The enigma of Carlos Alcaraz - ESPN

NEW YORK — Within hours of Carlos Alcaraz arriving on site to the US Open Aug. 25, and long before he had even taken the court for his first-round match, he had become the day's biggest storyline.

Not because of his rivalry with world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, or because he was a favorite to win the title again. Everyone was talking about his new haircut.

«I mean, it's definitely terrible,» Frances Tiafoe, a two-time US Open semifinalist, said after his match with a laugh before adding a caveat. «He's my guy though.»

Over the next 48 hours, it felt like every player on tour — from Naomi Osaka to Alexander Zverev to Emma Raducanu to Sinner himself — was asked about, and had an opinion on, Alcaraz's hair. Each comment seemingly made the internet rounds, and Alcaraz responded to all of it with his signature good-natured humor, blaming his younger brother for the look.

Now, more than a week later, Alcaraz's hair has already started to grow back, and he has since booked his ticket to the semifinals following a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 victory over No. 20 seed Jiri Lehecka on Tuesday. And while the questions about his cut have seemed to fade, the incident remains a fascinating reminder of just how beloved he is. While some players are always more popular or approachable than others in the locker room, very few players of Alcaraz's caliber, at this stage in his career, typically hold that distinction.

It begs the question: How can Alcaraz, a five-time major champion and current world No. 2, be so feared on the tennis court for his blistering athleticism, relentless grit and powerful forehand — but be so well-liked by his opponents off of it?

«It's so tough to pull off that balance,» Sam Querrey, the former Wimbledon semifinalist-turned-analyst