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\n As the men\u2019s world No. 2 and winner of five grand slam singles titles, Carlos Alcaraz<\/a> is used to criticism \u2013 it\u2019s natural that an elite sportsperson<\/a> will face such scrutiny.\n <\/p>\n \n What is slightly more surprising is that his barber, V\u00edctor Mart\u00ednez, should have to share that same thick skin.\n <\/p>\n \n The past couple of years have seen Mart\u00ednez bear the brunt of those online who are, to put it mildly, not the biggest fans of the haircuts he has been giving the tennis star. But he is surprisingly blas\u00e9 about the criticism.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cI don\u2019t take it personally, so it doesn\u2019t annoy me. In fact, I find it funny,\u201d he laughs in an interview with CNN Sports<\/a>.\n <\/p>\n \n He\u2019s not the only one.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cCarlos and I laugh about the bad comments. Carlos keeps coming to me to cut his hair because it\u2019s good, because he likes it,\u201d he explains. \u201cWhen we\u2019re together, we look at the comments and we laugh.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n There is another benefit to the criticism too \u2013 whatever the reason, Mart\u00ednez is now one of the most talked-about barbers in the sporting world.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cAt the end of the day, the bad comments are also good because they create publicity,\u201d he smiles.\n <\/p>\n \n For a local barber in Alcaraz\u2019s hometown of El Palmar, on the outskirts of Murcia in southern Spain, the attention has come as a welcome surprise.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cIt\u2019s incredible because people in another part of the world are talking about you and your work,\u201d he says. \u201cSo it makes you happy, it makes you feel good because people know you in many different parts of the world, thanks to Carlos.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n It has also come with a huge financial benefit: business is now booming and Mart\u00ednez \u2013 a barber for the last decade \u2013 is looking to move into a bigger shop.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cIt\u2019s always gone well, but after Carlos, it\u2019s been a lot more,\u201d he says. \u201cI never leave here!\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n Many of his customers are looking for that signature style \u2013 longer on top, with a sharp fade on the back and sides.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cPeople come to the shop asking for \u2018the Carlos haircut.\u2019 Lots of kids, his fans.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n Mart\u00ednez has certainly come a long way since his neighbor, Alcaraz\u2019s friend, called him to tell him one of the biggest stars in sports was coming to his shop.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cThe first time, I was super nervous!\u201d he laughs. \u201cI was so nervous that day. I remember being in the shop and my hands were just shaking. I was with the world No. 1 at that time!\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n It turns out Mart\u00ednez need not have been worried.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cWhen he arrives at the shop, he\u2019s just another guy,\u201d he explains. \u201cIt\u2019s true that I have to give him a bit of privilege. We often work with the doors closed. We try to choose times where no one is going to come to the shop. Often, I go to his house to cut his hair in the comfort of his home.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cWe always try to be just us two in the shop, but there have been many times where it\u2019s coincided with another client, so he chats with the other customers in the shop.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n So, just what does the current world No. 2 talk to his barber about?\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cWhen there\u2019s an important Champions League<\/a> game for Real Madrid<\/a>, we speak about football,\u201d says Mart\u00ednez. \u201cI ask him how he\u2019s feeling for the next tournament because Carlos always gets his hair cut before traveling to the tournament. So I ask him how he\u2019s feeling, if he\u2019s doing good, if he\u2019s feeling motivated. We speak about anything.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n Such is the strength of their relationship \u2013 and Alcaraz\u2019s satisfaction with Mart\u00ednez\u2019s skills \u2013 that the barber has joined his client in cities like Paris and Valencia to cut his hair while he\u2019s competing on the tour.\n <\/p>\n \n In fact, Mart\u00ednez speaks with pride about the fact that, over the past couple of years, Alcaraz has gone to him exclusively for his haircuts.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cSince I started to cut his hair, it\u2019s always been me\u2026,\u201d he says.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201c\u2026Up until now.\u201d\n <\/p>\n![\"Carlos](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/suerte-de-que-el-1-del-mundo-carlitosalcarazz-confie-en-mi-muchas-gracias-por-la-visita-y-la.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Alcaraz](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/gettyimages-2232514565.jpg\")
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