MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 20, 2026

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

C. ALCARAZ/J. Fonseca

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Carlitos, well played. You talked on court about the massive crowd but the crowd was against you. That's not necessarily normal. You're a classy guy, but is it satisfying to silence the crowd with the way you played?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I just, I would like to say, it wasn't against me. It was supporting him. So I think that's a big difference, which I would say was, I mean, they were respectful, you know, I would say most of the match. Just supporting him when they have to.

So it was great, and I just enjoy so much the atmosphere, that I just live for just second round for the Masters. I think it was incredible, to be honest.

I didn't want to silence anybody. I just wanted to just doing my stuff, doing my job and trying to play my best, because I know Joao, what he's able to do in a tennis court.

So I just tried to be focused, try not to hear anything from the crowd, and just going forward all the time and just proud that I was able to do it.

But, you know, same time, I just had so much fun with such a great atmosphere out there.

Q. Great win. I have noticed before you change ends on the changeover, you usually wait a little bit, and then you let your opponent cross. Is that something you have always grown up doing, like, you were taught to do?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Sorry, say again?

Q. Before the changeover, like, when you change sides, you usually wait a little bit, and then you let the opponent go first. Is that something you have always been taught to do and grown up doing?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, not really. To be honest, I don't think about it. It's just, I don't know, it's being kind, I guess. Just, you know, let him going first.

I just do it on court. I just do it, you know, off the court, as well, with every people, going just trying to let, you know, the people going first everywhere that I go.

It's just, I would say, being kind and that's it. Yeah, it's not something that I just think about it, to be honest.

Q. You faced each other last year, but today was the first official match and we know it's a different story. Was there anything from Joao that surprised you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I'm gonna say there were some times that he made a winner from behind the baseline with a fluffy ball, for example, that I just I sliced, that I caught like a moonball, and from behind the baseline he was able to make a winner to me.

So sometimes, it just, I was surprised about it, to be honest, because against, you know, other players, I just I'm able to return the next ball and get into the point again.

So against him, it was totally different story. It feels like he can make a winner every, you know, from everywhere. And that's impressive.

That what's surprised me the most. But at the same time, I know what he's capable of doing. Great shots, great power. But, yeah, facing him for the first time, that was the most impressive thing that I just got.

Q. Turn it around. How do you think this could help Joao in future playing Sinner and you in these two weeks? What could he get out of it?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, remember, as I said after the match, I just remember when I played the best tennis player in the world when I was coming up, and it did really help me a lot. To my team, you know, those matches gave the feedback to know what I should improve in the practices.

I'm pretty sure, you know, his team and himself, they got the feedback they need to talk about that, and then going to the practices and see what he should improve and how he should deal with some situations.

He reminds me a lot when I was his age and just coming up, just he should, I would say, he should choose the better option. Sometimes he miss a few shots or sometimes he miss like a lot of easy balls because he doesn't choose the right shots, the right, you know, the right ball in certain situations.

So I'm pretty sure he's gonna get it, but, you know, in the future, playing the No. 1 and the No. 2 in the world back-to-back tournaments, I'm pretty sure he's going to get that feedback, and we're gonna see him pretty soon much better.

Q. Obviously you were there last night. Luka doing his thing last night. You were really inspired by that. I saw that after the game. I was there too. My question to you is you won this tournament and been successful, but does that bring you more inspiration just from witnessing Luka last night, taking into this tournament now?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I guess I just took his magic from last night (smiling). Yeah, I mean, I don't say I get inspirations coming to a tournament, but I do admire a lot that I'm really lucky to witness what he did, you know, last night, making history in the Lakers. You know, making history, you know, almost every game he plays.

I just got great admiration from those players, and I was able to talk a little bit with him. So I just hopefully got, as I say, I got that magic from him and hopefully it going to show up in this tournament.