US OPEN

September 5, 2025

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/N. Djokovic

6-4, 7-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Carlos, congratulations on making the finals. Questions, please.

Q. Carlitos, congratulations. Well-played. First time through to a Grand Slam final without dropping a single set. I wonder how you feel about that and if you think it reflects maybe a new level of professionalism at the slams for you this year.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, yeah, for me it's great. It's something that I'm working on, just the consistency on the matches, on the tournaments, on the year in general. Just not having up-and-downs in the match. Just the level that I start the match, just wanted to keep that level really high during the whole match.

So I'm thinking I'm doing that in this tournament, which I'm really proud about. Yeah, let's see. But, yeah, probably I'm just getting mature. I just getting to know myself much better, what I need on, off the court. The things that I'm doing off the court I think I'm doing really, really well, which help a lot, and to play my best tennis. I think it's getting better.

Q. Given the last couple of matches you've played against Novak, it hadn't gone your way, and you hadn't yet beaten him on a hard court. Were you more nervous today than maybe you had been throughout the tournament?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, probably, but not about the previous matches against him. It was more about I'm playing a semifinal. I'm playing against Novak. It's not easy playing against him, to be honest.

No, I'm thinking about the legend, what he has achieved in his career. It's difficult not to think about it. So that makes facing him even tougher. But, you know, I'm just really happy to get my first win against him on the hard court and making another final here.

Today I didn't feel really nervous, but just a little bit because of that.

Q. Carlos, how would you describe the biggest improvements you've made the last couple of years and that Jannik Sinner has made the last couple of years?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I don't know. I think he, in the way -- I think physically he has improved a lot, and that's obviously. I mean, it wasn't a secret. He has spoken about the physical conditions that he has to improve, and I think the last year, the last two years, he has improved a lot physically.

You know, his matches are really demanding physically that he's able to play at his 100% during two, three, four hours, and I think that's the biggest improvement he has made in the last years.

For me, I think the consistency and not having the up-and-downs in the matches. Off the court, I just improve a lot, and I realize how important it is to take care all the details just to be perfect. I think that that was my biggest improvement.

Q. Carlos, it may be Jannik in the final. If it is, I just wondered how much you'll take from the previous two, how much you'll watch of those two, or if you think it's just a completely separate match?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, let's see, but yeah, I always take things about the previous matches. You know, if I'm playing against Jannik, obviously I'm going to take things about the last matches that I've played against him.

The last one or the last three matches, I'm going to take note, and I will see what I did wrong, what I did great in the matches, just to approach the final in a good way. Let's see.

But if I'm playing against Felix, it's going to be the same. I'm going to watch the previous matches against him, and I will take note about the good things and the bad things that I did from that matches.

Q. I was just wondering, if you win the US Open, if you'll keep this haircut?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Even better (smiling). Even better. You will see. You will see. Surprise, surprise (laughter).

Q. Donald Trump is expected to attend the final on Sunday. How do you think it will feel to play a tennis match in front of the sitting U.S. President?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I mean, I think that the tournaments -- or it is a privilege for the tournaments having the president from every country just to support the tournament, to support tennis, and to support the match.

For me, playing in front of him... so, to be honest, I will try not to be focused, and I will try not to think about it. I don't want myself to be nervous because of it, but I think, you know, attending the tennis match, it's great for tennis to have the president into the final.

Q. Novak is 38 years old and four semifinals in majors this year. Do you want to be playing when you are 38? Do you think that's a good idea for yourself? What do you think it means to get to those kind of levels at that age? What does it mean to you as player?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, thanks God that's too far for me right now (smiling). One person once told me that you don't have to think about 35, 38 years old, still playing at that age. He told me, like, you have to be focused on the next five years, from here to when I am 27.

And then, when I get 27, then think about five years more. So it's not about thinking in 15 or 20 years. It's just about going year by year or just thinking about just five years maximum.

We will see. We will see until what age I will try to take care about my body as good as I can. Now just to have a lot of years to come.

Q. What do you think about what he's achieved, nearly 40 years old, to get to four semifinals?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: It's impressive. It's impressive what he has done this year in the slams, reaching the semifinal in every slam, challenging the next gen. Challenging us the way he's doing, it's impressive. I told him always he looks like 25 years old physically, so to maintain that level at 38, it's impressive.

Q. Can you tell us who that was who told you that about the five years? Then, separately, I wanted to ask you about your serve. Is this the most confident you've ever felt in your serving right now?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I mean, who told me was Roger. So I think that's the best person that he, I mean, he could tell me that, and I will try to follow his words.

Yeah, probably, yeah, this is the best level or the best feeling that I have so far in a tennis tournament or in a year. So I will try to be continue like that.