By Jamie Barton, CNN

(CNN) — As the men’s world No. 2 and winner of five grand slam singles titles, Carlos Alcaraz is used to criticism – it’s natural that an elite sportsperson will face such scrutiny.

What is slightly more surprising is that his barber, Víctor Martínez, should have to share that same thick skin.

The past couple of years have seen Martínez 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 blasé about the criticism.

“I don’t take it personally, so it doesn’t annoy me. In fact, I find it funny,” he laughs in an interview with CNN Sports.

He’s not the only one.

“Carlos and I laugh about the bad comments. Carlos keeps coming to me to cut his hair because it’s good, because he likes it,” he explains. “When we’re together, we look at the comments and we laugh.”

There is another benefit to the criticism too – whatever the reason, Martínez is now one of the most talked-about barbers in the sporting world.

“At the end of the day, the bad comments are also good because they create publicity,” he smiles.

Hometown hero

For a local barber in Alcaraz’s hometown of El Palmar, on the outskirts of Murcia in southern Spain, the attention has come as a welcome surprise.

“It’s incredible because people in another part of the world are talking about you and your work,” he says. “So it makes you happy, it makes you feel good because people know you in many different parts of the world, thanks to Carlos.”

It has also come with a huge financial benefit: business is now booming and Martínez – a barber for the last decade – is looking to move into a bigger shop.

“It’s always gone well, but after Carlos, it’s been a lot more,” he says. “I never leave here!”

Many of his customers are looking for that signature style – longer on top, with a sharp fade on the back and sides.

“People come to the shop asking for ‘the Carlos haircut.’ Lots of kids, his fans.”

Martínez has certainly come a long way since his neighbor, Alcaraz’s friend, called him to tell him one of the biggest stars in sports was coming to his shop.

“The first time, I was super nervous!” he laughs. “I 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!”

It turns out Martínez need not have been worried.

“When he arrives at the shop, he’s just another guy,” he explains. “It’s 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.

“We always try to be just us two in the shop, but there have been many times where it’s coincided with another client, so he chats with the other customers in the shop.”

So, just what does the current world No. 2 talk to his barber about?

“When there’s an important Champions League game for Real Madrid, we speak about football,” says Martínez. “I ask him how he’s feeling for the next tournament because Carlos always gets his hair cut before traveling to the tournament. So I ask him how he’s feeling, if he’s doing good, if he’s feeling motivated. We speak about anything.”

Such is the strength of their relationship – and Alcaraz’s satisfaction with Martínez’s skills – that the barber has joined his client in cities like Paris and Valencia to cut his hair while he’s competing on the tour.

In fact, Martínez speaks with pride about the fact that, over the past couple of years, Alcaraz has gone to him exclusively for his haircuts.

“Since I started to cut his hair, it’s always been me…,” he says.

“…Up until now.”

Creating a buzz

Fast forward to last Monday, when Alcaraz emerged at Arthur Ashe Stadium sporting a new buzzcut, and Martínez’s Instagram went into meltdown again.

But the severe new style, it would turn out, was not the work of Alcaraz’s trusted barber.

“New York is too far away for Víctor,” Alcaraz explained to reporters. “I felt like my hair was really long already, and before the tournament, I just really wanted to get a haircut.

“Suddenly, just my brother just – he misunderstood with the machine. He just cut it. Then, you know, the only way to fix it is just shave it off. It’s just what came, this haircut. To be honest, it’s not that bad, I guess.”

Martínez, on the other hand, is far from convinced by what he calls a “strange” style.

“I asked Carlos about what had happened, and he told me the culprit was his brother Álvaro,” laughs the barber. “I have to speak to Álvaro about what he has done!”

It’s a sentiment that is shared by world No. 17 Frances Tiafoe, who called the cut “horrendous,” but admitted it might make the Spanish star more aerodynamic.

“I’ve seen the video (of Tiafoe) and I laughed because I said the same thing: ‘Now, he’s going to be faster!’” remarks Martínez.

Nonetheless, even in spite of any potential advantages, Martínez doesn’t believe Alcaraz will be asking for the buzzcut next time he walks through the door of his shop back in El Palmar.

“He’s not going to do this again!”

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