NITTO ATP FINALS

November 17, 2023

Carlos Alcaraz

Pala Alpitour,Torino

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/D. Medvedev

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Carlos, what was the key today?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I'm really, really happy to be able to play my first semifinal here. I think the key today was to stay strong mentally. It was a few games with myself that I was struggling a little bit. The return game that Daniil has is unbelievable.

I would say stay calm, stay strong, and believe in my game in those moments. I'm going to say that was the key.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Are you allowing yourself to dream about winning this tournament or is there still too much to go before?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, is just two matches, but at the same time is too far away. I have Novak in the semifinal. If I win that match, I have a really tough final.

I'm dreaming about winning this tournament. Why not? But I have to play my best first in semifinal. I'm going to face one of the best players in history. I'm going to face the best player in the world right now. I will have to put my best game if I want to beat him.

Q. Your relationship with Novak is a very specific rivalry: very fierce, very intense, but also very friendly. In preparation to these special matches, do you have any special routine or some superstition that you practice in order to feel confident to win the match ahead of you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I usually do the same routine before the match. Probably repeat some things that I'm doing. If I win, I would like to repeat a few things. Probably same restaurant, same persons, let's say same seats. I don't know. I do the same routine.

Facing Novak, probably I will do some specific things mentally to be 100% ready to face the match tomorrow.

Q. What have you learned since June in Paris about how to prepare for Novak differently that you do now compared with what you were doing before? I guess I'm thinking mentally because you spoke in Paris about how it was mainly a mental issue. What is it that you do differently now that you weren't doing?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Probably I'm stronger mentally. Right now, comparing to Paris, I've spoken about dealing with the pressure, dealing with tough, tough moments. In Paris I didn't deal with the pressure. I learned about that situation. Then came Wimbledon, came Cincinnati. It was a really, really good match.

I think facing someone like Novak, you have to stay strong mentally and deal with the pressure that he puts on you in every ball, in every point. I think I learned a lot about that.

I think I'm ready to face him tomorrow.

Q. The first day after your loss, you said you were tired mentally. I have to ask you what happened in these days? Today to me you looked unbelievable, especially the first set. I saw the Carlos Alcaraz of the first part of the season. Do you feel that you're close to there?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, I feel that I am playing the same level that I've been playing the first part of the year. I spoke with Juan Carlos after the first match about give everything that I have in this tournament. Is the last tournament of the year. It's time to give my 100%, my everything on these matches.

I thought about it the day after in the practice and, of course, the match against Rublev. It was pretty good. Of course, the key is to realize the level I have to play. Doesn't matter if I win or I lose, just think about enjoy on the court, stay apart of all the results, to classify or not, just to put my own game, enjoy on the court.

If I win, it is good. But if I lost, it was the same. I would say that was the key.

Q. You, Jannik, Novak and Daniil are in the first position of the ranking, and now in the semifinals. You won all the slams and many Masters. You are the four best players of the year. Do you think maybe next year there will be some other big contender during all the season or do you see you four players as the most important players of the next season?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, there are a lot of great players. Obviously it is a long year, a long calendar. In tennis, you can play really good tennis in the first half, then the second half drop a little bit.

I know there are a lot of dangerous players that can classify to the Masters. Obviously, as you said, the first four players in the ranking is to play the semifinals here in the Masters.

Holger Rune is there, as well. He played a great match. He was close to classify. Zverev, as well. If I couldn't win this match, probably he was able to classify to the semifinal.

There are a few that they are going to have a great year next year. I'm sure about it.