Carlos Alcaraz’s fresh buzzcut became a talking point at the start of the 2025 US Open, but his opponent, Jannik Sinner, isn’t concerned about the change. Sinner, after defeating Vit Kopriva 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 in his opening match in New York, shared his thoughts. “No, [I wouldn’t want one myself], but honestly I think everything suits him,” Sinner remarked. He added, “It grows very fast, so it’s going to be all aligned in two days. But it suits him. Even like this, it looks good. Even when he has longer hair, it suits.” While fans and other players, like Frances Tiafoe, had mixed reactions to Alcaraz’s new look, Sinner took a more measured approach. Both Sinner and Alcaraz have advanced to the second round, potentially setting up another Grand Slam clash. A possible third consecutive Grand Slam final between them is a possibility at Flushing Meadows, reigniting a rivalry that began at the 2022 US Open, where Alcaraz won a five-set quarterfinal against Sinner. Alcaraz currently leads their head-to-head record 9-5. Reflecting on their 2022 encounter, Sinner noted how their dynamic has evolved. “Three years back I felt like we were getting to know each other obviously and in different ways, but we also didn’t know exactly what to expect in the future,” he stated. “It’s the same now… I feel like when we were very, very young, it was a kind of match where you just go on court and just hit. Now I feel like we have to prepare tactically, we have to prepare it also emotionally and mentally.” He emphasized how their matches have changed tactically over the past three years and that their past matches were important to see their peak performance from an outside perspective. Sinner, focusing on his current match, acknowledged his improved strategy in handling the pressure of a Grand Slam. He now faces Alexei Popyrin in the second round, the Australian player who defeated Novak Djokovic in the third round of last year’s tournament and previously beat Sinner in Madrid in 2021.
