‘This Is All Jannik Sinner’s Fault’ – Carlos Alcaraz’s Braided Hair Leaves Tennis Fans Split Ahead of US Open

While Carlos Alcaraz has been busy recovering from a right wrist injury sustained earlier this year, his off-court life is catching fans’ attention. In the latest Instagram photo dump detailing his recent time off, which included celebrating Spain’s incredible 2026 FIFA World Cup victory and hitting the practice courts, the 23-year-old Spaniard debuted a completely unexpected new hairstyle: braids.

‘Carlos Has Been Testing the Limits’ – Fans Troll Alcaraz After His Latest Hairstyle Reveal

If this feels a bit familiar, it’s because Alcaraz has a history of causing a stir with his hair right before the North American hardcourt swing.

Just last year, ahead of the 2025 US Open, Alcaraz shocked fans by showing up to Flushing Meadows with a severe buzzcut. He later revealed that his older brother, Alvaro, had a mishap with the hair clippers, leaving Carlos no choice but to shave it all off.

Fans trolled that look as well, and Frances Frances Tiafoe famously roasted it as “horrible,” joking the Spaniard was now “aerodynamic. But Alcaraz ultimately had the last laugh. After defeating Sinner to capture his second US Open title, Alcaraz kept a playful promise to his team and dyed his buzz cut platinum blonde, a bold look that instantly broke the internet.

Back to the present: just a day after Alcaraz posted his latest practice video, in which he is hitting forehands with full power, he posted a photodump introducing the fresh cornrow look. And fans were quick to chime in.

@Bluestarrrss simply couldn’t understand the stylistic choice, asking, “Genuinely what is wrong w these tennis player bruh.” Another fan, @lucyydeuce, questioned the trend among tennis players, posting, “LOOL no what is it with tennis players and cornrows?” Historically, many pros, including Serena and Venus Williams, Arthur Fils, and Coco Gauff, have rocked the hairstyle.

@nforzadepor jokingly traced the root cause back to Alcaraz’s biggest rival, pointing the finger at Jannik Sinner: “When you think about it this is all Jannik Sinner’s fault for saying that everything suits him bc since he said that Carlos has been testing the limits of that statement in every possible way.”

@lqvball noted an influence from another young star known for the look, joking, “suddenly everyone on tour wants to become arthur fils.”

While the fans’ thoughts seem split on the braids, the most important update from Alcaraz’s recent social media activity is still the progress on his right wrist.

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The seven-time Grand Slam champion has been sidelined since April after suffering from right wrist tenosynovitis at the Barcelona Open. The injury forced him to miss a significant chunk of the 2026 season, including title defenses at Madrid and Roland Garros, and to skip Wimbledon entirely.

Although he recently withdrew from another Masters tournament, the National Bank Open in Montreal, to avoid rushing his comeback, his recovery has been successful. Alcaraz is now targeting the Cincinnati Open in August.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.