C. ALCARAZ/K. Khachanov
6-3, 3-6, 7-5
Q. How do you find 11 a.m. starts? What time did you get up, go to sleep?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: I'm not used to playing at 11 a.m. Yeah, honestly I don't want to wake up early, but today I had to.
Anyway, I had to find the positive things that I finish early. A lot of time to recover, a lot of times to do other things here in Rome.
But yeah, I had to be really focused in the beginning because the early starts sometimes is difficult to start the match. But I think I did it pretty well.
Hope not playing too many matches first on, but if I have to, I will be ready.
Q. How deep did you have to dig for this match?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: Not that early. 7:15, 7:20.
Q. My question was not clear. How deep did you have to dig for this match?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: I'm sorry. I didn't hear well.
I had to run a lot. I had to fight every ball. Khachanov level in the match, it is insane. It is really, really high. He push you to the limit in every point. To be present... I have to be present. I had to wait for my chances. That made me run a lot. I had to fight a lot.
Q. Jack Draper again after what happened in Indian Wells...
CARLOS ALCARAZ: I'm just ready. I'm just looking forward to playing against him. He's one of the best players in the world right now. The results shows how good is playing lately.
Yeah, just want to take revenge from Indian Wells. I will try to be more ready than Indian Wells. Is going to be an interesting match to watch and to play.
Q. What do you think his greatest strengths are?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: He's really solid. He's really solid. He's really passionate. In every point, his shots are great, really aggressively. He's trying to play as aggressive as he can, and that makes him really, really tough. Every point is a battle. Physically he improved a lot. With the serve, with everything, I mean, he's really, really complete player.
Q. In Indian Wells the momentum changed drastically during that match. Do you remember this match? Why was it so spectacular in terms of momentum?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: I remember the match perfectly in Indian Wells. I remember I started really, really bad. I was really nervous at the beginning. I had to change a little bit. He was struggling physically at the second set, as well.
I mean, I think we didn't do anything spectacular. From his side in the first set, I think he didn't do anything spectacular. He was really solid. I was making a lot of mistakes.
In the second set, was the same. I didn't do anything spectacular. Was just struggling and missing a lot. I had to learn from that match.
I will try to start the match much better than I did in Indian Wells just with more rhythm, not making a lot of mistakes. I just try to get into the match and we'll see.
But I think we both will try to play aggressively. Who's better will win.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports