The Meaning of Carlos Alcaraz's New Haircut

"If you happened to be idling by the U.S. Open practice courts on Monday, you might have overheard the collective gasp when world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz emerged for his practice session looking like a slimmed-down Private Pyle. Or maybe the idea was Furiosa of Mad Max. Or David Beckham circa Y2K. Whichever way you spin it, tennis's boy wonder had chopped off all his hair."

"The U.S. Open press corps, always eager to gin up story lines that have nothing to do with tennis itself, went on to solicit comments from a number of Alcaraz's peers. "I don't know who told him to do that," said Frances Tiafoe, "but it's terrible." John McEnroe agreed. Meanwhile, Emma Raducanu, the Spaniard's partner in last week's revamped mixed-doubles event, was considerably more charitable. "I think he pulls it off," she said in her press conference following her opening-round win."

Carlos Alcaraz, world No. 2, arrived at U.S. Open practice with a drastically shortened buzz cut that drew immediate attention. Onlookers compared his new look to Private Pyle, Furiosa from Mad Max, and David Beckham circa Y2K. Media and peers offered reactions: Frances Tiafoe called the haircut "terrible," John McEnroe agreed, Emma Raducanu said he "pulls it off" if one owns such a haircut, and Jannik Sinner said "everything suits him" while noting he would not shave his own curls. Online fans blamed Victor Martínez, known as "Victor Barber," for the transformation.

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