NEW YORK – Within hours of Carlos Alcaraz’s arrival at the scene at the US Open on August 25th, and before he even went to court for his first round match, he became the biggest storyline of the day.
Not because he liked his rivalry with world number one Jannik Sinner or how he liked to win the title again. Everyone was talking about his new haircut.
“I mean, that’s definitely scary,” said Francis Tiafoe, the two-time open semi-finalist in the US, after the match with Laughter before adding warnings. “He’s my man.”
Over the next 48 hours, it felt like all the players on the tour (from Naomiosaka to Alexander Zverev, Emmaradukanu, Sinner himself) were asked and asked about Alkaraz’s hair. Each comment appeared to have made the internet round, with Alcaraz responding to it all with his signature humor, looking at his younger brother and blaming him.
Now, more than a week later, Alkaraz’s hair is already beginning to grow, and he booked tickets to the semi-finals on Tuesday following a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 victory over 20th seed Giri Lehecca. And while questions about his cut seemed to fade away, the incident remains a fascinating memory of how much he is loved. Some players are always more popular or familiar to others in the locker room, but at this stage of his career, few players in the Alcaraz caliber are, but usually retain that distinction.
It raises the question: Will Alcaraz, a five-time major champion and currently second in the world, be highly feared on the tennis court due to his fierce athleticism, merciless grit and powerful forehand?
“It’s very difficult to get rid of that balance,” former Wimbledon semi-finalist and podcaster Sam Query told ESPN this week. “A lot of superstars can’t pull that apart. You can enjoy him when he walks around the player lounge and he’s very cool with everyone.
“He’s a global superstar, but part of him is a daily guy and people are drawn to it.”
Tennis, the core of it, It’s a deep, individual sport.
On the court, there is only one player. Their coaches and support teams are sitting nearby and can be given guidance from time to time, but ultimately they will descend on the player to solve the problem and find a way to win on their own.
Away from the competition, players travel from hotel rooms to hotel rooms to tournaments for most of the time, and travel to tournaments. It can be an isolated experience, and players often spend most of their time with their respective teams. Over the years, many top players find it too difficult to get close to their peers.
“It’s hard to have really good friends on the tour,” five-time major champion Maria Sharapova said in 2011. world. “
Things have changed in recent years, but US open breakout star Taylor Townsend praised the pandemic for changing the dynamics of locker rooms in an interview with ESPN in 2024, while Query claims that men’s locker rooms have always been a friendly place, Alcaraz appears to be around his peers who probably aren’t other managers.
A photo of Alcaraz and the Sinner being distributed together at Osteria del Bianco, an Italian restaurant in midtown Manhattan at the start of the tournament. Alcaraz later explained that they both were coincidences there, but what was noteworthy was that it was believed they were together. The same would not have been the case with Sharapova. In the early days of their rivalry, Serena Williams, or Federer and Nadal, would say.
Before retiring in 2022, Query, 37, spent many careers in the Big Three, Nadal, Federer and Novak Djokovic. He said Federer “couldn’t do ‘better’ if he approached me, and even if he was teased, it was ‘alright’, but overall it wasn’t so naturally uncomfortable with everyone. Nadal was also elegant in his peers, but the language barrier allowed it to be challenging. Alcaraz made a deliberate effort to improve English flow, allowing him to interact more seamlessly with larger players and groups around the tour.
“Carlos speaks better English than Rafa,” Query said. “So I think he does that in a more difficult way with irony, humor and Rafa.
Querrey added on his “Nothing Major” podcast that he co-hosted with retired American players John Isner, Steve Johnson and Jack Sock. Without missing the beat, Alcaraz immediately commented on the social media clips – including spelling errors – he skipped the commercial and shared the route from Madrid to Cincinnati. When Alcaraz saw the Query a day or two later, he approached him on a whim, repeating that he had to actually make a flight connecting in Philadelphia to reach the Cincinnati Open.
