Carlos Alcaraz Debuts New Look at Shanghai Masters, Sending Fans Into a Frenzy
Carlos Alcaraz never seems to run out of ideas when it comes to his appearance. He has had short hair, long hair, bleached hair, and shaved hair—all of which have been fodder for social media discussion points. He donned long locks at the US Open, and as the pattern suggested, the next experiment might have involved his hair again, but this time it was something else.
Alcaraz showed up for practice at the Shanghai Masters on Saturday with a moustache. Fans loved it, and clips from the session quickly made their way onto social media. He was not alone in the experiment either, his brother Alvaro, coach Samuel Lopez and agent Albert Molina all appeared with moustaches too, in what has been described as a fun team bet.
The 23-year-old had shaved his head at last year’s US Open and then went on to win the title. Two days after winning that title on 7 September, he dyed his hair platinum blonde, and he followed that up with a blonde buzz cut at the Paris Masters in October 2025. Every look has sparked a lot of discussion, and the moustache has brought the same energy.
Alcaraz is still in the early weeks of his comeback from a wrist injury that kept him out for about five months. He retained his Japan Open title with a 7-6, 6-4 win over Jiri Lehecka, his first title in five months. He became the first player to win back-to-back titles in Tokyo since Pete Sampras in 1993 and 1994, but Shanghai has been less kind to him. He has competed in the event just twice, and his highest finish has been a quarterfinal in 2024.
He has overcome his first obstacle, Juan Manuel Cerundolo, in straight sets, the player who eliminated Jannik Sinner in the second round of the French Open this year. It was their first meeting on the main tour, with their only previous match coming at the 2021 Next Gen Finals, which Alcaraz had won in four sets. After the win, the second seed signed the camera with a message: “Moustache Team! :)”
Fans react to Alcaraz’s moustache
The reaction arrived within minutes of the first clips, and most of it was playful. Some fans saw swagger in the look straight away. “He is looking like the OG tennis gangstaa,” one wrote. The comment captured how quickly the new style became part of his on-court persona.
“Looking like a young Freddie Mercury,” another fan posted. The Queen frontman’s famously bold moustache gave followers an easy reference point, and plenty of fans were happy to run with it.
“This man is so stylish,” a third user wrote. It is a familiar reaction for a player whose appearance has drawn as much conversation as some of his results over the last year.
“Looks like Pablo Escobar…” was one fan’s blunt take.
A few users were less convinced and wanted the experiment to end quickly. “Shave that moustache immediately, Carlitos,” one fan joked. Even that comment came with affection rather than anger, which sums up the overall tone of the reaction.
Nobody knows for how long the moustache is here to say.
