Carlos Alcaraz arrived in South Korea following his rival Jannik Sinner’s touchdown in the country a day earlier. Both players are in Incheon for the Hyundai Card Super Match, one of the most significant exhibitions scheduled before the Australian Open. The current world No. 1 was immediately surrounded by enthusiastic fans and tight security at the airport, where observers noticed something striking about his appearance.
While Alcaraz attempted to keep a low profile, details about his look quickly drew attention from the global tennis community.
Carlos Alcaraz Arrives in South Korea with New Look, Just a Day After Jannik Sinner’s Warm Welcome
Theworld No. 1 arrived at Incheon Airport on Wednesday, January 8, where he received a similar welcome to what his Italian rival had received just 24 hours earlier. Crowds of Korean tennis enthusiasts gathered to catch a glimpse of the Spanish star surrounded by security.
Amid the excitement, however, fans immediately focused on a particular detail of Alcaraz’s appearance. The 22-year-old wore a cap that covered his head, seemingly hiding his new hairstyle from public view, but the cover was not entirely effective.
Carlos is already in Korea 🇰🇷 💐💇♂️ pic.twitter.com/U6VZtlEIgP
— Daily Alcaraz (@alcarazdaily) January 8, 2026
From the sides of his head, observers could clearly see what appeared to be another buzzcut, similar to the dramatic hair change he debuted at last August’s US Open in New York. Alcaraz’s arrival came exactly one day after Sinner touched down at the same airport on Tuesday, Jan. 7. The world No. 2 also received tremendous support from local fans, who turned up in significant numbers to welcome the defending Australian Open champion.
The Exhibition Tournament Ahead of the Australian Open
Sinner’s previous statement about being unfamiliar with South Korea made his arrival special, as Korean fans demonstrated their enthusiasm for both of the world’s top-ranked players. Both players have now settled into Incheon ahead of their upcoming competition, using this period to prepare for their match on Saturday afternoon.
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Alcaraz is known for competing in such exhibition tournaments rather than taking long breaks during the off-season. Sinner, however, isn’t one who takes part in such tournaments and tries to preserve his body for on-tour matches. Seeing him participate in this tournament just days ahead of the year’s first slam, that too while being the defending champion, has gained the attention of former professionals.
On the Nothing Major Podcast, Sam Querrey asked his co-hosts and former professional players, John Isner, Jack Sock, and Steve Johnson, for an estimate of how much money both players are getting paid. All four agreed on one thing: both are getting paid an equal amount for their participation. On the appearance fee? Not so much.
While an average answer was around $1.5 million, it would be interesting to see these two rivals kick off the 2026 season, given that they faced each other three times in Major finals.
