US OPEN

August 27, 2025

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/M. Bellucci

6-1, 6-0, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Your thoughts on your play this evening.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think I played a really solid match today. You know, I just set up some goals at the beginning of the match, which I think I did pretty well. Some things that I have to improve that I didn't do as good as I wanted, but just in general, really happy.

He played not his best match, I know it, but in general I'm happy to get through.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I thought you returned really well today. I'm curious in general, in this modern era of the sport where there are so many big servers and different types of great servers, you're a great returner. What's the key to being a good returner?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think the anticipation of the ball, just to be really focused on it. The return has been an important goal for me just to be really good and keep it really improving.

I think the serve right now, there are a lot of players, as you said, that they are serving really, really well, which I have to be ready for that. You know, the return is the shot that you start the point with. If you make a really good return, you put yourself in position of attack, which I really like being in attack position as much time as I can.

I just put so much attention on it in every practice, in every match, just to be good, and I'm paying attention to the stats about my return. I just trying to do it every day.

Q. I think you've reached the final the last seven events you've played. What do you think has brought on that kind of level of consistency? Do you think this is the most consistent you've performed over a prolonged period in your whole career?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, I think so. I think, yeah, that I am playing such great tennis tournament after tournament and just feeling that I'm able to perform really good, you know, in every match. Obviously I have my up and downs. I have matches that I don't have or I don't feel really good, but I just trying to survive those matches and to give myself another opportunity in the next round.

Which I learned from this period, just about I took some days between swings or between tournaments, which helped me a lot to come to another swing or to another tournament with a lot of energy, fresh mentally, just to perform at my best. I think I've done it really well.

Yeah, I think so far this is the period that I have been more consistency.

Q. Carlos, you made at the end the golf swing motion. Was that the Rory McIlroy swing that you said was impossible to imitate? Is it getting better now?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: It's getting better with the tennis racquet this year. I have to say it.

Yeah, I did it in the first round because Rory was there, and I think I own it. I think it is a great celebration that suits pretty well. I mean, I love playing golf. And yeah, didn't go any better, but I think it's quite decent.

Q. Which do you spend more time thinking about, and which do you enjoy more: Trying to improve your game or play your best or trying to figure out ways to stop an opponent from being able to do his best?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I'm thinking about more my game. I always set up some goals at the beginning of the match for my game; return well, serve well, first ball, whatever it is. I'm trying to do it.

Obviously you have to see the opponent. Obviously you have to make some tactics about how should I play against an opponent. But most of the time I'm thinking about just myself, just about playing my best, trying to improve the things that I've been doing wrong in the previous matches, previous tournaments, whatever.

Yeah, my full attention is just about myself.

Q. What memory sticks with you more at this moment: When you won here or when you lost here last year?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, when I lost last year, if I'm honest, because it's more recent. I have great memories when I won, when I won here, I've seen some pictures come here from back in 2022.

Yeah, if I'm honest, I thought about last year when I stepped on the court. Some bad thoughts. I was nervous about it, like thinking, okay, I don't want to do the same thing as I did last year, losing in the second round.

I just thought about it a little bit, but, you know, I'm just really happy that I got through and have another chance in the third round. My thinks has been more about last year than when I won in 2022.

Q. Why do you think that is?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I don't know. It's more recent, and I just don't want to do the same things that I did last year. So I just want to improve, and I think people in general or myself have the negative thoughts stuck there than the positive, or the negative thoughts has more power than the positive thoughts, positive things.

I think that's normal. I'm trying not to let them stuck in my mind so many times or so much time on it, but sometimes it happens like this.

Q. Do you think losing -- and it was obviously painful -- it actually is better for you long-term in your career because you've had that lesson already?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, right now it's a good view, and I think it was really helpful for me. Back at that time it wasn't the worst thing I have ever done, if I'm honest.

But yeah, looking back, I wanted just to improve from the experience that I have lived. I think when I lost in the second round, you know, last year, was one of those moments when I learned a lot how to deal with some situations, how should I have done the things much better. I think I've just done it this year much, much better.

So it was a great experience that I learned a lot from.

Q. When matches like this feel like under control, how do you keep your focus and still push to play at the highest level?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it's just about keep doing, you know, the good things that I've been doing in the match. As I said, I set up some goals at the beginning of the match, and I'm trying to following since the first ball until the last ball.

That's something that helped me a lot to stay in the match, to stay positive, to stay aggressive all the time. Not having up and downs in the match. It's just about the goals you set up yourself and try to follow with every time.