Carlos Alcaraz, sporting a rather new haircut, made headlines after defeating American player Riley Opelka in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4, during the first round of the US Open.
The haircut, it seems, wasn’t so much a style choice as it was a bit of a mishap. Alcaraz explained, “I just wanted a haircut, and my brother suddenly misunderstood the machine. The only way to fix it is to shave it. And it just turned out to be this haircut. Honestly, it’s not that good.” Though, honestly, it might not be as bad as he thinks.
On the court, however, Alcaraz was solid. He managed to hit 23 winners while only committing 17 forced errors. He also won 86% of his first serve points against Opelka, known for his powerful serve, and remarkably faced no break points.
When questioned about whether his new haircut affected his performance, Alcaraz couldn’t help but smile, saying, “I think I’ll be faster.”
Clearly, the five-time Grand Slam champion showed impressive agility and skill, particularly in handling Opelka’s tough play. Alcaraz mentioned, “Well, it was really hard to get a good rhythm today. Opelka is a very tough opponent with a big serve. He doesn’t let you settle.” He noted how challenging it was to find his rhythm from the baseline but expressed satisfaction with his overall management of the match.
Looking ahead, Alcaraz said, “[Tuesday] I’ll try to practice a little to get more rhythm. The next round has more rhythm and plays more points from the baseline. So let’s see if I get there. But now I’m really happy with my feelings.”
Opelka, towering at 6-foot-11, delivered 14 aces above 140 mph, but Alcaraz’s game was simply too strong. He is set to face Italian player Mattia Bellucci in the next round, marking his first encounter with the 24-year-old.
