AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 25, 2026

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/T. Paul

7-6, 6-4, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Carlos, well done today. How happy are you to come through in three sets against such a tough opponent?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think Grand Slams, it's always great winning in straight sets, saving energy for the next round. I think it's even better for yourself, you know, for the mind, to have such a great win against Tommy Paul, winning in straight sets. So it gives you lots of confidence coming to the quarterfinals.

So I'm just really happy with the level that I played today, and I'm excited to see, you know, how it's going to be in quarters.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. In your on-court interview you were asked about the Djokovic serve comparisons. I wanted to ask you about that shot, the Djokovic serve, and what makes it so good and tough to play against?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, yeah, for him, I would say he doesn't hit the fastest serve, but is super accurate. Like, you cannot read it. It's really, really difficult to read it.

It is really close to the lines, and his ball is, like, a sleeper when it touch the ground. Yeah, as I said, it's really difficult to see it and to return it.

That what makes, you know, his serve really good one, but yeah, it's not the fastest one. Sometimes you've got to go for the precisions more than the speed.

Q. I understand why it's good for you to win in straight sets and conserve energy, but is it more valuable to play a match like this against a player who is really playing well, even though it was three sets, than if he'd have had a bad day and you hadn't needed to raise your level quite as much?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I mean, it depends. For example, if I could have played four sets today, I'd be happy anyways, because I think the level of today's match was really, really high from both sides.

Yeah, you know, you have to see the overall of the match. For example, something that I was working on is to maintain the focus in the whole match, which I did it today, playing such great tennis since the beginning until the end of the match. So for me it was really, really important more than saving energy, because I just have plenty of (smiling).

It's more about how I have been playing during almost three hours, which was really high one.

Q. The forecast for Tuesday is really hot, which means that the roof is probably going to be closed. I'm curious how you feel about playing indoors at this point and how it will affect your game, whether it's your serve, your ball speed, the climate here.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, you've got to get used to everything. You know, I have to control the things that I can control. You know, if it is going to be really, really hot on Tuesday and the roof is going to be closed, I gotta to be accepted that and just trying to play my best tennis on indoor.

So whatever it is, I just will be ready. I will be focused. I will try not to think about it. I will try not to affect my game at all, and I think that's it.

So that's going to be my mindset. Let's see on Tuesday. Probably is going to change, you know, whatever. But, yeah, I think we gotta show our best tennis in every condition.

Q. Have you ever played here with the roof closed?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I don't think so. I don't think -- it could be the first time I'm playing with the roof, but I have practiced, so which I think is great.

Q. I really like your outfit. It's very unique, what you're wearing.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Thank you.

Q. The real question is, what do you think about very fast-growing sports like padel and pickleball everywhere in the world?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think to see new sports growing up, I think is great. But, you know, for example, for me, that padel, it's more European, let's say, so I just love watching, you know, the padel, and sometimes I just try to play as much as I can. Sometimes I'm not allowed to, but I love playing.

And the pickleball, I don't watch it that much, and I don't play it that much, because I think it hasn't been in Europe yet, which they are approaching, you know, other countries or other part of the world.

But I have played few times, and for me, it's just fun. It's going to be interesting how it's going to be impact, you know, of the pickle, for example, in Europe or other places in the world, but I think the padel is getting huge.

Q. You have talked a few times about the serve change and particularly that it came from yourself. Obviously you trust your team and the people around you. How important is it also for you to trust your own judgment and trust your own decisions? Is that something that you have improved at with age and time in the sport?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, I would say, and I have been learning that, you know, as I have been growing up and, you know, getting more experiences, you know, my team or my coach can tell you whatever, but if you don't feel comfortable, you have to do something else.

So the first, I think the first thing is that the player has to be comfortable with, which I just have full, you know, trust to my team that they are going to just put something in table that I'm pretty sure or they're sure that I'm going to be comfortable with, whatever it is, movement or whatever.

But, yeah, I just feel really, really comfortable with everything I have done, you know, so far with my team or adjustment just by myself. But, yeah, I think I gotta be comfortable on the court, and I think that's the most important thing.

Q. During the first set in the tiebreak, there was 15 minutes of stoppage because of a situation in the stands. How hard was to handle this situation as well as emotionally and as physically as well, because it was the most important part of the set, and the tiebreak was 3-3. So how hard was it to handle?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, you know, I have been in that situation before, and it's not really, not really good situations at all. As I said many times, I think, first of all, the health of the people is, you know, the most important thing just to feel, they've got to feel good watching the match.

After that, we come the players. So as soon as I noticed that that person is good, so for me, I just try to be active again, trying to be 100% again, because yeah, in a tiebreak every point is really important, and I try to start as good as I can.

So I think it was a good points after that, which I'm really happy, and yeah, it wasn't that hard to be focused again.