Carlos Alcaraz shocked the world with his new haircut before dominating the court against Reilly Opelka in the first round of the 2025 US Open. He won with a score of 6-4, 7-5, 6-4. But the one thing that turned heads was Alcaraz’s new hairstyle. He got himself a buzz cut, dropping most of his waves. All of that came with some hearty trolling from John McEnroe and Frances Tiafoe. But it succeeded in sending the audience into a frenzy. 

After his win over Opelka, the #2 ATP contender drew praise in the post-match interview for playing at a quicker pace than usual at the US Open. He racked up 40 receiving points and even pulled off volley saves that Opelka initially believed were unreachable. So, was it because of his new haircut? You know, because he shed that extra load of wavy hair? 

Right after the reporter threw the question, Alcaraz replied, “Yeah, I mean… I gotta ask the people, you know, if they like the new haircut.” He turned to the crowd at the Arthur Ashe Stadium and asked, “Did you like it, guys?” The entire stadium erupted with an affirmative roar. And that’s when Carlos Alcaraz knew, “I think they like it.” 

This was the kind of response that the Spanish star had for all of his trolls. His new look went viral long before he entered the court. And McEnroe, while commenting on the game, said, “First of all, his haircut.. did he get the buzz cut from his hair stylist in Spain? He brought him in at Wimbledon. I’m wondering because you can get that for 20 bucks in the city.”

Furthermore, Big Foe’s reaction to Alcaraz’s hairstyle also went viral. During the press conference, he stated, “I mean, it’s definitely terrible. It’s funny. I looked at him and I was like, ‘I guess you’re aerodynamic now.’” And Carlos Alcaraz did manage to get faster, proving the aerodynamic part. He continued, “I don’t know who told him to do that, but it’s terrible. From me, from a guy who gets haircuts week in and week out, and you know, prize myself on good haircuts, it’s horrendous. But I mean, at the end of the day, it’s Carlos, and that’s my guy.”

But why exactly did the Spaniard get a buzz cut? Is it because he wanted to keep a low-maintenance profile? Well, not really!

Real reason why Carlos Alcaraz changed his hairstyle at the US Open

Prior to his match against Opelka, Alcaraz had a brief interaction with the professional golfer, Rory McIlroy. And that’s when the Spanish tennis player revealed the truth behind his new hairstyle. He revealed, “Just got a haircut that I struggled with. I mean, I had to start fresh.” And unlike John Enroe and Frances Tiafoe, the Northern Irish professional golfer was pretty content with Alcaraz’s new look. 

This further heightened the respect Carlos Alcaraz had for Rory McIlroy. Shaking his hand, the Spanish athlete admitted, “It’s a big fan, here.” Even the commentators were left flabbergasted by Alcaraz’s hairstyle. Following his first round US Open win, while he changed his upper wear to put on a jacket, the commentators claimed that Alcaraz looked more like a mixed martial artist rather than a tennis player. We won’t lie, it was a duel with Opelka on court.

But in the end, it was a look that seemed to work pretty well for the fans. And that’s exactly what matters the most. Nevertheless, drop down to the comments section with your thoughts. And follow the EssentiallySports’ live blog for live US Open updates.