Rory McIlroy gave his honest assessment of Carlos Alcaraz’s dramatic new hairstyle, which has dominated conversation at the 2025 US Open.
McIlroy, 36, paid a visit to Alcaraz, 22, on the practice courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City on Monday, August 25, before the Spanish tennis star’s first round match against American player Reilly Opelka.
The 2025 Masters champion rubbed Alcaraz’s newly buzzed head and asked, “Why this?”
“Just got a haircut that I struggled with,” Alcaraz explained to McIlroy. “I mean, I had to start fresh.”
McIlroy, who recently shaved his own head, said, “I like it. It’s good. It’s a good look.”
Hours later, McIlroy was inside Arthur Ashe Stadium to watch Alcaraz defeat Opelka in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.
After the match, Alcaraz provided more details about how his divisive new haircut came to be.
“I felt like my hair was really long,” he told reporters. “Before the tournament, I just really wanted to get a haircut. Suddenly, my brother misunderstood the machine. He just cut it and the only way to fix [was] to shave it off.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 25: Carlos Alcaraz reacts against Reilly Opelka of the United States during their Men’s Singles First Round match on Day Two of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 25, 2025. Elsa/Getty Images
Alcaraz added, “To be honest, it’s not that bad.”
Unfortunately for Alcaraz, not everybody felt the same way.
When American tennis star Frances Tiafoe was asked about Alcaraz’s buzz cut, he had no problem letting his opinion be known.
“Yeah, it’s horrible,” Tiafoe, 27, told Tennis Channel on Monday. “It’s terrible.”
Tiafoe continued. “I don’t know who told him that it’s good. I don’t know who told him to do that, but it’s terrible. From a guy who gets haircuts week in, week out, and prides myself on good haircuts, it’s horrendous. At the end of the day, it’s Carlos, and that’s my guy. But yeah, he needs to get with me. He needs to get with me for sure.”
While Tiafoe admittedly didn’t love the style, he joked that Alcaraz’s haircut will make him “more aerodynamic.”
Tiafoe revealed that Alcaraz’s coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, said the buzz cut had already improved Alcaraz’s game.
“[Ferrero] was like, ‘Yeah, he’s faster than he already was,’” Tiafoe said. “I was like, ‘Well, that’s a problem.’”
Tiafoe was also victorious at the US Open on Monday, defeating Yoshihito Nishioka in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. The win set up an all-American showdown in the second round against Martin Damm Jr. on Wednesday, August 27.
Meanwhile, Alcaraz and his new buzz cut will face Italian Matteo Bellucci in the second round on Wednesday.
