Frances Tiafoe Reacts to Carlos Alcaraz’s New Hairstyle: “The Long Hair Is Fire”

Carlos Alcaraz’s hairstyle has finally earned Frances Tiafoe's approval for the 2026 US Open.

Tennis - U.S. Open - Flushing Meadows, New York, United States - September 4, 2026 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his third round match against China's Yibing Wu IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Robert Deutsch | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters

Tiafoe famously roasted Alcaraz’s buzzcut at last year’s US Open, calling it “horrible” and joking that it at least made his friend “aerodynamic.” Twelve months later, Alcaraz is sporting a new hairstyle for this year’s US Open, and Tiafoe has changed his opinion.

Tiafoe’s Change of Heart

“I think the long hair is fire… I like it,” Tiafoe told reporters this week when asked about Alcaraz’s new hairstyle. This response is a stark contrast to last year’s comments, when Tiafoe playfully said Alcaraz’s shaved head was “definitely terrible” and that he needed to “get with me” for a real haircut.

La honestidad de Tiafoe sobre el corte de Carlitos 😂 pic.twitter.com/39Z5wB6UIj

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 25, 2025

The Many Looks of Carlos Alcaraz

Sep 7, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Carlos Alcaraz celebrates with the championship trophy after his match against Jannik Sinner in the men's singles final of the 2025 US Open tennis championships at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Alcaraz’s hair has gone through a dramatic transformation over the past year. After the widely mocked buzzcut, he went bleach blonde right after winning last year’s US Open, earning the nickname “Blondecaraz,” before growing it back out into the longer style he wore over the summer.

In late July, he briefly experimented with cornrows in an Instagram post, a look that split fans' opinions and drew comparisons to a “young Drake.”

A Different Look for the US Open

Frances Tiafoe also revealed that Alcaraz ultimately decided against bringing the braids to the US Open. “I asked him if he was going to do it. He said, ‘No, the upkeep is too hard.’ But he had a do-rag. I was like, ‘Come on, champ,’” Tiafoe said.

After a decisive first-round US Open victory over Safiullin, Alcaraz told reporters he plans to keep the long hair for the tournament.

Inside the Friendship’s Dynamic

The good-natured trash talk is part of a long-running dynamic between the two players, who remain close off the court despite Alcaraz previously joking that “there are no friends” once a match begins. Tiafoe made sure to make his affection clear even while roasting his friend’s hairstyle choices. “I just want y’all to know, Carlos is my guy. He would say the same. I love that dude,” he said.

Tiafoe, fresh off reaching the final in Cincinnati, also isn’t taking Alcaraz lightly as a competitor, regardless of his haircut. “If he comes back anywhere near his level, it’s tough,” Tiafoe said about the two-time defending champion.

Both Survive Round One

Alcaraz opened his US Open with a straight-sets win over Roman Safiullin in his first singles match back from a wrist injury. Tiafoe also prevailed in his first-round matchup against fellow American Martin Damm, but needed five sets and nearly four hours to survive. This stretched his active streak of first-round Grand Slam victories to 22, the longest on tour following Djokovic’s recent loss.

Both athletes landed in the same half of the draw, and they’re set to meet in the semifinal if they continue winning. It would be a rematch of their 2022 US Open semifinal, when Alcaraz beat Tiafoe en route to his first career Grand Slam title. This time, whoever’s hair looks better probably won't matter as much as whoever plays cleaner tennis when it counts.