Aryna Sabalenka jokingly envied Carlos Alcaraz’s thick hair during a US Open 2026 practice session. Calling it “unfair,” she sparked a playful exchange with Alcaraz as both prepared for the round of 16.
The Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka has poked fun at Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz’s thick head of hair during a lighthearted conversation on the practice courts at the US Open 2026.
Sabalenka and Alcaraz were having their respective training sessions ahead of their fourth-round clash at Flushing Meadows, taking a brief moment to catch up and share a laugh that instantly charmed onlookers. Aryan Sabalenka, who is the defending US Open champion, will face Taylor Townsend of the USA, while Carlos Alcaraz will lock horns with Tommy Paul in the round of 16 matches.
Ahead of their respective round-of-16 clashes, Sabalenka and Alcaraz crossed paths during their practice sessions and engaged in a hilarious conversation, with the Belarusian star seemingly expressing her envy over Alcaraz’s thick hair.
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‘This Is Unfair’
As Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz exchanged a few words, the Belarusian star pointed towards the Spaniard’s hair and jokingly expressed her envy. Ahead of the US Open 2026, Alcaraz debuted a fresh look on his return to competitive tennis after being on the sidelines for nearly 5 months due to a right wrist injury, forcing him to miss the French Open and Wimbledon.
In a video posted by the US Open on its X handle (formerly Twitter), Sabalenka, who was sitting after resting between drills, jokingly pointed at Alcaraz’s hair, stating that she was ‘so jealous’ of his thick locks and adding, ‘This is unfair.’ However, the Spaniard responded that he needed a comb and a mirror to manage his new hairstyle, admitting that he wasn’t used to spending so much time fussing over his appearance.
“I’m so jealous. I don’t have that much hair. How unfair!” Sabalenka said.
“I need a comb. To take my time in a mirror. I’m not used to it,” the Spanish star replied with a grin.
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Sabalenka quickly chimed back in, asking with a laugh, “It’s such a pain, right?” to which Alcaraz readily agreed. In the previous edition of the US Open, the Spanish tennis star surprised with a buzz cut following a humorous hair-trimming mishap by his brother, a stark contrast to his fully grown locks in 2026.
Before the US Open, Alcaraz’s last competitive appearance was at the Barcelona Open this year, where he withdrew from the round-of-16 clash against Tomas Machac due to a wrist injury, which eventually sidelined him for five months.
How Did Sabalenka and Alcaraz Perform So Far at the US Open?
Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz are the defending champions of the US Open, having won the women’s and men’s singles titles at Flushing Meadows a year ago, with Sabalenka defeating Amanda Anisimova and Alcaraz overcoming Jannik Sinner in thrilling summit clashes.
The two headed into the final Grand Slam of the year looking to defend their respective crowns, with both stars cruising through the opening rounds and showcasing elite form to set the stage for another deep run at Flushing Meadows.
Aryna Sabalenka won her first three rounds against Camila Osorio, Polina Iatcenko, and Kamilla Rakhimova without dropping a single set to comfortably secure her spot in the tournament’s second week. Carlos Alcaraz, on the other hand, navigated a slightly more eventful path, overcoming a dropped first set against Jaime Faria in the second round before hitting top gear with a commanding straight-sets victory over Wu Yibing to reach the round of 16.
Now, Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz will look to enter the second week of the final Grand Slam of the year with momentum on their side, aiming to keep their title defenses alive as the competition heats up at Flushing Meadows.
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