Carlos Alcaraz has followed up his second US Open victory with a dramatic new hairstyle, swapping the buzzcut that sparked widespread debate earlier in the tournament for a bleached-blonde appearance.

The Spaniard, 22, cruised through the draw at Flushing Meadows, dropping just one set on his way to a sixth Grand Slam title and a four-set win over rival Jannik Sinner in the final.

But while his tennis left little room for criticism, his hair became one of the more unexpected talking points of the fortnight.

Alcaraz surprised fans when he arrived for his opening-round match against Reilly Opelka with a shaved-down look.

Carlos Alcaraz has opted to dye his hair blonde following his remarkable US Open triumph on Sunday night

He later explained it had not been part of the plan.

“My brother misunderstood with the machine he cut it,” Alcaraz admitted.

“And the only way to fix it is to shave it off. To be honest, it’s not that good. It’s not that bad, I guess.”

The buzzcut was quickly nicknamed a “botched trim” by followers online, with American No. 29 Frances Tiafoe — a close friend and regular opponent — even calling it “horrendous,” despite wearing a similar cropped style himself.

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Now, Alcaraz has doubled down by taking things a step further.

Sharing updates with fans on Instagram, the new world No 1 teased the transformation by trying on a blonde wig before revealing pictures of himself mid-bleach with foils in his hair.

The end result, courtesy of his barber Victor, is a short peroxide-blonde cut that ensures he remains as eye-catching off the court as on it.

The decision was not entirely out of the blue.

Carlos Alcaraz powered his way to US Open glory with a four-set triumph over Jannik Sinner

Ahead of last weekend’s final, Alcaraz hinted he had something special in mind should he lift the trophy.

“(Something) even better. Even better. You will see. Surprise,” he said with a smile.

True to his word, he celebrated in style.

After returning home to Spain, Alcaraz showed off his new look before preparing for his next appearance on the ATP calendar.

King Carlos ????

The Spaniard defeats Sinner in four sets to claim his second US Open trophy! pic.twitter.com/C2jBm7F178

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2025

He is due back in the United States later this month to represent Team Europe at the Laver Cup in San Francisco, where his tennis, and now his hair, will once again be under the spotlight.

Speaking after his victory, meanwhile, Alcaraz admitted he was setting his sights on completing the career Grand Slam at the Australian Open, which is due to start in January.

“It’s my first goal, to be honest,” Alcaraz said.

Carlos Alcaraz has now won two US Open titles following his victory over Jannik Sinner in New York

“When I just go to the pre-seasons, what I want to improve, what I want to achieve, Australian Open is there.

"It’s the first or second tournament of the year, and it is always the main goal for me to complete a career Grand Slam, calendar Grand Slam. So it’s going to be great.”

Should he succeed in Melbourne, Alcaraz would become the youngest man ever to achieve the career Grand Slam, surpassing compatriot Rafael Nadal.