Alcaraz unexpectedly "cuts his hair", gets off to a fast start at the US Open

(Dan Tri) - Carlos Alcaraz made an impressive debut at the US Open with a new, shaved hairstyle. He quickly won 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 against the host country's player Reilly Opelka on the morning of August 26.

Carlos Alcaraz made an impressive debut at the US Open with a new, buzz-worthy haircut. On court, however, the No. 2 seed maintained his form, winning his first-round match convincingly. The Spaniard defeated Reilly Opelka 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 to start his campaign at Flushing Meadows. Alcaraz is aiming for his second US Open title and sixth major title of his career.

“It was a really tough match today against a great player. With Reilly’s serve, I couldn’t get the tempo I wanted, but I’m happy with what I did. My return was one of my highlights, and I tried to focus on my serve. Overall, I had a great performance,” Alcaraz said after the match.

Alcaraz celebrates his victory in the first round of the US Open (Photo: Getty).

The win keeps Alcaraz in the race for the world No. 1 spot. If he matches or betters Jannik Sinner, Alcaraz will leave New York at the top of the ATP rankings.

Alcaraz and Sinner could face off in a double final, with both the US Open trophy and the world No. 1 title at stake. However, Alcaraz will now focus on his second-round opponent, Italian Mattia Bellucci, looking to avoid a repeat of last year's surprise second-round defeat to Botic van de Zandschulp.

Former No. 17 Opelka showed a bold style of play with a strong serve and powerful shots, causing trouble for Alcaraz. However, consistency from the baseline helped the 2022 champion withstand the pressure and eventually overcome the 6ft 9in American. Alcaraz created 11 break opportunities, three of which were successful, to end the match that lasted 2 hours and 5 minutes just before midnight in New York.

"I feel like nothing depends on me, it all depends on him and how he serves, how he plays from the baseline. I just have to focus, return as much as I can, try to close and win the points that he allows me to play from the baseline. It's really difficult to play against someone who doesn't allow you to play your game," Alcaraz said of the challenge of facing Opelka.

Alcaraz is showing quick adaptation at the US Open (Photo: Getty).

Alcaraz leads the season with 55 wins and six titles, and last week the 22-year-old lifted his first Cincinnati Open title.

Elsewhere, Casper Ruud, whom Alcaraz beat in the 2022 final, beat Sebastian Ofner 6-1, 6-2, 7-6(5). Frances Tiafoe also got her campaign off to a winning start with a 6-3, 7-6(6), 6-3 win over Yoshihito Nishioka. Ninth seed Karen Khachanov beat Nishesh Basavareddy 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-5, 6-1, and 15th seed Andrey Rublev beat Dino Prizmic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/alcaraz-bat-ngo-xuong-toc-khoi-dau-nhanh-tai-us-open-20250826123838826.htm