At just 22 years old, Carlos Alcaraz has picked up five Grand Slam victories and has been ranked as high as No. 1 in the world. Simply put, tennis fans have become accustomed to seeing his dominance.
As Alcaraz’s journey at the 2025 US Open began, however, fans had to get accustomed to a very different look from the Spanish phenom, who debuted a new hairstyle during his first match.
Typically known for a longer, more flowing hairstyle that fits with his game, Alcaraz took the court with a close cut that confused some fans, while drawing reactions from many of his peers.
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Here is what to know about the star’s new haircut.
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Carlos Alcaraz new haircut
During Monday’s match, Alcaraz debuted a buzz cut, nearly a shaved head. After defeating Reilly Opelka, he posted a photo on X (formerly Twitter) and shared his excitement about being in New York for the tournament.
Feliz de estar de vuelta en NYC! ❤️🤩🫶🏻 pic.twitter.com/mPcc6odYLd
— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) August 26, 2025
In the photo, Alcaraz’s new cut is the main attraction — his signature smile and excitement suggest he is choosing to embrace the look that has already turned the heads of millions.
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Why did Carlos Alcaraz shave his head?
Simply put, Alcaraz’s shave can be attributed to an accident or a misunderstanding. Entering the tournament, Alcaraz enlisted his brother to trim his hair, but when his brother cut too much off, the only fix was to shave it down.
“My hair was really long already and for the tournament, I really wanted to get a haircut,” Alcaraz explained. “Suddenly, my brother misunderstood the machine — he just cut it, and then the only way to fix it is just shave it off.
“To be honest, it’s not that good—it’s not that bad, I guess.”
Alcaraz: “My brother misunderstood with the machine he cut it & the only way to fix it is to shave it off. tbh it’s not that good its not that bad I guess.”
im the guy who thinks like, ‘ok hair grows’ & in a few days it’s gonna be okay.”oh Carlos you’re a better person than me pic.twitter.com/FsGkOY7AYP
— alcaraz archive (@alcarchive) August 26, 2025
Alcaraz explained that New York, which hosts the US Open, is too far for his usual barber, which is why he called on his brother. He maintained a positive attitude about it, emphasizing that his hair would eventually grow back to its normal length.
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Carlos Alcaraz haircut reactions
Among the best reactions to Alcaraz’s new hair came from other stars.
Rory McIlroy, who once won golf’s U.S. Open, was on hand in New York and asked Alcaraz for the reasoning behind the haircut.
World No. 17 Frances Tiafoe, who is a good friend of Alcaraz, did not hesitate when asked about the new look.
“Yeah, it’s horrible,” Tiafoe said before a reporter could finish their question. “I mean, it’s definitely terrible. That’s my guy, though — it’s funny, I looked at him and I was like, ‘I guess you’re aerodynamic,'” he joked.
La honestidad de Tiafoe sobre el corte de Carlitos 😂 pic.twitter.com/39Z5wB6UIj
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 25, 2025
Fans on social media pointed out that Alcaraz continuously rubbed his head during his post-match interview, possibly checking for hair that wasn’t there. That said, he received a positive response when he asked the fans if they liked his new look.
Carlos polls the crowd on the new haircut 😅 🗳️ pic.twitter.com/RtsvyhAHMP
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 26, 2025
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