Carlos Alcaraz Adjusts Wardrobe for Third-Round Match

NEW YORK – Carlos Alcaraz walked back onto Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sept 4 looking just a little more covered up – and fully in on the joke.

The brown Travis Scott x Cactus Jack Nike tank top that had stolen as many headlines as his forehand over the first two rounds came with an extra layer this time. Literally. The loose-fitting top had kept sliding and flashing his chest, spawning memes and playful commentary across social media, including former WTA player Eugenie Bouchard’s cheeky plea for him to “put the nip away”.

Alcaraz heard it all. Then he did something about it.

For his third-round match against China’s Wu Yibing, the seven-time Grand Slam champion strode into the night session wearing a white undershirt beneath the tank, a small adjustment that said he was happy to laugh at himself but also ready to move the conversation back to what he does best.

“I think I’ve been seeing too much of my nipples lately,” he told reporters with a grin after cruising to a 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 victory.

The 23-year-old made it clear the wardrobe tweak came from him, not from his sponsors or his team.

“I feel really comfortable with another shirt. So I think I’m going to stay like that,” he said.

The tennis has looked just as assured. Returning from more than four months out with a wrist injury, Alcaraz has dropped only one set in his opening three singles matches at Flushing Meadows, moving through the draw with the kind of clean, authoritative tennis that once again marks him as one of the men to beat.

Against Wu, he never allowed the contest to breathe. The Spaniard controlled the baseline, tightened the screws on return, and shut the door in three brisk sets, giving the Arthur Ashe crowd far more to talk about than his outfit.

Next Match

Now comes a familiar obstacle: American 20th seed Tommy Paul, a player Alcaraz has beaten five times in a row but never treats lightly.

“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 tank top may have been toned down. The ambition clearly hasn’t.