'I don’t know who told him to do that, but it’s terrible': Frances Tiafoe hilariously ribs 'aerodynamic' Carlos Alcaraz's new haircut

Frances Tiafoe was in high spirits after his straight-sets victory at the 2025 US Open, but one of the first things he was asked about wasn’t his tennis — it was Carlos Alcaraz’s new haircut.

Good friends with Alcaraz, the entertaining American said that he joked with Juan Carlos Ferrero that it makes one of the US Open favourites more aerodynamic. He spoke after seeing off Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 in his press conference and he said that Alcaraz needs tips off him.

“Yeah, it’s horrible,” Tiafoe said with a grin. “It’s my guy though. I looked at him and was like, ‘I guess you’re aerodynamic.’ Juan Carlos Ferrero was laughing, like, ‘He’s not faster than he already was.’ I was like, well, that’s a problem. I don’t know who told him to do that, but it’s terrible. For me, a guy who gets haircuts week in, week out and prides himself on good haircuts — it’s horrendous. But it’s Carlos, that’s my guy. He needs to get with me, for sure.”

When the attention turned to his own match, Tiafoe admitted it felt strange returning to court after retiring the previous tournament in Cincinnati. He had a lower back injury that flared up prior to his match against Holger Rune and he said it was odd but that he was pleased to turn up and get the job done.

“Second set was huge — that was big for the whole match,” he explained. “After that you could see he had kind of lost belief, and I took it from there. A little up and down for me, but I’m happy. Last night I had to retire, and I don’t normally retire, so it was a little weird playing a match after that. But I was happy I turned up, my movement was great, and I played all right today. So happy to get it done in straights.”

Tiafoe, who had lost his previous two matches to Yoshihito Nishioka, was asked what he did differently this time. “It’s obviously a different match in a Slam,” he said. “I served pretty well at some good moments — 198 kph, 57% — that’s going to help me a lot. He’s a tough opponent, he’s got such a great backhand, he can extend points, and he really makes you beat him. But in a Slam it’s totally different. I’m ready to battle if we’re going four or five hours, rather than someone just going down a break and not really feeling it. So yeah, I was a little tighter with the rope here.”

An Arthur Ashe Stadium love affair and Forbes billing

A recurring theme in Tiafoe’s career has been his love affair with Arthur Ashe Stadium. Once again, he credited the crowd for lifting him. “For sure, the crowd support is insane,” he said. “I’ve won a lot of matches on that court in the last few years. Most years coming into the Open, I hadn’t won many matches at all, but when I get out there I feel different. I’m moving great, hitting the ball well. Playing on the court named after Arthur Ashe is awesome — it’s the biggest arena we have, and it’s super electric.”

That support has become something Tiafoe knows how to tap into at the right moments. “I had a couple of crazy points today that got them riled up,” he said. “I want to be a little more business-like in the early rounds, but in crucial moments if I need a push, I’ll get them going. Three out of five sets is long — you’ve got to pace yourself. Today was a quickish match, but it was warm out there. I’m understanding myself better, but when it’s time to get them going, I’ll definitely get them going.”

Tiafoe also addressed his growing profile off the court, having just debuted in the top 10 of Forbes and Sportico’s highest-earning tennis players list. “Yeah, it’s pretty accurate,” he said. “I never really thought about it, but when I sat down and considered the influence I have, I was like, yeah, I guess. I was shocked, because on that list are a lot of Grand Slam champions. It’s a testament to my story — being truly blessed and highly favored. Honestly, when you look at the list, I shouldn’t be on it. To be number eight shows that brands and people want to follow me and be part of my journey. That means more than the money part. A lot of my partners invest in me as a person rather than just the athlete.”