AUSTRALIAN OPEN

February 2, 2026

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/N. Djokovic

2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Carlos, I know that we haven't stopped since you won the match point, but just can you put in words what you are feeling right now?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, yeah, as you said, it's been nonstop, you know, since the last point, but you know, it's a great feeling. Completing a career Grand Slam was something that was on my mind. Every time that I come here to Australia, I just made the preseason just with my mind into this tournament to try to work as hard as I can and to be as well-prepared as I can, you know, to play this tournament and trying to get the trophy.

In the previous years I haven't gone, you know, in a good way, but I really happy that I just push myself to be better and finally came this year.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Carlos, congratulations. Now that you've won the career slam at such a crazy young age, got two of the other three trophies, can you dream of winning all four in the same year?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it's going to be a big challenge. Those are big words, to be honest. You know, I just want it to be one at a time. Right now next one is French Open. I have great memories in that tournament. I feel really special every time that I go there.

So I don't want to put myself in a really pressure position to have to do it, but you know, it's going to be great. Right now I will try to be ready, to work hard, you know, to just recover and practice well to play a good tournament in the next Grand Slam.

Q. Well done. What changed in that second set after Novak sort of punched you on the chin in the first set?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think, as I said before, tennis can change just one point. One point, one feeling, one shot can change the whole match completely.

So the first set, I think he played great. I was hitting the ball well. I was moving well. I think all I can say I played well the first set, but you know, in front of me I had a great and inspired Novak, which was playing great, great shots.

So in the second set I think the first game he made few easy mistakes that he hadn't had in the first set, so that gave me a lot of, like, calm, or I just trust and I believe that the match could change a little bit if I stayed there mentally strong or mentally positive, trying to be solid, I just change a little bit tactically that it already didn't work in the first set.

So I changed a little bit, and I think that that helped a lot to get into the match again and I feel comfortable and calmer in the match.

Q. How special does this feel compared to your other Grand Slam titles, especially against Novak?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it was a different preseason for me, so I just had to came back from unusual situation for me, which was difficult. A lot of people were talking about everything and having doubts about, you know, my level in this tournament.

So, you know, every year that I came here to Australia I was thinking about getting the trophy. Couldn't happen. Couldn't go farther than quarterfinals. You know, coming this year, hungry for more, ambitious for getting the trophy, and being strong mentally enough, not hearing anything or any words from the people. And then just playing a good tennis in this tournament means a lot, means the world to me, and it is a dream come true for me.

Q. Novak had some kind words to say about you during the presentation and in his media conference. Just like to know, can you just comment on his performance tonight and his performance across the tournament?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, as I said on the speech, what he's doing is inspiring. It is inspiring for all the athletes. It's not only tennis player but all the athletes, even myself, what he's putting his body and his mind, his life into feel playing a final of a Grand Slam again, going against, you know, every people saying that he was not going to play another Grand Slam final or he was not going to beat Jannik or myself.

Then he comes and playing such great tennis and beating Jannik in the semifinal, and here in the final played such great tennis. So it's unbelievable what he's doing.

You know, if he maintains this level of tennis during the whole season, he's going to, you know, win great things. You know, probably Master 1000 again. He's going to come to a Grand Slam final again. It depends how physically he is or how demanding physically is the tournament for him, but I think he's ready to keep winning the big tournaments in the tour.

Q. This is the first Grand Slam title you've won without Juan Carlos Ferrero here. Were you extra motivated in a way to prove that you could win without him here?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, not really, to be honest. So I didn't think about those people that had doubts about it. I came here just playing for myself, playing for my team.

We all know how hard I worked, you know, in the preseason to be ready for this tournament, and I had too many things to think about, you know, during this tournament. Just focus on my game style, focus on myself, being passion, and that's all I thought about during this tournament.

But, you know, once I get it, I just happy to prove all the people were wrong.

Q. Wondering for you, now that you have this big goal accomplished in the career slam, how you think about future goals, if there's anything else you want to do, winning every Masters event? There's still three you haven't won. ATP Finals. As you think of goals, where does the fire and the drive to keep wanting more come from when you have already done so much at such a young age?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I hate lose (smiling), so that's my motivation. Trying to lose as less as I can.

Yeah, there are some tournaments that I really wanted to win at least once. A few Masters 1000 I just really wanted to complete all the Masters 1000, trying to win at least once, you know, every Master.

Obviously the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup. The Davis Cup, it is a goal as well. I really wanted to achieve that for my country, for Spain. I set up some other goals for the season, and I will try to be ready for, or to try to get those goals.

Q. Carlos, congratulations. There was a beautiful moment just when you were getting back up off the ground when Novak and you embraced. I'm wondering what Novak said to you and what that sort of moment in terms of the sportsmanship, et cetera, was said between you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: You mean in the stands?

Q. No, just as you were getting up after winning the point and he embraced you, hugged you right there at that time.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I mean, he just -- let me clear. Sorry. You mean after lifting trophy or before?

Q. Just after you had won the match.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: All right. I mean, he just told me, Congratulations, you deserve it.

I just told him, like, it is always a pleasure. It is always a pleasure to share the court with him, even more especially if it is in a final for Grand Slam.

Doesn't matter if this time I won. You know, every time that I'm able to feel that aura from him on the other side of the net, for me it's a privilege. It's an honor, and it is like a master class for me to try to learn as much as I can.

I have huge respect to him as an athlete, as a person, and I'm just really grateful to be able to live experiences on and off the court. That embrace was about respect, I guess.

Q. Congratulations, Carlos. I just wanted to ask a general one. Do you fully appreciate the history that you're creating? You've won more Grand Slam titles than anyone at age 22. The youngest, comfortably, to win the career Grand Slam. Are you able to fully understand what you're doing at the moment?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I'm trying (smiling). I'm trying. I'm going to say tennis really beautiful, but what the bad part of tennis, it is we have tournaments week after week after week, and sometimes you don't realize what you've been doing lately, because you know, once you finish tournament, you got to be prepared or your mind is about, you know, going to the next tournament.

So sometimes you don't stop yourself and think about what you're doing. What I've learned, you know, this year is about appreciate and enjoy every single second of the moment you're living. Not only lifting the trophies, but playing tournaments, playing tennis, getting victories, getting loses. Whatever it is, just enjoy and appreciate the life you're living.

So right now I'm just trying to have a time to realize what I've been doing. Yeah, I know I'm doing history with some trophies, some tournaments, some achievement that I've been getting. For me it's an honor to put my name on the history books.

Q. Every Grand Slam a new tattoo. Do you have any idea on this special one? What's next?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I've said it's going to be a kangaroo, for sure, a little kangaroo. I don't know where it's going to be. It's going to be in the leg, for sure. I don't know the right, the left one. So I got to choose a good spot, but it's going to be for sure close to the French Open or Wimbledon. I just have to choose (smiling).