Tennis is all about style, elegance, and flair, but wait, what on earth happened to Carlos Alcaraz? Has he really gone completely bald at the US Open? Coming off a Roland Garros win and a Wimbledon finals run, Alcaraz is a fan favourite in New York. But before his opening match against Reilly Opelka, he stepped onto the court for warmup, and wow, that haircut! Some players rock headbands, others baseball caps, but the Spaniard? He just shaved it all off. Even John McEnroe looked like he wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.

Some heads should roll for what they’ve done to Alcaraz’s beautiful locks. Well, we’re not saying that literally; rather, it’s the unfiltered John McEnroe, who couldn’t fathom what the Spaniard did to his gorgeous hair. While commenting on the game, McEnroe stated, “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.”

Rocking a bold buzz cut ahead of the US Open, Alcaraz left the tennis community buzzing. The transformation was so shocking that even golf legend Rory McIlroy couldn’t resist approaching him. Touching his head, McIlroy asked, “Why this?” After a brief laugh, Alcaraz replied, “Just got a haircut that I struggled with, I mean, I had to start fresh.” His explanation struck a chord, and McIlroy nodded appreciatively: “Yeah, good, I like it. It’s good, it looks good on you.”

Well, can you blame him? Carlos Alcaraz has been trying to win another U.S. Open for years. It was back in 2022, when he was just 19 years old, that he won the US Open, and since then, he has been just trying to get his hands on the trophy. Last year was a disappointment for him as he was stopped in the second round; however, now, he is on a quest to win it once again, and he will not let anything come between him, not even his hair.

McEnroe might think this hairdo is a crime against tennis, but Maria Sharapova? She’s all about the game plan. When asked about the rising stars like Sinner and Alcaraz, she couldn’t help but laugh and spill her thoughts on Carlos’s bold new haircut, “I haven’t gotten to the tennis. I’m still stuck at the buzz cut. It’s so low maintenance. And he just did it. That’s a good effort. I’d be so superstitious. But that’s what you have to love about him, his ability to be so free and so confident and have this particular aura about him that transcends the game.”

Long hair on the courts is totally doable, but you have to tame it properly. If not managed with the right hair products, sweat can drip into your eyes mid-rally, and that’s no joke. Professionals like Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas often wear headbands or tie their hair in a ponytail to keep sweat away from their eyes. If that’s not an option, then cutting it short is the best solution. Well, apart from McEnroe and Sharapova, there’s another individual who was critical of Carlos’s hairstyle.

Frances Tiafoe was completely flabbergasted by Carlos Alcaraz’s buzz cut

Imagine minding your own business and suddenly witnessing your best friend in a dinosaur costume; that’s probably how Frances Tiafoe felt when he saw Alcaraz’s hairstyle. The moment Tiafoe laid eyes on it, his eyes widened in shock, and he couldn’t keep his mouth shut. It was pure disbelief. Both of them are friends off-court and often indulge in trash talk like true friends, and after witnessing the buzz cut, how could Tiafoe stay silent?

When asked about his friend’s hairstyle, Frances Tiafoe stated, “Yeah, it’s horrible. It’s terrible. I mean, it’s definitely terrible. He’s my guy, though. It’s funny. I looked at him and I was like, ‘I guess you’re aerodynamic.’ Juan Carlos ‘Mosquito’ was laughing.He was like, ‘Yeah, he’s faster than he already was.’ I was like, ‘Well, that’s a problem. Yeah, I don’t know who told him that it’s good.

He further added, “I don’t know who told him to do that, but it’s terrible. From a guy who gets haircuts week in, week out, and prides myself on good haircuts, it’s horrendous. At the end of the day, it’s Carlos, and that’s my guy. But yeah, he needs to get with me. He needs to get with me for sure.

His hairdo might or might not be horrible—it’s all about perspective. But what really matters is how he performs at the US Open. Will he be able to get past the challenges and clinch his second US Open? Time will tell. But for now, for minute-by-minute replay of the action at the 2025 US Open, head to our EssentiallySports live blog