C. ALCARAZ/A. Rinderknech
6-7, 6-3, 6-2
THE MODERATOR: Questions.
Q. Well done today. Today and in Qatar, feels like you're playing against guys who are playing at crazy high level, and you were able to ride that out. Seemed like you just trust that you'll be able to stay in it and come back and win. Is that something you think consciously about when you're in a situation when you're playing somebody who is playing so well?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, to be honest, I just sometimes get tired about playing Roger Federer every round. Yeah, sometimes just feel like, yeah, they playing really an insane level.
I don't know if I'm feeling not the right way, but I feel it's just against me all the time. If they play like, you know, that level every match, they should be higher in the ranking. But, you know, obviously is something that concern me. When I'm just playing, I think about that.
You know, all can I do is just accept it, keep it going, trying to, like, do different things in the match, trying to, you know, try not to let him be aggressive or playing his style, trying to, you know, put my style, my tennis, my level into the match and trying to turn around the things that what I try to do. But obviously the first thing is just accept it.
Q. Why do you think people raise their game or...
CARLOS ALCARAZ: I don't know. I feel like I have a target on my back, and I feel like if they don't play that kind of tennis they can't win or it is what I think they could think.
Q. It isn't often we get to see you come from down a set and down a break like we did tonight. What was going through your mind to allow yourself to get back into the match at that point?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, in the beginning I was a little bit mad with myself, because I just had a lot of chances in the first set, a few breakpoints, set point, and I couldn't make it.
So I feel like I just left a lot of great chances for me. So sometimes difficult to accept it, but, you know, in the beginning of the second set, he played such a great level, you know, in the game that he broke my serve. So, yeah, just accept it, be strong mentally, stay calm as much as I can. Trying to keep going.
I knew that I was going to have more chances, and if I wasn't there, I can't take that, I can't take them. The first mainly thing is to stay there all the time, try to win my serve game, try to put pressure on his serve games, and let's see what happens, but obviously in the best way possible.
Q. Off the court, how does this tournament create experiences that players enjoy?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: I think it's really peaceful here. We just feel like everything is really nice. We have our areas to warm up, we don't feel like we're tight, all the players.
We have a lot of spaces to chill and hang out. It's great. Obviously I think a lot of players love playing golf. I think here that's the paradise, and I think that's what at this tournament builds great vibes.
Q. I'm not sure if you follow the Nothing Major podcast, but your brother Alvaro won the Hottie Coach Bracket today.
CARLOS ALCARAZ: Yes.
Q. Curious if you knew about that and what you think about it.
CARLOS ALCARAZ: Of course I knew about it. You know, I was probably more nervous than my tournament here (smiling).
Yeah, funny thing that a lot of players were, you know, watching it, were, you know, following the results. You know, happy that my brother took the Hottie Coach of the Year.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports