Carlos Alcaraz makes another startling hair change after winning US Open

Carlos Alcaraz's hairstyle choices are back in the headlines after he made another alteration when he flew home from the 2025 US Open.

Alcaraz became a six-time Grand Slam champion despite still being just 22 by beating Jannik Sinner in the US Open final. He admitted his performance was "perfect" in an emphatic 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory.

The Spaniard's US Open campaign will be remembered for his exceptional performance. Alcaraz did not drop a set in his opening six matches and only narrowly missed out on joining a small list of ATP players to win a Grand Slam without losing a set.

However, fans will also fondly look back on clips of Alcaraz competing at Flushing Meadows with much shorter hair than usual. There was widespread shock when the new ATP world No. 1 donned that look before the first round.

Alcaraz subsequently explained that he let his brother cut his hair, but it went very wrong. The two-time Wimbledon winner felt the only option available was to shave most of it off to avoid looking even worse.

By the US Open final, much of his hair had grown back. Most players in Alcaraz's position would have quietly gone back to the previous style after generating so much attention by being almost bald.

Instead, Alcaraz dyed his platinum hair blonde after returning to Spain. This is a striking change from before, and those watching his matches in the next few months might need some time to adjust.

Although the color choice startled many, Alcaraz teased a new hairstyle in his post-match press conference after the US Open final when a reporter asked him if he planned to keep the much shorter hair.

Alcaraz has certainly delivered on that promise. His first matches with that new look will be at next week's 2025 Laver Cup. He withdrew from Team Spain's 2025 Davis Cup tie against Denmark, scheduled from Friday until Sunday.

Sinner had been the ATP No. 1 since June 2024 until Alcaraz overtook him by winning the US Open final. That was a reward for the 22-year-old's exceptional season, which included beating Sinner in the French Open final after saving three championship points.

Alcaraz is a significant favorite to finish as the year-end No. 1 because of how many points Sinner will defend between now and the end of the season after winning the 2024 iterations of the 2024 ATP Finals and the Shanghai Masters.

The two-time French Open champion will defend the 500 points he secured for triumphing at the 2024 China Open in Beijing. Alcaraz narrowly defeated Sinner in the final after a brutal three-hour battle.

A repeat of that final is impossible after Alcaraz chose to sign up for the 2025 Japan Open instead of the China Open, which occurs in the same week. Because of Alcaraz's absence, Sinner will return to Beijing as the No. 1 seed.