“Now I Can’t Unsee It” – Carlos Alcaraz’s Mustache Reminds Fans of Queen’s Freddie Mercury as He Also Mimics Iconic ‘Ay-Oh!’ Chant

Carlos Alcaraz is aiming to win his fourth title of the season at the Shanghai Masters.

“Now I Can’t Unsee It” – Carlos Alcaraz’s Mustache Reminds Fans of Queen’s Freddie Mercury as He Also Mimics Iconic ‘Ay-Oh!’ Chant

Freddie Mercury, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via History.com, #10)

Carlos Alcaraz is in Shanghai, chasing his first Masters 1000 of the season. In his third appearance, the Spaniard cruised past Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the opening round to set up a third-round match against Zizou Bergs.

After returning to Shanghai from Tokyo, where he defended his title at the Japan Open, the tennis world noticed a major change in his appearance. The showman that Alcaraz is, he is enjoying entertaining the fans with a mustache.

The reason behind his new look is a bet that he won. Before the Japan Open, Alcaraz told his team that if he defends his title in Tokyo, everyone will have a mustache. And so now, not only Alcaraz but his entire team are sporting a mustache.

The 23-year-old reminds fans of rockstar Freddie Mercury, the legendary frontman of Queen. In one clip, Alcaraz was also seen mimicking the Bohemian Rhapsody singer’s iconic ‘Ay-oh!’ chant, using his racket as a mic.

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Fans react to Carlos Alcaraz’s new look

The dark and thick mustache that Freddie Mercury had during the 1980s became one of his most recognizable features. So when Carlos Alcaraz displayed his new look, one fan noticed how he bore a resemblance to Mercury’s look in Queen’s I Want to Break Free music video.

Carlos Alcaraz (4)
Carlos Alcaraz (Image via NY Post)

Check out their reactions here:

In Shanghai, Alcaraz is a one-time quarterfinalist. He reached the stage on his second appearance in 2024. Alcaraz ended up skipping the tournament last year due to an injury.

Valentin Vacherot is competing as the defending champion. The Monegasque, who last year defeated his cousin Arthur Rinderknech in the final, will face Alcaraz if they both reach the fourth round. Vacherot beat Sebastian Baez in the opening round and will next face Tommy Paul.

John McEnroe disagrees with Carlos Alcaraz’s opinion on the tennis schedule

During the US Open, Alcaraz complained about the schedule and revealed his plans to take longer breaks in the future by skipping tournaments. Also recently, during his interview with TNT Sports, Alcaraz blamed the schedule for players’ injuries and said that the ATP is pushing the players a lot. Tennis great John McEnroe, however, doesn’t agree with the seven-time Grand Slam champion.

Carlos Alcaraz (3)
Carlos Alcaraz (Image via ATP Tour)

We played more than they play now, let’s be clear about that. Maybe it’s tougher physically, or maybe they suffer more fatigue, I don’t know. They say they play at a very fast pace. Maybe they need to rest more. We played the Australian Open at Christmas.

John McEnroe said on Spanish radio El Larguero (H/T: Tennis365)

Alcaraz faces criticism from many for competing in exhibition events. But he says he enjoys them because they aren’t as mentally demanding as official matches.

Today, I get the feeling that players play whatever they want. Tournaments are about money, there are a thousand competitions, and so they earn more money. They add days for you, and you earn more money.

John McEnroe added

Alcaraz is chasing his fourth title of the season at the penultimate Masters 1000. Before his Tokyo win, the World No.3 took home the Australian Open and the Qatar Open by beating Novak Djokovic and Arthur Fils, respectively.

Djokovic, after ending his title drought at the China Open, failed to continue his winning ways in Shanghai as he lost in straight sets to Hubert Hurkacz in the opening round. World No.1 Jannik Sinner is not playing in Shanghai due to a knee injury, while Alexander Zverev is chasing his third title of the season after wins at the French Open and the US Open.

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