Carlos Alcaraz jokingly accuses Frances Tiafoe of ‘lying’ after American roasts his ‘horrible’ haircut at US Open

In a playful exchange during the 2025 US Open, Carlos Alcaraz accused Frances Tiafoe of lying about their first meeting since the Spaniard’s new haircut. Alcaraz and Tiafoe crossed paths in the gym arena before the Spanish star’s first round, when the American was visibly stunned by the five-time Grand Slam winner’s haircut.

Ahead of his appearance at the first round of the US Open, Alcaraz opted for a close-cropped buzz cut. In a press conference after defeating Yoshihito Nishioka in the 1st round, Tifaoe couldn’t hold his astonishment at the 22-year-old’s new look and called it “horrible” and “horrendous.”

“Yeah, it’s horrible. I mean, it’s definitely terrible. That’s my guy though. It’s funny, I looked at him and I was like, ‘I guess you’re aerodynamic.’ And then, Juan Carlos Ferrero was laughing and was like, ‘Yeah, he’s faster than he already was’ and I was like, ‘Well, that’s a problem,'” Tiafoe said.

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"I don't know who told him that's good. I don't know who told him to do that, but it's terrible. From me, from a guy who gets haircuts week in, week out and prides myself on good haircuts, it's horrendous. But I mean, at the end of the day, it's Carlos and that's my guy, but yeah he needs to get with me," he added.

The US Open tournament shared the video of the press conference on social media. Denying Tiafoe's account of their meeting, Alcaraz wrote:

"He’s lying🥴."

Alcaraz outdid Reilly Opelka in straight sets with a 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 scoreline at Flushing Meadows.

"A really difficult one" - Carlos Alcaraz reflects on his first-round win at the US Open

Carlos Alcaraz won the first set with an impressive forehand game. However, the American held his serve in the second set before Alcaraz earned a break in the 11th game. Alcaraz clinched the third set with a 6-4 win to advance to the second round. Reflecting on the first win of the tournament, he said:

“Today was a really difficult one against a really great player. With [Reilly’s] serve, I couldn’t get that rhythm I wanted to get in the match, but just really happy with everything I’ve done today. I think the return was one of the best things I did today and then I just tried to pay my best tennis, be focused on the serve. I think overall, I did a great performance today.” (via atptour.com)

Carlos Alcaraz will lock horns with Italy's Mattia Bellucci in the second round.

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About the author

Janhavi Shinde

Janhavi is a Sports Management graduate working as a US Olympics journalist at Sportskeeda. She emphasizes meticulous research and fact-checking before creating content, relying on multiple sources including social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, as well as various sports publications.

She has competed in the 10m Air Rifle Shooting event at the national level alongside renowned athletes such as Anjali Bhagwat, Apurvi Chandela, and Anjum Moudgil, which further fueled her passion for the sport.

Abhinav Bindra is her favorite Olympian, and she particularly cherishes his and Neeraj Chopra's gold medal victories as they revolutionized Indian athletes' mindset towards achieving sporting excellence.

If given the opportunity to introduce a new sport to the Olympics, she would choose American Football for its widespread appeal and intense competition. Apart from reporting on the latest news in the world of Olympics, she likes to immerse herself in reading, painting, and traveling.

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