US OPEN

August 26, 2022

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Carlos, your thoughts on the US Open.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it's a great tournament. I mean, I have great memories here from last year. It's a special tournament for me.

Yeah, I'm going to enjoy it and going to go for it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. When a player's ranking rises, there are always some privileges, perks, that you get on the tour. For you, as your ranking has gone up, what are some of the things you enjoyed or you didn't know that you would get when your ranking goes up?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I would say practice with the best player. I mean, the best player watch your matches and know about you and your game.

I would say to know a lot of people. I didn't feel at all the difference between last year, for example, and now. I just trying to be the same kid as always. I didn't feel the difference at all.

Q. How can you stay the same when there's so much fandom around you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: It's difficult, but that's how I am. The same kid as always. To be humble, and I always will be the same.

Q. I saw you practicing today with Cameron Norrie. What is different in a practice against Norrie as opposed to playing him in Cincinnati? Don't you show some shots you don't want him to see, or is it basically the same?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Obviously, there are a lot of difference between an official match and the practice. The nerves, the tough moments is not the same. I mean, a 3-All in a match and practice is not the same (smiling).

Obviously, in a match you're trying some things, you practice some skills that you don't have it. In a match, you always be more, I mean, not super shots.

I don't know how to say. You always trying to be more calm and trying to waiting for your best shots. In a practice, you always go for it the first or second serve, just to try new things in a practice.

Q. You obviously had a fantastic result here last year. This year you're kind of expected to have a good result here. Does that feel different? Is that hard in some ways?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Than the last year?

Q. Yes.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think in Montreal I felt the pressure and I tried to don't think about that, just to enjoy. My pressure here is to enjoy every match, show my best game.

Obviously, I want to do a good results here. It's a really important tournament for me. But I know that if I don't feel that pressure as a bad part, I will go forward.

Obviously, my goal here is to enjoy. I think if I do that, I will do a good result.

Q. Earlier Leylah Fernandez was in here talking about how she was excited to be on the Babolat racquet packaging. Can you talk about the first time you saw that? Is that exciting for you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Of course, I'm excited to play with this new racquet here in US Open. I'm a Babolat player since I was 10 years old. I'm excited to still growing up with Babolat and excited to play with it.

Q. If you were to get a round further, if you were to reach the semis, do you allow yourself to even think about the possibility of playing Rafa here in the semis, and what would that mean to you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Of course, it would be amazing for me to play a semifinal here against Rafa, but there are great matches ahead. Yeah, there are a lot of days before going to a semifinal.

Of course, Rafa have to win his matches, as well. So it's a long process. Yeah, it would be amazing to face Rafa in the semifinal here in US Open.

Q. You played some very long matches here last year when you reached the quarterfinals. 12 months on, do you feel a lot stronger and fitter now?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, I feel stronger and more prepared than the last year. I did quarterfinals in Roland Garros, as well. I have played long matches, of course, tough matches this year against the top player.

I think I'm more ready in this tournament than the last year.