G. DIMITROV/C. Alcaraz
6-2, 6-4
THE MODERATOR: Bad luck, Carlitos. What impressed you most in Grigor's game tonight?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think he played amazing tennis, almost perfect, if I can say "perfect." I mean, I couldn't find solutions. I couldn't find a way to make him feel uncomfortable on the court. You know, it was a great game from his side.
THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.
Q. Carlos, you have had losses where you have been happy with how you played, and even in Indian Wells you said you were more happy with your level than the results even. How would you characterize tonight? Is tonight a night when you can be happy with how you played, or were you not where you expected to be?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I think I played good tennis. I mean, I left the court thinking that probably I had to change my game a little bit earlier, but anyway, I feel like I played a good tennis. Not perfect but a good one.
But I feel, let's say, I have a lot of frustrations right now, because he made me feel like I'm 13 years old (smiling). You know, it was crazy. I was talking to my team saying that I don't know what I have to do. I don't know, you know, his weakness. I don't know anything.
That's why I have frustration right now, but, you know, in the thought of tennis, I left the court happy with my level.
Q. You have already alluded to this. You played pretty well, and Grigor just seemed to play out of his mind. He was in the zone moving well, returning well, serving well. In those type of situations, do you just tip your cap and say, you know, Well played. Are you going to analyze this? How do you interpret this? You certainly played well. He just seemed to play too well.
CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I really want to see the stats. You know, probably they're going to rank him 10 or 9.9, something like that (smiling).
But I don't know. I don't know. Once you step on the court, it's even tougher to find solutions to see, you know, where you have to go or what you have to do.
But probably the next match that I'm going to play against him, and I'm sure that there's going to be another one, I try to do a lot of different things. Let's see what it's gonna be.
But, you know, seeing Grigor playing at this level, it's really tough to play against him.
Q. Carlos, Shanghai was three sets, but the second and third sets were a similar scoreline to tonight. Was there a difference? Was there a similarity between Shanghai and here tonight?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, honestly, in Shanghai, I didn't play too well, let's say. I think today I played better. You know, like, playing tennis, I think I played better today than the second and third set in Shanghai.
In China I made more mistakes, you know, in the first, second ball than today. But I don't know. I think he played even better today. You know, as I said, he played great. I couldn't find, you know, solutions on today's match. His game was perfect. Yeah, I think he played better today than Shanghai.
Q. Carlos, it was a tough match, we know. You said it already. But what do you think right now for yourself? How can you look for the next challenge that you have?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I don't know. I mean, I have to wait a few days to see everything, you know, but there is no time to get down right now. The season, there are a lot of tournaments. The season just begun.
I have to practice. I'm 100% fine the power, let's say, to continue practicing well, enjoying practicing and really looking forward to playing the next tournament.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports