“It’s insane what he can do”: John McEnroe reiterates why Alcaraz is his favorite player to watch

Former world No. 1 John McEnroe joined Eurosport’s television broadcasts during the Australian Open, where he closely followed the path taken by Carlos Alcaraz to this Sunday’s final – where he will face Novak Djokovic, the man who defeated Jannik Sinner in the semifinals.

The American made a complete analysis of the tournament’s main protagonists, from Alcaraz’s impeccable level to the surprise Djokovic gave Sinner. McEnroe acknowledged that Nole’s triumph took him by surprise. “We probably assumed that the student was a little better than the teacher, and much younger, and presumably more ambitious," McEnroe said in an interview with El Pais.

“But in the end, it was the teacher who taught the student. And that is a key point: how can someone maintain, at his age, that desire for so long and go so far? Novak has had to work extremely hard.”

The 7-time Grand Slam champion showered praise on the Serbian, who will turn 39 in May and this Sunday seeks to become the oldest Grand Slam champion in the Open Era. “It is absolutely incredible that he reached the final. But beyond the numbers, what is astonishing is how Novak raised his level after the match against Lorenzo Musetti [in the quarters] and after not having played much [he didn’t step on court in the round of 16 due to Jakub Mensik’s withdrawal, injured] before facing Jannik. To rise to this level and then win is simply incredible.”

This Sunday Djokovic will seek his 25th Grand Slam title – and 11th in the Australian Open – further increasing his record status. On the other side, Alcaraz seeks to become the youngest player to complete the Career Grand Slam, and to do so by lifting the 7th major trophy of his career.

“History will be made, no matter who wins,” McEnroe commented. “Both are chasing a record. Carlos is world number one. For Novak to beat number two and then number one consecutively is something that has only happened seven or eight times in the Open Era. That is incredibly difficult to achieve.”

The American also referred to the rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner, who have shared the last eight Grand Slam titles in 2024 and 2025 – four each. After three consecutive finals between them (Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and US Open), both have been pointed out as possible dominators for several years to come.

“Honestly, I think both Sinner and Alcaraz have evolved very quickly in all aspects of the game,” John McEnroe added. “We see how in major tournaments they are able to apply important technical variations in their style, and that directly affects the results.”

“Both maintain their essence and their brave spirit, but they also know how to adapt mentally and technically to situations, competing in a very intelligent way. They represent today’s tennis: a new generation that combines emotion and technical excellence. In my era, all of this was unthinkable... We are very fortunate to enjoy both.”

The 7-time Grand Slam champion was asked who is stronger or harder to beat, although McEnroe could not choose between them. “I cannot choose. I think when they are at their best, both are almost unstoppable for anyone. It’s like comparing the best versions of Pete Sampras, Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andre Agassi… or even myself. All I can do is enjoy and get excited when I watch them compete, especially in big tournaments like this.”

They also asked McEnroe if he would prefer to coach Alcaraz or Sinner. “I have great respect for both. Darren Cahill [the Italian’s coach] and his team have done a fantastic job, and both are surrounded by very solid coaching teams,” the American commented. “Anyone who has listened to me comment on matches knows that Carlos is probably my favorite player; what he is capable of on a tennis court is insane, and he isn’t even a particularly tall player; maybe half a centimeter taller than me.”

“Honestly, I would enjoy it with either of them; the only thing I would do is give them a pat on the back and wish them luck before they step on court. I don’t know to what extent I would really have anything to say to them.”

The American also referred to Alcaraz’s split with his long-term coach Juan Carlos Ferrero – separated during the off-season. The Spaniard now has Samuel Lopez as head coach, and Melbourne is his first event without Ferrero in the box.

“There are a lot of people talking about it. Ferrero was very involved for many years, but Carlos chose the change and surely there is a solid reason behind it,” McEnroe commented. “For players as good as him, most of the things that are said to them, they already know; as matches progress, they are constantly processing things in their heads.”

“The information they receive from the bench mainly serves to keep them in the right mental state: focused, intense, and prepared for any situation.”

The American served as Captain of Team World in the Laver Cup for seven years – in the last of them in 2024, precisely the year Alcaraz debuted in the team tournament. There, McEnroe was able to watch Alcaraz closely in his day-to-day training, and was asked if he could imagine coaching the young Spaniard.

“Honestly, someone like me – or even this cap [I’m wearing] – could coach these players, maybe even the world top 3. But I think to win 10, 15, or 20 Grand Slams, you need someone who makes that small difference. That’s where the great coaches can influence. And I don’t think I am in that category…”

Alcaraz’s playing style – sometimes unpredictable and full of spectacular shots – has often made him lose efficiency. In the last year, a more consistent Alcaraz has been seen on serve, although without leaving aside the spectacularity that makes him one of the Tour’s greatest showmen.

At least for McEnroe, it does not worry him that Alcaraz’s development over the years may reduce his spectacularity. “No, not at all. If something Carlos has shown since he appeared is maturity beyond his age. He knows his strengths very well and is trying to correct those aspects of his game he is not completely satisfied with,” commented the former world No. 1. “He wants to improve without losing sight of the great qualities he has, in addition to having a winning mentality.”

“It’s true that he is constantly compared to Nadal, and I agree there are obvious similarities. Living with that kind of pressure is not easy, and I think he is handling it as best as possible. Always being at the top and maintaining that level is very complicated. The same goes for Sinner: it is impossible to always be at your best and win every match.”