Through the first round of the U.S. Open, there has already been controversy aplenty. Louis Armstrong Stadium saw a Medvedev meltdown of epic proportions, complete with umpire drama and toddler-level tantrums. On the women’s side, Alex Eala made history as the first Filipina to win a Grand Slam match, while, at the tender age of 45, Venus Williams made a brief but bright comeback to the tournament.
Glistening, Billie Jean King-inspired Labubus; custom Lacoste jackets; Honey Deuce sticker shock ($23); even some very excellent tennis — Flushing seemingly delivers again.
Bigger than any of these, however, has been Carlos Alcaraz’s hair. Or, rather, the conspicuous lack of it. The 22-year-old Spaniard debuted an impossibly close buzz in training earlier this week, a down-to-the-studs sheer straight out of military school that set the tennis world, and internet at large, abuzz with opinions.
Immediate reactions included a proverbial thumbs up from golfer Rory McIlroy — inexplicably present at the aforementioned court sesh in the way only intra-athletic icons are allowed — and an playful lambast from fellow tennis star Frances Tiafoe, who was quoted in a subsequent interview saying, “I don’t know who told him to do that, but it’s terrible.”
Arthur Ashe Stadium seemed more receptive to the buzz, vocalizing their support when prompted Tuesday night. In fairness, Alcaraz has been a fan favorite of the tournament since his breakout victory in 2022, and the straight set win over Riley Opelka probably helped curry additional favor, as did a flashy (and sleeveless) magenta kit courtesy of Nike.
Why such a departure from his traditional thick swoop? A ploy to deaden wind resistance, to play mind games with opponents? According to Alcaraz, the buzz was merely the end result of sibling-related accident with a razor. “My brother…misunderstood the machine. He just cut it, and then, you know, the only way to fix it is just to shave it off,” Alcaraz said in his post-win press conference. “To be honest, it’s not that good, it’s not that bad, I guess. I’m the guy who thinks, like, okay, the hair grows.”
Alcaraz looks poised for a deep run this year. Mistake or not, the new buzz might just be the hack he needs to win himself a second Grand Slam this year. After all, one of the fastest guys on tour is now more aerodynamic than ever, and as, as the aforementioned Tiafoe was quick to point out, “that’s a problem.”
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