MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 22, 2026

Carlos Alcaraz

Press Conference

S. KORDA/C. Alcaraz

6-3, 5-7, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Tough luck, Carlos. How do you assess your performance today? What impressed you most in Sebi's game?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I think it was a tough match obviously. I think Sebi was incredible today. Played such a great game. A lot of tight, tight moments that I just didn't make the most of it. I think he was better on that points, on that moments. I would say that was the key of the match.

So just congrats to him. I think he deserve it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Carlos, you battled until the last point like a champion. How will you process this match with your team moving forward and take the positives out of it?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think I just played a good match, I could say. Just about some moments that I think he just played great and I didn't play a good point. A lot of 30-Alls, 40-Alls, advantage, that I just didn't make it.

But obviously we have to see the other side of the net. I think that point Sebi played such a great points, such a great level.

With my team, just we talk a little bit. We saw in all part, in all game, what I did great and what I did good. I would say what I was practicing, you know, I think I just did it really well, some couple things in previous tournaments that I just didn't feel comfortable. I think in this tournament, I started to feel better and better.

I think the process has been good. Besides the loss today, I think I'm still in the right way.

Q. When you're coming up, playing the world No. 1, is that something you look forward to as a challenge, no pressure? Conversely, do you feel now you're No. 1 that it's less pressure than the guy playing you?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think that's obviously when you're in that spot. Obviously when you're winning tournaments and you have great record win/lose, everything it's like I'm going to say easier in the way of pressure to the opponents, to the players that playing against me or against the best players in the world. Yeah, I'm feeling that way. I'm feeling they have more to win than to lose in those matches.

That's why in some moments or during almost the whole match they're playing without pressure. That's the feeling that I get after every match.

I'm not thinking about my pressure. I don't feel it at all. I'm trying to play my best. Obviously the players I'm playing against, I think they don't have the pressure they usually get when they play another player.

Q. When he was serving for the win in the second set, you won a lot of points in a row. What was causing you to be able to do that? Did you think when he served for the match again in the third set you'd be able to dig out?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, we could see the level he was playing until the 5-4 in the second set. We could see from the 5-4 until the end of that set what kind of level he played.

Q. (No microphone.)

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yeah, I would say, I mean, you could see the difference. It was a big difference about the level he was playing at that moment.

I always say that the closing a match is really difficult. You think about a lot of things. Probably you're not as relaxed as you could feel when you're playing in the whole match. It's like everything comes to you. It's really difficult to deal with it.

I could feel the difference. He just made three mistakes in a row that he didn't make it in the whole match. I just made the most of it. I stayed there. I knew that. I was trying to put as much balls in as I could. It works, to be honest.

But on 5-4 in the third set, I think he just knew what he has to do. He just played with a lot of first serve, which it's tough when he plays with a big first serve. It's kind of he was in that moment before. He just deal with that much, much better.

Q. There were times when you were obviously frustrated on the court. When you're facing an opponent who is playing way above their normal level, how challenging is it to accept that and keep on finding a way through?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, it's not really good, to be honest (smiling). It's a bit annoying. But you have to accept it. You have to keep it going and try your best.

I feel luckily I have a lot of weapons, I have a lot of things that I can do on the court trying to let him uncomfortable, which today to be honest I couldn't find that way.

But I know from now on, I know they are going to play like that. I just got to be ready, as I said. Even though he was playing I would say above his normal level, I was there. A lot of 30-All, a lot of 40-All, break points to me. I didn't make it.

But I just got to see that point of view. For the next matches, you know, to think like they are going to play like that, even though I'm just going to have my chances. I will try to play better on those moments, on those points. I will try not to let them stay in all the match. I will try to push them to the limit even more.

Q. What are your plans for the next week? Are you staying in Miami? Going back to Europe? Spurs Monday night?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: I don't know. Probably I going to go back home, which I looking forward, stay chilling with my family, with my friends couple of days. I don't know how much my team are going to allow me to have rest and day off.

All of a sudden just go back on track, go back on the court. The clay season is around the corner. I just have really good tournaments that I just excited about playing there.

Yeah, my mind right now is to take some day off, to reset my mind, reset the batteries, be ready and in a good shape for the clay season.