Today’s world works like this. A simple video clip transformed the anecdotal in the news without Carlos Alcaraz having even put the first foot in the us Open competition. Three hours after his debut against the poppus Reilly Opelka, finally resolved with authority, the shaved skull of the Murcia turned the world and spread massively through social networks, flooded with memes and comparisons. The culprit, according to Feliciano López before the duel against the American and would later confirm the tennis player, his brother Álvaro. A risky nightly maneuver: “I had it long and wanted to cut it, but it was wrong with the machin and, in the end, it was best to do it like that …”.
Little by little, Alcaraz has become a devotee of the hairdresser and often resorts to his friend Victor Barberwho before taking the scissors and starting their business was dedicated to boneing hams in Murcia. To shave the temples, the neck and beard of the athlete, who this time had to improvise with the help of his older brother. He experienced it did not finish doing well. “The only way to fix it was to shave it at all. In a few days it will grow and it will be fine. Some like others no longer, but I laugh a lot with the reactions. It is what there is, but now I cannot do anything,” he replied humorously.
“Yes, ladies and gentlemen, is Carlos Alcaraz …”, previously joked the interviewer who exchanged a few words with him before he jump to the immensity of the Arthur Ashe, on whose tunnel he accessed a competitor of Military Porte, with a sleeveless shirt, square – the attributable attributable to Juanjo Moreno, Alberto Yedó and Álex Sánchez, the preparators Blanquecina that has not yet received the bathroom from the sun. “I have to put the cap more, because in many places [disparatado lo del aire acondicionado en el torneo y Manhattan] I end up being cold in the head, ”continued the protagonist.
Since the world was presented with his fantasy tennis, the styles of the young Alcaraz (22 years old) continue and mark at the same time trend, in line with the impact that Andre agassi had iconic hairstyles (in reality, an eighties wig), the trenza Kournikovathe classicism of Roger Federer or the colorful accounts that were suspended from the hair of. Now the fan’s eyes are on the Murcian, who surprises with the peeled Marine – “Do you like, guys?”, He went to the crowd after beating with Opelka neatly – and who also continues to mark the rhythm on the track.
Absolute leader
“Well, yes, I am getting a little more in the fashion world. I really like the world of sneakers [calzado] And the clothing. It is something that I am now giving much importance. I like that world and also that my different side looks off, ”he replies to the approach of this newspaper.“ Yes, I like that they know me on the track, that they see how I am and how I do things, but outside of it too. That is also important from each player, ”prolongs that of El Palmar, wrapped by the ultra -merchers atmosphere of modern sport and what is said and what is carried in social networks. At the same time, cyclonic on the tracks.
More or less voluntary, the new image singularizes Spanish tennis player, completely unmarked from the rest. The aesthetic turn is accompanied by his debated willingness to open with honesty – impensable in other racket figures – and a radically different proposal in the game that seeks performance and entertainment in equal proportions. Agassi says it: “He has chosen a more difficult path than others.” That’s how it is. But he has not penalized him. The other way around. The records reflect that its performance evolves since the appearance of 2021. At this same heights of last year it counted 54 victories and three titles, for 55 and six of now.
With a quarter still ahead, Alcaraz will improve his personal figures and head the circuit in terms of victories – the German Alexander Zverev follows with 43 – of trophies – the double that Luciano Darderi and Alexander Bublik, four more than the Italian Jannik Sinner – and points – almost 2,000 more than number one. “When I played here against him, in 2022, I knew it was special. No other rival has impressed me so much,” said veteran Marin Cilic, champion of the tournament in 2014. “While he competes, we will never get bored,” added the coach Patrick Mouratoglou, chiseller of Serena for a decade.
He, meanwhile, naturally processes his growth and enjoys these days of the extensive offer of New York, where there are no lack of hairdressers. Alcaraz, however, preferred the hand of his brother Álvaro. Kilones first, peeled to one after: “Come, it’s not so bad …”.
Second test, against Bellucci
Ac | New York
The morning from Wednesday to Thursday (1.00, Movistar+), Alcaraz will address in his second commitment to Italian Mattia Bellucci, a 24 -year -old left -handed (65º) against which they are not preceded in the elite. Yes Figure, however, a duel between them in the ITF category, resolved in favor of Spanish. If against Opelka he barely had the opportunity to calibrate his game, that is why the American obliges the rest again and again and does not grant rhythm, Alcaraz can this time check their biorritms.
He and Sinner will play these two weeks the world throne of the ATP, more compressed the fight after the Murcia triumphs in Cincinnati. There, the Italian suffered a physical collapse following a virus that, according to what was seen yesterday in its long start in the tournament, is already history. In just over an hour and a half, Sinner got rid of the Czech Vit Kopriva (6-1, 6-1 and 6-2) and will converge with a much more movie rival, Alexei Popyrin, who a year ago fulminated Serbian Novak Djokovic.
The Serbian will also compete this Wednesday. He will do it at the opening of the day (19.30 Spanish time) and before Zachary Svajda, the 145º of the world. The female governor, Aryna Sabalenka, cited with Kudermetova Polina after the duel between Alcaraz and Bellucci, will also parade through the central. The Polish IgA Swiatek did not fail on Tuesday, which endorsed a severe 6-1 and 6-2, in an exact hour, Emiliana Arango.
In Spanish code, the day gave the goodbye of Pedro Martínez, surpassed by Leandro Riedi, and Roberto Bautista and Jessica Bouzas also competed – without playing at the close of this edition. This Wednesday will look for the third round Pablo Carreño (around 3.00, against Ben Shelton), Alejandro Davidovich (20.00, Arthur Rinderknech) and Cristina Bucsa (19.00, Alexandra Eala).
