ROLAND GARROS

June 8, 2025

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/J. Sinner

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

THE MODERATOR: Congrats, Carlitos, on another Grand Slam victory. Was this the most emotional match you have ever played in your life?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, this one was the most exciting match that I've played so far, without a doubt. I mean, today I think the match had everything, really good moments, really bad moments. Just really, really happy. I'm proud about how I deal with everything today.

I mean, it wasn't easy. The first match that I came back from two sets to love down. I think it was in a better occasion to do it in the final of a Grand Slam.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. People will probably talk about this match as they talk about Borg against McEnroe at Wimbledon in 1980 and Federer-Nadal, Wimbledon 2008. How does that make you feel to have entered tennis history like that?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, honestly, you know, if people put our match in that table, it's a huge honor for me. I don't know if it is at the same level as those matches because those matches are, you know, the history of tennis and the history of the sport.

So I let the people to talk about it if for them are almost the same. But for me, I mean, watching from outside or realizing what that match is in the history of tennis, I don't know if our match is in the same table as them.

But just happy to put our match and our names in the history of the Grand Slams, in the history of Roland Garros. Just I let the discussion to the people.

Q. The first half of this match wasn't really necessarily looking like the classic at first. Then up two sets and a break. It seemed a flat match at times. I'm curious what you did to get yourself back into it to give yourself energy, and also how much the crowd maybe helped you sort of get some more energy late in that second set to sort of make it more of a battle.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, honestly it was just I had to fight. I had to fight all the time. I had to believe all the time in myself.

Honestly when he broke my serve at the beginning of the third set, I felt like everything was to his favor. I felt like everything he is doing he was going to be in. He was going to make winner, not mistakes, hitting with the frame, going to the line.

That was my feeling at the beginning of the third set. I tried to delete that thoughts from my mind and just keep going, try to fight all the time.

Obviously the crowd and the people were really important to me today. The whole crowd were amazing. But there were few corners of the crowd that was really, really helpful for me, which I appreciate that.

But, yeah, probably without them, it would have been impossible to come back.

Q. Of course, this match was unique, but it's not the first time that you deliver your best tennis in the fourth, in the fifth of a very big match. You did it twice last year here. How did you build this ability to jump on the great moments of a match to find your best tennis on crucial points, whereas five minutes or ten minutes sooner it wasn't your best tennis at all? How did you build this ability?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, just I always repeat myself that in specific moments that I had to go for it no matter what, no matter if I was down, no matter if it was the super tiebreak of the fifth.

I just thought that it was time to go for it, not be afraid of the mistakes. I think today was all about to believe in myself. I never doubted about myself today, and I try to go for it.

That's why I saw my best tennis in crucial moments, and that's why I saw my best tennis in those difficult situations.

Q. A lot of certain parts of this match seemed unreal. Did you share the same feeling being on court? Were there certain parts of the match that were unreal to you as well?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, honestly today there were few moments of the match that, I mean, the level was insane. You know, being Jannik on the other side of the net playing such a great level, sometimes I thought, What can I do? What can I do?

They were moving unbelievable. They were hitting amazing shots. There were few moments of the match that he couldn't miss any ball. I mean, that level, it was really, really high.

Yeah, I thought sometimes about the people. I mean, I enjoy some part of the match. I enjoy to play such a high level against Jannik, having that battle. It was great.

I thought that the people, they were enjoying a little bit as well. It was for me honestly, yeah, I thought about it, it was unreal sometimes.

Q. There were many points unbelievable. One of them was 6-5 for him, 15-30, when he returned on your right side, and you hit an incredible cross forehand. I mean, do you remember those kind of shots at the end of the match, fourth and fifth set, or the three match points that you saved where he wasn't so brave as at the end of the match, because he didn't take too many risk? What do you remember most?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: That's difficult to choose one. That three match point were something that those match points down were incredible honestly. It wasn't great points. I mean, it is great. Honestly I saved match point, you know. But it wasn't that good points than, for example, the 6-5 in the fifth at 15-30 or 30-All, advantage for me, 40-All. Those points I remember pretty clear, and honestly I still don't know how I did it.

I mean, it was balls on the line, slicing the line. He was dominating that game. Honestly I still don't know how I saved that game. Probably I would choose that game.

Q. You just won your fifth Grand Slam at only 22 years old. One month and three days. It's very young, and it's the same age as Rafa Nadal won his fifth Grand Slam. Does it make sense for you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I mean, I have to realize that I've done it. I think that's the first step. Honestly the coincidence of winning my fifth Grand Slam in the same age as Rafa Nadal, I'm going to say that's the destiny, I guess.

I mean, it is a stat that I'm going to keep for me forever, winning the fifth Grand Slam at the same time as Rafa, my idol, my inspirations. It's a huge honor honestly.

You know, hopefully it's not going to stop like this.

Q. Today was the 12th match you play against Jannik. How important will this match be in your rivalry? Do you think it might be a turning point for the first time you faced him in a final of a Grand Slam? How important do you think this match will remain in your rivalry with Jannik?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Every match that I'm playing against him is important honestly. This is the first match in a Grand Slam final. Hopefully not the last time. Because I mean, as I said many times, every time that we face against each other, we raise our level to the top.

I think for the people and for the fans are important as well for our matches. If you want to win Grand Slams, you have to beat the best tennis players in the world. I think it feels much better when you face them in the final.

So it's not going to be a turning point. I'm sure he's going to learn from this match, and he's going to come back stronger the next time we are going to face against each other.

I'm pretty sure he's going to make his homework. I'm pretty sure I'm going to try to learn from this match as well how I can be better, how I can, you know, tactically make damage in his game.

I repeat: I'm not going to beat him forever. That's obviously. So I have to keep learning from the matches I played against him, and hopefully play more Grand Slam finals.

Q. This is the third final you've won when you've been behind, and you still managed to win. Is this something you've enjoyed? Do you actually enjoy the pressure of being behind and coming back? Like remember Djokovic in Wimbledon, two match points against Federer, seemed not to feel the pressure. Is it something you like when you are coming back like this?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I prefer to win in three sets honestly. I mean... (laughing). I'm not going to lie.

But when the situations are against you, let's say that, you have to fight, keep fighting. I mean, it is a Grand Slam final. It's no time to be tired. It's no time to give up. It's time to keep fighting, trying to find your moment, your good place again, and just go for it.

If I like it, I think the real champions are made in that situations when you deal with that pressure, with that situations in the best way possible. I mean, that's what the real champions have done in their whole careers.

So I'm just trying to, you know, feel comfortable in the situations with the pressure, and I'm not being afraid of it.

Q. You said you never doubted yourself, but when you were standing at three match points down, did you really believe you could come back and win?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, the match are not finished until he win the last point.

It's just one point away from losing the match, yeah. But a lot of times people came back from match point down in final of a Grand Slam or even in other matches. So I just wanted to be one of those players who saved match point in the Grand Slam final and ended up winning.

I just believe all the time. I have never doubt about myself, even though in those match points down. I thought just one point at a time. Just one point and then after one point and then try to save that game and keep believing. That's what I thought.