For many fans, the budding rivalry between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz just might be the thing that defines the modern era of men’s tennis. As of now, the Spanish national holds the edge in their scintillating contest with his nine wins against Sinner’s five. But the 24-year-old seems to think that even off the court, his younger comrade holds some advantage over the former.

Despite their on-court feud, both the Italian and Spaniard also share a sense of mutual respect. “I think the respect we have puts us in a position that we have a really good relationship,” admitted Alcaraz in 2024, after defeating his biggest adversary in the China Cup. And now, talking about things completely unrelated to tennis, Sinner once again admitted how he knows that Alcaraz can almost never go wrong.

Carlos’ new haircut for the US Open has been turning a lot of heads. The 5x Grand Slam winner started things off in the Big Apple with a thunderous 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 win over the USA’s Reilly Opelka, but it was the former’s buzzcut that was the talk of the town on his first day of the tournament. In his own post-match presser, following the win over Vit Kopriva, Sinner also weighed in on the debate. When asked if he’d like to take a page from Alcaraz’s book and get himself a similar haircut, Jannik flatly answered, “No,” with a chuckle.

As his reason, Sinner claimed that he couldn’t possibly carry the hairdo like his arch-rival. “Well, honestly, I think everything suits him,” the 2025 Wimbledon winner went on about how the haircut still poses some problems for Alcaraz. “But it grows very fast, you know. Uh, so it’s not going to be all aligned in two days, but it suits him, you know,” he said with a grin.

Jannik also posited that Carlos is lucky in the fact that he looks good in whatever haircut he goes with. “Even like this, it looks good. And uh, even when he has longer hair, it suits,” the 4x Grand Slam winner lauded his colleague for the former’s natural good looks, a front he doesn’t seem to score himself very highly in. But while Sinner didn’t exactly have a lot to say about Alcaraz’s new haircut, it does seem to be something that’s dividing others.

Alcaraz himself revealed that the buzzcut was a result of a botched haircut. Frances Tiafoe, however, believed the buzzcut comes with its own perks. “Aerodynamic,” is what the 17th seed believes Carlos will be without his hair to resist the winds at the US Open, but he did, however, note that it was a “terrible” look, nonetheless. But Maria Sharapova was a fan.

“It’s so low maintenance…I’d be so superstitious. But that’s what you have to love about him is just his ability to be so free and so confident and have this particular aura about him that transcends the game,” the newest member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame told ESPN about Carlos Alcaraz’s haircut. But one thing is for sure: A full-grown mane or a buzzcut, Alcaraz is in a league of his own, and he’s looking hungry to bag his second US Open title.

Carlos Alcaraz wants his US Open crown back

Last year, Carlos exited the New York tournament in the second round. This year, if the early indications are anything to go by, then his chances of faring better at the US Open are already looking pretty good. To mention that Venus Williams chose Reilly Opelka as her partner for the Mixed Doubles should be enough to underscore the authority the American men’s star commands in the tennis world. And all it took for Alcaraz was just over two hours at the Arthur Ashe Stadium to win against Opelka in straight sets.

A fall during the match, while the Spaniard was trying to save a point, worried the fans, but he got back to his feet and went about his business as usual. Alcaraz will now face Italy’s Mattia Bellucci in the second round of the tournament. But his indomitable spirit isn’t the only thing that’s earning Carlos all the praise in New York.

On the opening day of the US Open, the chaotic scenes during the match between Daniil Medvedev and Benjamin Bonzi created quite a ripple among tennis fans, who couldn’t stop fuming at how the Russian responded to a controversial call by the match umpire. Medvedev’s actions didn’t sit well with the fans, and former star Nicolas Mahut couldn’t help but point out how neither Carlos Alcaraz nor Jannik Sinner would have acted out as the former did en route to his first-round exit from Flushing Meadows.

But will all those laurels be enough to help Alcaraz power through the opposition and claim the year’s last Grand Slam title? Tell us your thoughts below!