The 2025 US Open has seen Carlos Alcaraz debut a new haircut, but his rival, Jannik Sinner, remains unconcerned. Sinner, after his opening match victory over Vit Kopriva, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2, shared his thoughts on the new appearance. “No, [I wouldn’t want one myself], but honestly I think everything suits him,” Sinner commented. He also noted that Alcaraz’s hair grows fast and that the new style looks good on him. This contrasts with the reactions of fans, analysts, and players like Frances Tiafoe, who joked about the change. Both Sinner and Alcaraz have advanced to the second round, keeping open the potential for another Grand Slam face-off. A third straight final between them is within reach at Flushing Meadows. Their rivalry started at the 2022 US Open, where Alcaraz won a five-set quarterfinal. Alcaraz leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head matchup 9–5. Sinner also shared his reflections on their 2022 encounter, highlighting how the 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,” Sinner said. “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 the changes in their tactical approaches and how the matches have showcased their peaks. Despite the discussions surrounding a possible encounter, Sinner remains focused on his own performance. He will face Alexei Popyrin in the second round. Popyrin previously defeated Novak Djokovic in the third round of the previous year’s tournament and has a prior win over Sinner.
