Carlos Alcaraz has revealed that his new, closely-cropped hairstyle at the US Open was the result of a brotherly barbering blunder. The second-seeded Spaniard explained that he had simply wanted a quick trim before the tournament, but his brother misunderstood the clippers and cut too much off. “The only way to fix it was just to shave it off,” Alcaraz told reporters after his first-round victory. “To be honest, it’s not that bad, I guess.”
The buzz cut became an immediate topic of conversation at Flushing Meadows on Monday, momentarily rivaling the attention given to his dominant 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 win over Reilly Opelka. The incident is a stark contrast to his usual grooming standards; earlier this year, he flew his personal barber from Spain to Paris to give him a precise fade during the French Open, a trip he deemed too far to make for a similar fix in New York.
The new look has drawn mixed reviews from fans and fellow players alike. “Some people like it, some people don’t like it,” the French Open champion said, adding that he finds the public reaction amusing. Among its most vocal critics was American Frances Tiafoe, who himself sports a short style but described Alcaraz’s cut as “horrendous.”
Alcaraz good-naturedly dismissed Tiafoe’s critique, laughing and insisting, “Frances is lying… He likes the haircut. He told me.” The 22-year-old joked that he was unsure if the new streamlined style made him faster on the court but confirmed it would be a short-lived look regardless. “Every time that I get a haircut, in two or three days it’s gone,” he said. “In three days you’re going to see another hair(style).”
