Carlos Alcaraz's New Haircut Causes Sharp Division Among Tennis Fans
News
Carlos Alcaraz's new haircut for the 2025 Australian Open has been revealed. It was met with a mixed reception among fans.
Alcaraz decided to get a new haircut on January 3rd, nine days before the Australian Open begins on January 12th. The Spaniard had his previous haircut during a busy off-season that included exhibition appearances.
Last year's French Open and Wimbledon champion competed against Ben Shelton at Madison Square Garden last month. Despite losing the opening set, Alcaraz still triumphed against the home favorite.
A few days later, the 21-year-old was less successful against Frances Tiafoe in Charlotte. Tiafoe produced inspired tennis to beat Alcaraz in front of a loud and packed crowd that enjoyed the high-quality contest.
Alcaraz's decision to play in those exhibitions caused some controversy after how much he complained about the lengthy tennis calendar last year. That included him wondering whether the organizers were trying to "kill" the players.
The four-time Grand Slam winner was not the only player to voice those concerns. Iga Swiatek, Alexander Zverev, and Jessica Pegula were other top players who argued that the schedule was too grueling.
However, Alcaraz and the other players electing to compete in exhibitions after complaining about the calendar were criticized by tennis and equality icon Billie Jean King, who accused them of hypocrisy.
The ATP's president, Andrea Gaudenzi, commented similarly in an interview a few weeks ago. He told players they could sign up for fewer exhibitions and give themselves more time to rest and recover.
Taylor Fritz defended Alcaraz from criticism. Last year's US Open and ATP Finals runner-up claimed that exhibitions cannot be compared to the intensity of ATP tournaments because of their relaxed environment.
Despite the accusations of hypocrisy, Alcaraz remains one of the most popular players worldwide. His activities off the court attract attention, as demonstrated by the reaction to his new haircut.
Alcaraz's hairstyle is shown below. It is significantly shorter than before, and the barber in the picture removed much of the Spaniard's fringe and sides to give him a different look.
Some have compared Alcaraz's new look to the 2022 US Open when it was shorter than during the 2024 season. However, the young star's hair was not as short during his first Grand Slam title run at Flushing Meadows in 2022 as it is now.
There were various responses to Alcaraz's new look on X (Twitter). One account named Nole Fan was not a fan of what the barber did.
"I like Carlos but he needs to fire his barber.🙈🙈🙈"
Others liked Alcaraz's new style. An account called Sports Fan reacted very positively, expressing love for the new haircut.
"Absolutely love it 😎🤩💯👍"
Although many fans will have opinions about anything Alcaraz does because of his high-profile nature, his hairstyle will be quickly forgotten if he produces the type of tennis that entertains fans worldwide.
Read also
