Remember when Carlos Alcaraz's haircuts got roasted by his fellow players?

Tennis' biggest stars didn't just let their racquets do the talking in 2025. To look back on a memorable season, we're counting down some of the biggest winners in the press conference room and on the microphone—and from coast to coast this year, players couldn't stop talking about Carlos Alcaraz's hair.

While Alcaraz didn't take many losses on-court this season, the world No. 1's coiffure kept taking hits from his fellow players beginning at the US Open in August. Wanting to trim his locks before his tournament in New York began, Alcaraz decided against flying his personal barber, Victor Martínez, to New York, as he'd done mid-tournament as recently as Roland Garros.

Instead, he trusted the close shave to his brother Álvaro, who "misunderstood the machine."

"The only way to fix it is just to shave it off," Alcaraz sheepishly confessed after walking out onto Arthur Ashe Stadium for his first-round match against Reilly Opelka with a buzzcut down to his skull.

While Alcaraz was quick to dismiss the headline-grabbing trim as "not that bad," his good buddy Frances Tiafoe felt differently.

I mean, it's definitely terrible. He's my guy though. It's funny. I looked at him and I was like, I guess you're aerodynamic.

Juan Carlos "Mosquito" was laughing. He was like, 'Yeah, he's faster than he already was.' I was like, 'Well, that's a problem.'

Yeah, 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. Frances Tiafoe

After beating Jannik Sinner to win his second US Open, Alcaraz's buzzcut—which had already grown out some over the fortnight—was replaced with an eye-popping platinum dye job.

Read more: “Surprise, surprise!” Carlos Alcaraz debuts platinum blond hair after US Open win

But do blondes have more fun? At the Laver Cup two weeks later, opinions were split. But whether they knew about it early like Taylor Fritz and Alexander Zverev, or were more of a skeptic like Team World vice captain Patrick Rafter, the conclusion was the same.

Take it from Alex Michelsen.

"When you win Grand Slams, you can do whatever you want," the American said.