Carlos Alcaraz was almost unrecognizable when he stepped on the court against Reilly Opelka for his first-round match the US Open. His usual bushy, mop haircut was replaced by an unexpected buzz cut as a result of a pre-game mishap involving his brother.

Tennis star Carlos Alcaraz said he shaved his head before the U.S. Open to fix a haircut gone awry. As history (and these photos show), however, his hair grows back fast.

As Alcaraz's journey at the 2025 US Open began, fans had to get accustomed to a very different look from the Spanish phenom.