After more than four months away, Carlos Alcaraz was back at Flushing Meadows, and he arrived with a whole new look. The long locks and flashy Nike gear were hard to miss, but his outfit soon became more than just a fashion statement, leaving the Spaniard wondering what to do next.
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Alcaraz stepped onto the court against Roman Safiullin in a brown Nike tank top from the Travis Scott x Cactus Jack x Nike collaboration. However, the loose-fitting top repeatedly shifted during the match, exposing the inside of his chest and leaving the Spaniard visibly uncomfortable. Before long, the wardrobe issue had become one of the talking points among viewers.
With the top proving more trouble than it was worth, Alcaraz eventually had to consider another option. Later, while explaining how the whole situation unfolded, the Spaniard revealed, “I think I saw my nipple too much lately. So I felt like I could hide it for at least once.” Moreover, the unusual cut kept revealing his chest during rallies, forcing Alcaraz to adjust the shirt several times.
The issue even caught Genie Bouchard’s attention after she watched his first-round match against Roman Safiullin.
“Love you Carlos, but we’ve got to put the nip away,” Bouchard wrote on social media. Notably, Alcaraz appeared to take that advice seriously when he faced Wu Yibing in Friday’s third round.
Instead of wearing the tank top alone, he added a white compression underneath his Nike outfit. “I feel really, really comfortable, you know, with that other shirt. So I think I’m going to stay like that,” added Alcaraz at the end, having found the solution.
The simple change kept everything covered, and Alcaraz grabbed the match
Alcaraz later explained that the outfit change was his idea and not Nike’s decision. “No, it was my decision. It was my decision. I wouldn’t mind if I had to play again like that. But if we could do something about it, I think it was good,” said Alcaraz.
Alcaraz then revealed that the issue had become slightly distracting during his second-round win over Jaime Faria.”Maybe, you know, in the second round it was a little bit distracting for me, but not that much.”
But that distraction was clearly not a problem after the white compression was added, as Carlos Alcaraz had no problem handling Wu Yibing in the 3rd round.
Alcaraz beat Wu 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 in 2 hours and 20 minutes to reach the Round of 16. The win extended his Grand Slam streak to 17 matches, keeping his title defense on track.
But Alcaraz isn’t the only one this time. Nike’s US Open kits have also come under fire, leaving fans less than impressed.
Martina Navratilova has had enough after Carlos Alcaraz’s wardrobe malfunction
Carlos Alcaraz’s US Open return became more than tennis after his Nike top malfunctioned. That attention only added pressure to Nike’s already criticized US Open collection this year.
In fact, Martina Navratilova also weighed in with her criticism, making clear where she thought the problem started.
“The kit has been great this year from so many brands. US Open – not so much…,” Navratilova wrote after praising other brands’ kits this season. Her comment came after fans had already questioned several Nike designs worn by players in New York.
Aryna Sabalenka’s US Open wardrobe has also sparked plenty of reactions, with her black Nike mesh top becoming a talking point in New York. The outfit features white trim over an orange sports bra and matching trunks, giving the World No. 1 a look that is certainly hard to miss.
Nike says the design takes the familiar tennis silhouette and gives it a twist by borrowing from the lightweight construction of a basketball uniform. While fans have been split over Sabalenka’s look throughout the opening week, the Belarusian herself has been firmly on board with it.
“This year it was super special for Nike… it was always related to different sports. Surfing for Australian Open, ballet for Roland Garros, cricket for Wimbledon. Now it’s basketball and we’re in New York. Isn’t it the perfect fit?” stated the World No. 1.
The Belarusian then confessed, “I love basically everything about my outfit. I love that it’s different. I love that this outfit is bold. Whatever people saying on Internet, I heard they probably didn’t like it… it’s funny for me.”
Along similar lines, Naomi Osaka brought an Allen Iverson-inspired Nike look to her opening-round match. But the outfit didn’t exactly win everyone over. While some fans called it “obnoxious,” others felt Osaka may have taken the fashion statement a little too far.
Osaka, however, had a clear inspiration behind the bold choice. The four-time Grand Slam champion revealed that her US Open outfit was a nod to NBA legend Allen Iverson, whom she has long admired.
“The Answer,” she wrote in a post that had already picked up more than 130,000 likes by Tuesday morning.
With another Nike outfit now becoming a talking point, the attention is once again back on the brand. The Carlos Alcaraz incident showed that bold designs can sometimes create unexpected problems once players step onto the court. Nike may have a few lessons to take away before putting together its collection for the next Grand Slam.