Aryna Sabalenka Jokes She’s ‘Jealous’ of Carlos Alcaraz’s Thick Hair: “So Unfair!”

Anything new about Carlos Alcaraz always makes its way into the headlines. At this year’s US Open, beyond his performance, two things have grabbed the tennis world’s attention: his thick, long hair and his Nike tank top.

Alcaraz joked at the press conference following his third-round win over Wu Yibing that he had to don an undershirt because his Nike shirt was revealing too much. Days before the US Open, Alcaraz stunned the tennis world by styling his hair into neat cornrows before switching back to his normal hairstyle. Alcaraz grew his hair long and held it back with a hairband. Many have praised his look with flowing locks as the best so far.

Aryna Sabalenka is also one of his admirers. She, in fact, is envious of his voluminous hair. “I’m so jealous. I don’t have that much hair. So unfair!” Sabalenka told Alcaraz during a practice session.

The Spaniard, in response, said: “I need a comb. To take my time in a mirror. I’m not used to it.” The Belarusian asked him, “It’s a pain, right?” and Alcaraz replied, “Exactly.”

Saba to carlos: “ im so jealous i don’t have so much hair like that “ 😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/tM36LgaK1D

— f #7inMelbourne (@fvaeey) September 5, 2026

Alcaraz and Sabalenka are both defending champions in their respective events. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion beat Jannik Sinner in last year’s final, while Sabalenka beat home favorite Amanda Anisimova.

Both players have reached the fourth round. Alcaraz will face Tommy Paul and will aim to improve his head-to-head record over the home favorite to 7-2.

The US Open is Alcaraz’s first tournament since he recovered from the injury he suffered during the Barcelona Open in mid-April. He is chasing his third title of the season, after wins at the Australian Open and the Qatar Open. The Murcia native also reached the final of the Monte-Carlo Masters but lost to Sinner.

Aryna Sabalenka will face Taylor Townsend in the fourth round

Aryna Sabalenka is chasing a three-peat of the US Open. Back in 2023, she reached the final here for the first time but lost the title to home favorite Coco Gauff.

She faced two more Americans in the next two seasons, beating Jessica Pegula in 2024 and Amanda Anisimova last year. Sabalenka, at the press conference after her latest win, said she feels more comfortable playing at Flushing Meadows compared to other Grand Slam events.

I am comfortable here. I love it here, and if comparing to the other Slams, I feel pretty good on all of them. I just love New York, and probably that makes me feel like home here. So, I would say probably out of all of them, yeah, you’re right. Maybe I’m more comfortable here.

Sabalenka will next be facing home favorite Taylor Townsend, who knocked out Diana Shnaider in three sets in the previous round. It will be their careers’ first meeting.

I’m ready for the crowd situation, and she’s a great player. Coming back after having a baby that was an amazing moment for her, and she’s, I’d say, tricky player because she brings the variety, comes to the net, really makes you think during the game, and yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a great battle.

Aryna Sabalenka added

Sabalenka will lose her No.1 ranking if she fails to defend her title and Elena Rybakina reaches the semifinals. Since completing the Sunshine Double in Miami, the 28-year-old, who also won the Brisbane International and lost the Australian Open final, has played just one semifinal (in Berlin).

She lost in the fourth round of both the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open before arriving in New York. Rybakina, Pegula, and Gauff are the other contenders for the No.1 ranking.

Also read: Madison Keys Gives Heartbreaking Reality on her US Open Collapse Against Qinwen Zheng