NATIONAL BANK OPEN

August 9, 2023

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/B. Shelton

6-3, 7-6

CARLOS ALCARAZ

THE MODERATOR: Carlitos, well done. Tell us about the atmosphere out there for your first match here in Toronto.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: It was really, really good. Honestly, I enjoyed a lot my first match here in Toronto, and seems like I have played here for many, many years.

So I enjoy a lot. Then it was crazy. So I hope to still like this.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Can you tell us what it's like to play tennis against Ben Shelton and your game plan for him today?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, he's a really nice player. You know, he hits the ball. You know, honestly, I never played against someone that hit the ball as hard as he hit. It's something crazy. You know, some serves at 235. Honestly, I almost broke my string.

So he's great. I mean, he's going to be over there a long time, I'm sure. We are going to play so many matches more.

And, you know, he's really, really tough. So he's a real aggressive one. He didn't let me play my game that is aggressive going to the net. So he did it almost every time. So he's really nice.

Q. How good it is to face a guy like him to start a tournament to get into the rhythm?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it was not too good, honestly, because it was tough to get my rhythm.

You know, as I said, he hits the ball so, so strong. So I couldn't find my game, you know, the good rhythm.

You know, for me, it's better to start a tournament, you know, with good rallies, long ones, you know, to get into the match, get into the rallies.

But usually every match is a different war, and you have to adapt your game into that, you know.

But really happy to get through and have another opportunity to be a little bit more better in the next round.

Q. Congratulations. As part of the Mental Time-Out Initiative Tennis Canada has, we have these positivity postcards where fans can write messages to their favorite players, wishing them well, asking them questions, et cetera. You have received a lot of them, and some even written in Spanish for you. What does it mean to you to get these messages from the fans and to feel all that love?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it's great, you know, to know all the love from the people.

You know, I read the message that they write me on social media, as well, in every platform, you know, and, of course, in the cards as well.

Every day that I get into the locker room, I saw the cards, you know. And for me, it's great to read it and know all the love that they have to me.

Q. I saw on social media today that you met Maria Sharapova, which I think a lot of fans really enjoyed seeing. So did you ever watch her play growing up and what was it like to meet her in Toronto of all places?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yes. I watch her, you know, a lot of matches. She was a great tennis player. She was probably one of the best player in the world.

And I was in shock because I didn't expect her to be here in Toronto. And she was first in the lift and it was, She is Maria or no? You know what I mean?

But it was great to meet her and know that she's going really well, and, you know, she's life right now.

And talk a little bit with her, it was really nice.

Q. Sitting in the stadium tonight, great atmosphere. A lot of the people around me were saying it was their first tennis match that they had seen in person and you were a big reason for the reason they bought a ticket to be here tonight. How does it feel to be the face of a new generation, bringing in a new generation of casual tennis fans?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I'm real happy about that. I always say that I try to make the people enjoy watching tennis. I'm really happy to know that a lot of people get into tennis thanks to me.

So for me it's something crazy. I'm 22 years old. I didn't expect to make the people fans to tennis. It's something that I'm looking for in every tournament, in every match, to get into more people as I can. You know, thanks to my tennis, I think it's really attractive one.

But to know that a lot of people is their first match in real life is something crazy that, for me, it's really nice.