THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 27, 2022

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/J. Struff

4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Carlos, tough battle. Happy to come through?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, very happy with the win today. Great battle against Struff. Big opponent. But obviously it was a great match from my side.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You had a big serve today, 30 aces or so, yet you don't serve and volley too much. Is that something you want to try to do, try to come in more?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, I mean, I did a couple of times, and I lost every time that I did serve and volley. I didn't want to try again the serve and volley.

I mean, for me is tough to do serve and volley. Here everything going faster. I don't go fast to the net, so is tough to hit the first ball not too close to the net.

I mean, this one thing that I wanted to do in a match, but for me is tough.

Q. How much did you enjoy the battle today? Where do you see your grass court tennis right now? How do you rate where your grass game is?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: First of all, I enjoy a lot. Great battle, four hours almost the match. I enjoyed. For me play on grass is so beautiful. I like to play on grass.

I would say my level on grass has to improve a little bit. But I'm happy with my level on grass today. Of course, I'm not experienced player on grass.

I will improve. My level is okay right now (smiling).

Q. Could you sort of speak to the difference playing a kind of marathon match on grass as opposed to other surfaces.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I would say is different. Is different, of course. I would say on grass is tough for me because the movement is tough. Well, is more difficult to move on grass than the other surface.

I would say to play four hours on grass is tougher than the other surface, even if there are not long rallies. I would say I'm going to compare long rally here is like three or four long rallies in other surface. So for me is tougher to play a marathon match on grass than the other surface.

Q. Do you have to think more about your movement rather than trusting your body to do all the work?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, of course. Trying to don't slice, of course. The movement, you have to be more focus on that than the other surface.

Q. Wimbledon is slightly different to many of the other tournaments. Lots of players live in private houses as opposed to hotels. What are your circumstances, whether you're getting a chance to see Wimbledon Village? What sort of things might you do with your day off or is it back on the tennis courts?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, for me is better to rent a house near here. Because to take a car like one hour every day to go and one hour to come back is tough, even if you are sitting. But you get tired after two hours or three hours in a car every day.

To stay a part of everything with your team and to be normal, stay at house is important. Of course, here the club, like five minutes walking or two minutes by car, is easier for everything.

Q. Who takes charge of the cooking?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: A little bit. I'm not good at cooking, but I try (smiling).

Q. Obviously you arrived at Roland Garros having won the title on clay in Madrid. Here you haven't played on grass prior to Wimbledon. Do you feel the pressure is a little bit less on you here?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I don't feel the pressure 'cause I rank myself not one of the favorites to win this tournament.

Obviously if I play well, I have level to win the tournament. But there are a lot of more experience player on grass, more players play better on grass than me.

I don't feel the pressure. Just still get experience play on grass and enjoy every match.

Q. Today your opponent was a big server, big attacking player. A lot of serve and volleys. How did you feel this match? How do you feel about that?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I knew at the beginning of the match that is going to be really, really tough. Struff big serve, big shots. I know that I had to be really focus on the return today, yeah, the second ball after the return, to try to hit a good passing shot, good lobs. And, of course, the ball after the serve is going to be really important for me as well. He had a great return, great first shots.

I had to be more focus today because they was attacking more than me. On grass is really important to start attacking the points.

But, yeah, I was really, really focus on the match.