C. ALCARAZ/J. Lehecka
7-5, 6-7, 6-2
THE MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the press conference of our 2025 HSBC Championships men's singles champion, Carlos Alcaraz press conference. We will have questions with English first and move to Spanish.
Anyone to start with English?
Q. Well played. Congrats. You're the first person to win Roland Garros and Queen's back to back since Rafa in 2008. How challenging is it to make that change from winning Roland Garros to coming here, you know, mentally, physically, the surface? And what are you most pleased with about how you have managed it?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, yeah, it's really, yeah, I'm going to say it's really complicated, switch from clay to grass in just few days, because that's the time I had before the tournament began. Just two days of practicing and then I had to compete here.
So I came here with no expectations at all. I just came here with a goal to play two, three matches, try to feel great on grass moving, and, you know, give myself the feedback of what I have to improve, what I have to do better.
But, you know, I just got used to the grass really quick, and I'm just really proud about it. My goal was complete, and I'm not talking about lifting the trophy or making the final. It was just to feel great, to feel really comfortable on grass once again.
So what I'm more proud about this week is the way that I have been improving every day. You know, since the first day until today, I think I'm a different player on grass. Just, as I said, got used to it really quick, and that's the thing that I'm most proud about.
Q. Congratulations. How important was your break in Ibiza to give you the energy and to come back here and play so well here? Can you tell us your plans before Wimbledon? Will you have time to go back there?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: (Laughing.) A lot of people ask me the same question: Are you going to go back?
I wish, but as I said, I'm a player who needs days, days off, days to enjoy, days for myself to spend with my friends, with my family, just to turn off my mind. I need that, and the good thing is that I know that.
The days in Ibiza helped me a lot, just to feel like I'm not a tennis player, just to enjoy life a little bit with my friends, have fun, enjoy those days, and then come back to the court with more energy, I mean, be more hungry to play again.
So that was really helpful for me. I'm not going to say that I win the tournament because of Ibiza, but yeah, you know, after this tournament, I can't go back home. I'm going to stay here in London, hopefully enjoy London a little bit.
Let's see how it's gonna be the next days, but I'm going to have my days off to rest up, to enjoy, and then be back and preparing Wimbledon the best way possible.
Q. Carlos, there is always some different and new statistic, as just said about 2008 with Rafa. Now you're one of only three Spanish men to win four grass court tournaments -- Rafa, Feli, and now you -- in the Open Era. You're 22, Rafa was 29, Feli was 37 when he achieved that. Do all those sort of things mean much to you, or it's just some more information?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, honestly, I don't pay so much attention on that statistics. Obviously once I know them, obviously it's pretty good, I'm not gonna lie, being the third Spanish player to achieve that. Achieve four tournaments on grass, I think it's great to be with Rafa, to be with Feli, such great players from our country, from tennis.
I have done it in just 22. Sometimes you have to sit down and think a little bit about it and realize, okay, this is a great thing, and I appreciate that.
Hopefully now I will not stop here. Hopefully keep going. But it's great stats to know.
Q. On Thursday you said you were a bit frustrated by your serve, and we saw you practicing a lot at practice. Today your serve was maybe your best weapon. It was amazing. How great is that for you? How satisfying is it for you?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, yeah, I'm really proud. It's something that I working on every day, not only on grass. When I play on clay, when I play on hard court, during the whole year I put so much attention on the serve just to improve it, just to be better. I make changes in the movement. I been making changes on the serve just to be better on that.
Yeah, after Munar's match, yeah, I was disappointed with my serve, and I try to make something different on the practices, just to make a little bit better on the matches, and then after that, yeah, I have been, yeah, I have been serving really, really well.
Honestly, now I know how John Isner and Reilly Opelka feels when they playing (smiling).
Yeah, it was a great improvement today. Great effort, because when you're playing against such a great player with great serve, I mean, your serve should be great, as well.
I'm just pleased about it, and hopefully keep it going and keep it even better for Wimbledon.
Q. You seem to be doing really well on grass. Is it now becoming one of your favorite surfaces to play on?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: I mean, I can't say no. I cannot say no (smiling).
But we just play two tournaments per year on grass, but yeah, I just feeling great. I don't think it's my favorite surface. I think it's clay right now. But I feel at home every time that I play on grass, so I think it's a great feeling.
Q. Congratulations. Since Miami you have 27 wins and just one loss. You always talk about playing with a smile on your face. What's been the key to getting that smile back since Miami in this time?
CARLOS ALCARAZ: Well, I had so much hate when I lost in Miami. Instead of practice after that, I took a break and I went to Cancun with my family. And I had too much hate then, because a lot of people, you know, start to say, like, What's going on with this guy that he just lost in the first round, and he didn't practice, he didn't go to the court and keep practicing just to be better?
And I think that was the key, just to have five, six days off, not grabbing a racquet, not stepping on the court. Just go to vacation with my family, to turn off my mind, to think what should I have done better?
And that was the key. You know, after, yeah, it was after Miami, after the vacation that I had in Cancun with my family, I just got the joy back, and I start to enjoy playing tennis again, to enjoy step on the court, competing again. And I think that was the key, to have my days with my family and realizing what is the most important thing for me, that I go there. I'm gonna say that.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports