Carlos Alcaraz pushes back on Frances Tiafoe haircut roast after US Open return

NEW YORK—The 2025 US Open has barely begun and things are already getting hairy between friendly rivals Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe.

Tiafoe fired the first shot during his post-match press conference Monday afternoon, roasting Alcaraz for debuting an extreme buzzcut hours before his first round.

“Yeah, it's horrible. It's terrible,” he told me immediately.

“I looked at him and I was like, I guess you're aerodynamic…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.”

Alcaraz returned serve early Tuesday morning after defeating Reilly Opelka in straight sets on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“Frances is lying,” the 2022 champion insisted at the end of his press conference. “Frances is lying. No, come on. Yeah, I saw the video. He showed up here saying that it is terrible.

“I know he's lying. I know he likes the haircut. He like it. He told me. So no, not hear anything about coming from his mouth!”

The Spaniard, who has been known to fly his personal barber to major tournaments, revealed his brother was the culprit behind the extreme cut.

“He misunderstood with the machine,” said Alcaraz. “He just cut it. Then, you know, the only way to fix it is just shave it off. It's just what he came, this haircut.

“I'm not really into the hair at all,” he added. “So I'm the guy who thinks, okay, the hair grows, and in a few days it's going to be already okay, I guess.”

In the wake of so many mixed reviews, Alcaraz might take Tiafoe’s offer to hook him up with his own barber after the Open.