us. Many more people know him. Hopefully there is going to be a small part of the people that are going to support me, but I think I'm going to be ready to know that the people are probably going to support Rafa a little bit more than me.

Q. I wanted to ask you about today's match. After complicating the match a little bit on the second set, I don't know if you were at some moment feeling that the match could escape, and finally you finished at 11:00. Tomorrow you play in the afternoon. How do you feel physically?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, first thing, no, not at all. I lost the second set very tight. I think that till 4-All, everything was very equal. It could have fall either side.

As I said, it was very, very even. But once I lose that second set, I just have to free my mind, clean it, and start the third set as if it was the start of the game. I think that I have started really well. I haven't allowed him any time to play his game. I think that has benefited me during all the third set.

Physically speaking, of course, it's been a long match, demanding. Now I will try to do my best to recover as best as possible for tomorrow's match.

Q. You have already played two times against Rafa, but in front you have your idol. In front of you it's perhaps the best player on this surface. Do you think that this can affect you? Tomorrow is the third time that you play against Rafa. How do you face tomorrow's match against Rafa?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I always say the same, that it's difficult to play Rafa. Not because I speak him, because he's the person I have looked up, but I think that all the players have the same feeling. They know that it's complicated to play against Rafa, well, to play against the best players.

I will think me of course on the tough moments, momentum is going to be tough, and also thinking about against who you are playing, but I will try not to think about that. I will think that in front of me I will have a normal player, try to get away the nerves that I may have. Not to think I'm going to play against the best player on clay. Try not to show Rafa that I am nervous, that I have the capacity to do a good game. We will see what happens tomorrow.

Q. I wanted to ask you that a year ago you played against Rafa here on this court. What do you remember from that match a year ago? A lot of things have changed. Back in the day was 6-1, 6-2. What did you learn from that day? What do you remember from that day?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I remember that I said that I had to play that match. It's never to play against Rafa, as I have already said. That match helped me to see how far had I reached.

But I remember to go out there very nervous. I wasn't able to find my game. I wasn't able to find myself on court. I was not able to control myself both mentally and physically, and that was tough for me.

Now I think that I am a completely different player, capable of managing my feelings, capable of managing those tough moments of the match and know what's going on.

Tomorrow, to face that match, it's very important to know how to manage your feelings, to know to manage in which moments of the match you see where you are doing good and not so good, to be able to improve moment by moment.

Now I think I'm a player that is capable of knowing the negative points and to be able to improve them. Tomorrow I think it's going to be very important to read the match.

Q. Since we saw the draw, Spain was dreaming about tomorrow's match. People are talking about the dual that we have tomorrow. It's obvious for everyone it's a special match. For you it's a special match or it's just one match more?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it's a special match for me, of course, to play Rafa, it's very nice, and especially here in Madrid. But I will try not to think so much about that. I'm going to try to think that it's another match, a quarterfinals, that today I have already played a couple quarterfinals. I will try to manage the pressure, the nerves, and I will have to show a good level of tennis. Mentally I will also try to control myself.

Q. Ferrero was saying that he would like that you would think a little bit more about your dropshot. I don't know if you are thinking about those shots, because they are decisive moments. Do you start thinking about them from the beginning of the point, or do you just think dropshot whenever it's a good moment?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, sincerely I don't think, before starting a point, I don't think about it. It's something that just comes naturally when I think about it, when I feel the capacity to do the dropshot, when I have enough confidence to do it.

Sometimes it doesn't work. Sometimes I maybe do it too early because I just want to throw the ball. Another time it works. It's because I really, really feel it. But no, I don't think too much about it many times. Many times I don't think about it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. I was wondering, was this the best birthday you have ever had?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Probably. Probably one of my best birthdays, but I remember when I was younger to watch these kind of matches it was always special.

Q. You're quite young, but you have already had the chance to play against Rafa so many times. Do you feel lucky in a way that you have had so many chances?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I would say yes. Lucky to play against Rafa. I always wished to play against him when I was younger, and yeah, it's special.