Alcaraz debuted a fresh appearance at this year’s US Open, sporting a buzz cut that caught the attention of Sharapova and McEnroe, who discussed it extensively on the official tournament broadcast.

“I haven’t even gotten to his tennis yet. I’m still fixated on the buzz cut,” Sharapova remarked. “It’s so low maintenance, and he just went for it. That’s a bold decision. I’d be so superstitious. But that’s what you have to love about him, his ability to be so free and confident, exuding an aura that transcends the game.”

McEnroe also had thoughts on Alcaraz’s new style. “That haircut, did he get the buzz cut from his hair stylist in Spain? He brought someone in for Wimbledon. I’m curious because you can get that for 20 bucks right here in the city,“ McEnroe quipped.

Alcaraz engages with fans over new haircut

From the outset, Alcaraz anticipated that his fresh hairstyle would generate buzz, not only on social media but also among fans filling the stands. Unlike the biblical story of Samson, whose powers waned after his haircut, Alcaraz continued his season with remarkable performances, as this one against Opelka.

When prompted by event organizers about his updated look, Alcaraz turned to his fans for their opinions, setting up a poll to gauge their reactions. The fans responded resoundingly, offering enthusiastic applause and showing their approval of his new style at US Open.

Alcaraz explains the haircut change

Though the focus may have veered from Alcaraz’s on-court performance, his new haircut was undoubtedly the talk of the tournament, even catching the attention of tennis icons like Sharapova and McEnroe. Naturally, the media was eager to understand Alcaraz’s decision to change his hairstyle.

“Suddenly, my brother just mishandled the clippers. He cut it, and the only way to fix it was to shave it off completely,” Alcaraz revealed. “To be honest, it’s not that good… it’s not that bad, I guess. I’m not really into hair at all. I’m the kind of guy who thinks, ‘Okay, hair grows back,’ and in a few days, it’s going to be fine, I suppose. It just happened, and that’s it.”

[Watch Reilly Opelka vs Carlos Alcaraz live in the USA on Fubo]

Carlos Alcaraz, fresh off his Cincinnati Open 2025 final victory that ended with Jannik Sinner retiring while trailing 5-0 in the opening set, is set to debut as one of the U.S. Open title favorites and chase another trophy on a bigger stage.

Standing in his way is 27-year-old American Reilly Opelka, who embraces the underdog role but believes his powerful game and the backing of a home crowd can help him push the Spaniard and deliver a statement performance.

When will the Reilly Opelka vs Carlos Alcaraz match be played?

Reilly Opelka plays against Carlos Alcaraz in the 2025 US Open first round this Monday, August 25th. The action will start at 8:10 PM (ET).

Reilly Opelka vs Carlos Alcaraz: Time by State in the USA

ET: 8:10 PM
CT: 7:10 PM
MT: 6:10 PM
PT: 5:10 PM

How to watch Reilly Opelka vs Carlos Alcaraz in the USA

Don’t miss this electrifying 2025 US Open clash between Reilly Opelka and Carlos Alcaraz live on Fubo. Other options: ESPN, ESPN+

Casper Ruud will be in charge of getting the job done for Team Europe in the first game of the competition. The Norwegian player will try to improve from his second-round exit in the last US Open.

The No. 19 of the world, meanwhile, will be aiming to build from his Canada Masters level. Following that second-place finish, Opelka struggled to have a deep run in Cincinnati and Flushing Meadows but the Laver Cupcomes as a great opportunity to get back to his best.

Casper Ruud vs Reilly Opelka: Match Information

Date: Friday, September 24, 2021
Time: 1 PM (ET)
Location: TD Garden, Boston

Casper Ruud vs Reilly Opelka: Time by State in the US

ET: 1 PM
CT: 12 PM
MT: 11 AM
PT: 10 AM

Casper Ruud vs Reilly Opelka: Storylines and Head-to-Head

Casper Ruud and Reilly Opelka have faced each other twiceso far and both of those games saw the current No. 10 of the world emerge victorious. The 22-year-old first won in 2019 in Houston.

Their latest duel came in the 2021 Cincinnati Masters during the round of 32. That time, Ruud came back from dropping the first set to beat 6-7 (5), 6-0, and 7-6 (4) Opelka.

How to watch or live stream Casper Ruud vs Reilly Opelka in the US

The game to be played between Casper Ruud and Reilly Opelka in the opening day of the 2021 Laver Cup at TD Gardenin Boston will be broadcast in the US by Tennis Channel and lavercup.com live.

Casper Ruud vs Reilly Opelka: Predictions and Odds

The odds are minimallyin favorof Casper Ruud. FanDuel see him as the slight favorite to win, thus, they havegiven him -102 odds. On the other hand,Reilly Opelka has -120odds to cause an upset this weekend.

* Odds by FanDuel