In that tournament, Townsend, the world number one in doubles, asked title-winning Alcaraz to take a photo with his younger son. He hesitated and didn’t engage in the conversation.
“He was very kind,” Townsend recalled about the encounter. “I forgot that he’s not No. 1 (and) I was like, ‘Carlos is No. 1 too.’ AJ said, “You’re like my mom.” Carlos seemed like “I’m a bit close.” He played it. ”
In an interview with ATP, Fakund Bagnis, a career journeyman lost in qualifying at the US Open, who is called “even better people” than tennis players, shared a story about asking Alcaraz to help make a friend’s birthday video.
“He might have said no to me, he ignored me, or told me how many days,” Bagnis said. “But he responded by asking me when I had time.
Even when players lose to Alkaraz, they often sing his praises and share their good wishes. Shortly after Alcaraz beat Tiafoe in the US Open semi-finals in 2022, Tiafoe looked for him in the locker room, as shown in Netflix’s “Breakpoint” docusary.
“We’re going to win this,” Tiafoe said before hugging him.
Alkaraz reminded Tiafoe that he was “surprising” as he began to leave. “Don’t forget.”
Right after her retirement From the sport, two major quarterfinalist and former world 30th, American Shelby Rogers, openly wondered whether her trademark friendly attitude was in fact a courtroom obstacle.
“Undoubtedly, ‘Yeah, maybe I’d won more games if I hadn’t had a tougher, more amazing girl reputation,” Rogers said.
But that wasn’t a problem for Alcaraz. It’s not even in the US open, nor anywhere throughout his career. He has won 22 ATP titles and earned his 268th Tour victory on Tuesday.
Alcaraz beats anyone, anytime. Although it doesn’t require the same level of focus as the main draw, Alcaraz was seen chatting enthusiastically with mixed doubles draw opponent Jessica Pegura.
His enthusiasm and fun seem to love him to his fans, and perhaps even at the heart of what he was able to achieve.
“I think the fun for Alcaraz is a major part of his success,” said former World No. 4 and current ESPN analyst Mary Joe Fernandez before the tournament began. “The way he smiles not only when he scores points, but when other opponents play great points, he can applaud and enjoy the moment as well.
“I believe Cincinnati had a big point in his coach telling him, ‘Smile, have fun.’ It will relax him.
But even in defeat he remains elegant, which is what his companions are grateful for. After falling to the sinner in four sets at the Wimbledon Final in July, his first defeat in the slam title of the Line – Alcaraz sat in his chair with a smile on his face, praised the sinner to celebrate with his team in his box. After a while, Alcaraz congratulates the sinner in an on-court interview, saying that he is “really happy” for his rivals – and for a “really good relationship” the two left the court. He then thanked him for making him a better player.
The sinners thanked Alkaraz for being “the player you are” and for their “amazing relationship.”
Throughout his previous runs in New York, Alcaraz was dominant and the only man to reach the quarterfinals without dropping a set. On Tuesday, he reached the 9th major semi-final of his career – just joined Nadal, Boris Becker, Matt Willander and Bjorn Borg to reach that milestone before his 23rd birthday.
According to ESPN BET, Alkaraz currently has the second best odds for sinners. He will then play the winner of the Tuesday night clash between Djokovic and Taylor Fritz in Friday’s semi-finals. His eyesight certainly secured his sixth major title, and second in New York, Querrey doesn’t think Alcaraz’s outcome will change significantly.
He believes that Alkaraz is likely the same energetic and playful man that almost everyone on tour has come to love.
“More importantly, he’s just a good person,” Query said. “I think it’s just his DNA, that’s who he is. I think the incredible people around him, his parents, his agents, his coach (his coach) Juan Carlos Ferrero also encourages this.
“If I’m walking down the hallway with my son and looking at him and asking for pictures, he knows he’s 100% doing it and then spending a few minutes with him. Everyone knows that once he gets a major of 15 it changes and the pressure is different, but I think he’s still the same guy.
