Carlos Alcaraz's Fashion Statement at US Open 2023: A New Look

NEW YORK – Carlos Alcaraz walked into Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sept 4 with the same swagger in his game but a very different look.

The Travis Scott x Cactus Jack Nike tank top that had dominated social media in his first two US Open matches was still there – the loose-fitting brown number that hung off his shoulders and kept slipping low on his chest. The difference this time? A plain white undershirt sitting neatly underneath, an extra layer of modesty for a player who suddenly felt a little overexposed.

“I think I’ve been seeing too much of my nipples lately,” Alcaraz told reporters with a laugh after dismantling China’s Wu Yibing 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 in the third round.

The outfit had become a talking point of its own. Clips and photos of the 23-year-old’s tank top drifting wide had spawned memes, jokes and side-by-side comparisons across platforms. Former WTA Tour player Eugenie Bouchard joined in the fun, telling him online to “put the nip away”.

Alcaraz did not need any prompting from his sponsors or his team. The undershirt, he said, was his call.

“I feel really comfortable with another shirt. So I think I’m going to stay like that,” he said, sounding as decisive about his wardrobe as he has about his tennis this fortnight.

The fashion subplot has run alongside a far more important story: his return to Grand Slam action after more than four months out with a wrist injury. If there were doubts about rust or rhythm, his early rounds at Flushing Meadows have done plenty to quiet them. Through three singles matches, he has dropped just one set, moving with the elastic ease and controlled aggression that took him to seven major titles.

Against Wu, the scoreline told the story. Alcaraz controlled the baseline, stepped in on second serves, and smothered any hint of resistance. The match never caught fire as a contest, and that suited him just fine. The less drama, the better for a player still testing that wrist under the heaviest strain the sport can offer.

Next Match

Now comes a different kind of examination.

Next up is American 20th seed Tommy Paul, a man Alcaraz has beaten five times in a row but never dismisses. Paul’s all-court game, quick feet and willingness to change tempo have made him a tricky assignment for almost everyone on tour.

“He's a really talented player, really difficult one to play,” Alcaraz said. “I think he’s really dangerous for everyone on the tour. I’m really looking forward to playing him once again.”

The head-to-head gives Alcaraz the edge. The setting will give Paul a surge. A seeded American under the lights in New York, with the crowd roaring for an upset, is exactly the kind of night that can bend a match out of shape.

Alcaraz has shown he can handle that chaos. He has also shown he can laugh at himself while doing it, shrugging off the noise about his kit with the same ease he shrugs off a short ball.

The tank top might stay. The undershirt probably will. The real question is whether anyone at this US Open can get close enough to peel back the layers of his game.