Carlos Alcaraz Shines with New Look, Wins Opener at U.S. Open

New York, Aug 26 (AP) - Carlos Alcaraz made a striking appearance at the U.S. Open with a fresh look: a shaved head.

The No. 2 seed at Flushing Meadows, Alcaraz grabbed attention with his buzz cut as he arrived at the tournament, subsequently defeating the big-serving Reilly Opelka 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 in a little over two hours at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The 22-year-old Spaniard exhibited his usual superior level of play, committing only 17 unforced errors, winning 50 of 58 points on his first serve, saving all three break points, and breaking Opelka’s serve three times to extend his record to 19-0 in opening matches at Grand Slam tournaments.

Before the match, Alcaraz had a light-hearted encounter with golf superstar Rory McIlroy, who reached out to feel the stubble on Alcaraz's head. Just last week, Alcaraz participated in the U.S. Open mixed doubles event sporting a full head of hair.

During the on-court interview following his victory, Alcaraz sought feedback from the audience on his new hairstyle.

“I got to ask the people if they like the new haircut or not. Did you like it, guys?" he inquired of the Ashe crowd. They responded with an enthusiastic cheer.

“I think,” Alcaraz concluded, “they like it.” However, not everyone shared this sentiment. Frances Tiafoe, who was defeated by Alcaraz in the semifinals in New York in 2022—the same year Alcaraz claimed his first U.S. Open title among his five Grand Slam victories—had a different opinion.

“It's horrible. It's terrible. It's definitely terrible. That's my guy, though," Tiafoe commented on Alcaraz's new haircut. “Funny, I looked at him, and I was like, I guess you're aerodynamic.”

Tiafoe didn't stop there, adding, “I don't know who told him to do that, but it's terrible. From a guy who gets haircuts week in, week out, who prides himself on good haircuts, it's horrendous,” he stated. "But at the end of the day, it's Carlos, and that's my guy.” (AP)

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