NITTO ATP FINALS

November 18, 2023

Carlos Alcaraz

Pala Alpitour,Torino

Press Conference

N. DJOKOVIC/C. Alcaraz

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Bad luck, Carlitos. What made Novak so tough to beat tonight?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, he's really, really tough. He plays the same level during the whole match. The shot quality he has is unbelievable. He plays really, really deep. It's really difficult to take advantage from that.

Once again, he has shown why he's the best player in the world.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. To me one of the most fake result of the year, 6-3, 6-2. Doesn't look like that. You played unbelievable tennis, more than 80% with your first serve during the whole match, still Novak winning like this. How do you deal with that? Do you have the same feeling that I have, that it's a fake result?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, for me it has been difficult to realize the result of the match. It was 15, 20 minutes after the match that I was a little bit down.

I feel like I am not in his level in indoor court obviously. I've played great matches in Wimbledon, in Cincinnati, in Roland Garros. I felt in that match that I'm in the level.

Once we step on the court, indoor court, I feel like I have to practice more, I have to be better player. Obviously he has more experience than me playing in these tournaments, in these courts. But he's unbelievable.

It's not about just serving against him. He has a great return game. Unbelievable, I'm going to say. As I said, he push you to a limit in every ball, every shot.

Probably I played great points, but it was like one great point, then three, four points just mistakes. First ball went out, something like that. Against a player like Novak, you cannot do that.

Q. Great match for your experience, if I may add. Too early, but what do you think could have been a Plan B in the case of such a match?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Sorry?

Q. What could have be an alternative plan in such a match? It's a little early maybe.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I don't know, honestly. Probably just run, put balls in with no speed, anything else, just play long rallies.

Once again, against a player like Novak, is not enough. I going to say that I had to put myself in a position that I had to attack more or play more aggressively. If I have mistakes, it's the same.

As I said, against a player like Novak, you have to play your hundred percent, going into the line. If not, you're dead (smiling).

Q. How will you think about this match during the next two months? You go into the off-season, won't face him again until at least Australia. How do you think about this match? Will you think more about Wimbledon and Cincinnati, just forget about this? How do you think it will work for you as you get ready for Australia?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, this match help me a lot coming into the pre-season. Right now I know all the things I have to improve if I want to be there, if I want to beat the best player in the world.

With Juan Carlos, we have to talk about the pre-season, what we have to practice, what we have to do. Obviously I'll rewatch the match to see my weakness, just to improve it and be a better player.

I will forget all the matches that I played against him, the Wimbledon final, the Cincinnati, Roland Garros, and I'm going to focus on this match because I felt like I have to improve a lot of things if I want to stay at his level.

That's what I going to think in the pre-season.

Q. Unusual scenes at the end of the match after Novak broke you. You threw your racquet, chat maybe with Juan Carlos. You didn't look to agree with Juan Carlos. What was in your mind at this moment when you threw your racquet, made gestures to your box? It was very unusual from you.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, yeah, it was an unbelievable point. I would say I couldn't play better this point. Even that, I lost it. It's a little bit frustration for me to play my best tennis in that point. Even that, I lost it. It was the same for me.

I mean, he was telling me that I have to stay strong mentally, I have to stay strong there, but I couldn't. I couldn't. Is something that I have to improve, for example.

He told me before the match to stay focus in the first shots. Here in this match I had 15 times that I had a mistake from the first shot. For me, was tough to deal with that.

In some specific moments, some difficult moments, just serve and had a mistake during the first shot for me was a pity. For me was really, really tough to deal with.

That's what I was thinking about.

Q. Novak is starting 400 weeks on Monday being No. 1. How do you look from that as a member of younger generation? How does that look from your perspective? Is that some motivation for you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, honestly, if I have to think about it, I have to stay there about 15 years. So is unbelievable (smiling).

Of course, I'm motivation because I want to beat this guy. I want to be the best in history. I want to practice with a goal. I want to beat him. I want to win every tournament that I'm going to play.

But at the same time I will not think about it because it's really, really difficult. It's something that a legend from our sport could make it. It's unbelievable what he's doing, just breaking records, winning every tournament that he goes. It's crazy.

It's a mix of motivation and a mix of I don't want to think about it (smiling).