AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 27, 2026

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/A. de Minaur

7-5, 6-2, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Carlos, well done. Through to your first AO semifinal. Was this your best match of the tournament so far?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think so. I think it was a great match in terms of level, of intensity. I think I played, yeah, probably the best match so far in the tournament.

You know, I could put in the same level as Tommy's match, but just really happy to get through and be able to play my first semifinal here, so just really looking forward to playing it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Carlos, your levels of concentration throughout the tournament have been impeccable. I'm wondering, did you place an emphasis in your off-season training on that mental aspect of the game to be able to ride the highs and lows that they present?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I've been working on this probably the concentration, the focus. Not having up and downs in the matches has been one of my best or one of the main goals for me, which I'm just trying to put into work really every practice.

If I have a practice two hours, two hours and a half, playing sets or playing against another player, I'm just trying to play the same level and having the same concentration, you know, point after point after point.

I think the work pay off and I just having a great mindset and a great concentration, you know, during the whole tournament, which I'm just really proud about seeing all the hard work pay off.

Q. You've played Alex five times before tonight, and you obviously know him well. He seemed to be coming in in career-best form into this match. Did you notice anything different about the way he approached the match or the level he produced against you compared to what you've seen previously?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I mean, to be honest, I just feel what he's trying to do against me or when he's facing against a top player, you know, we all know his level, his style, that he's really fast, he doesn't miss that often. You know, it's just sometimes really difficult, because his speed and when he gets the ball, it's really soon, and he doesn't let you have time in the match.

When he's trying to play or when he's playing against the best or the top player, he's trying to be more aggressive, which sometimes he's just out of his, you know, comfort zone. That sometimes we're seeing him miss quite often in some, you know, quite easy balls, let's say. I notice that, and we know how to approach the match, because let's say we are, like, one step forward in that case.

Q. You play Sascha in the next round. Can you just talk through that matchup? I think on court you said you played a practice set with him before the tournament. Can you just talk about that as well.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, the week before we just had a practice with other players. I just, yeah, got a practice with him, which the level was really, really high. It was 7-6. Probably one hour, 30, you know, sets. So it was a high level of tennis, high level of intensity.

I've watched his matches through the tournament, which I just -- you know, it was impressive the level he's been playing so far, so it's going to be a great battle. I know that he's serving pretty well. He's playing really solid and aggressive when he can in the rallies from the baseline.

I will be ready, for sure. I'm excited about playing him here in AO in a semifinal. So I know what I have to do. I will be well-prepared for that match, and yeah, if he wants to beat me, he has to sweat a lot (smiling).

Q. You said on court that your team told you to be patient and know that your level will come eventually. I'm curious, what do you tell yourself then to be patient and keeping that frame of mind?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, yeah, I mean, this my first official tournament of the year, but you know, for me sometimes I'm not that patient sometimes. In the first match, I just really want to play at my best level. This is almost impossible. You have to get the rhythm of the competition again.

Yeah, I left the court in the first round happy with my level, how I just felt on the court, which yeah, my team told me, like, be patient. Your level, the level you want to play, is going to come, for sure. You got to just keep trying, keep pushing yourself, and you will get where you want to be.

I think it's been a great work so far of passion, of trying, of pushing yourself and just happy to see where my level is right now.

Q. You were asked about your level now compared to the US Open, and I just wondered, another round in, where do you see that sort of comparison now?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I don't know. I could say the level of US Open is higher than the level that I'm playing right now, but it's pretty close (smiling). Yeah, I think it's pretty close. We can discuss.

I let, you know, the people talk about it and say which level is the best, if US Open or this one. I would say with the level that I was serving, the way that I was doing everything, you know, in the US Open, for me I think it was unmatchable, I guess, but just happy. I'm proud about how I am playing here.

Q. Carlos, you had a lot of fans out there today, but one we noticed in particular in your player box called Peggy, who is going to be playing here at AO Live on Sunday. Is she a close friend of yours?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, yeah, she's a friend. Yeah, I mean, she's really, really cool. Yeah, I mean, I better win, you know, next round if I want to see her playing. So I just happy to see her, you know, around.

Yeah, just got a great support from her, which really, really cool. Hopefully see and watch her playing on Sunday. I think Sunday, right? Yeah.