"Ludicrous to say Novak Djokovic isn't best player, even if Daniil Medvedev gets No. 1" says John McEnroe

Daniil Medvedev could possibly overtake Novak Djokovic as the number one player on the rankings in 2022 but John McEnroe thinks it's bonkers to suggest he is the better player.

Novak Djokovic will lose all his Australian Open points after not being able to take part in the event. Daniil Medvedev could replace him as the number one player in the world if certain things happen but John McEnroe is not willing to crown him the best player in the world if he does get the number one ranking.

He said:

"Let me put it a little perspective, it's a long year. I think what really matters when you become No. 1 and it's still a great honour whenever it happens, it's who's No. 1 at the end of the year. The final rankings before, when all four majors are played, when all the tournaments have been played, this is the very beginning of the year and it's still an amazing accomplishment, but you're not going to sit there and tell me that Djokovic who was No. 1, had three of the last four majors and was in the final of the US Open, isn't the No. 1 player in the world - that's ludicrous."

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Even so, Medvedev has a fan in McEnroe who was and still is impressed with the way the Russian transformed and improved his game:

“You gotta love the way he plays because it's sort of, to me, the way you try to teach kids who are learning to play the sport, get a foundation, make sure you don't beat yourself. Then eventually you start adding to your game and that's what he's done."

He further said:

“I mean, I remember, I think it was four years ago, he played Djokovic and he was playing this style. I'm like, what the hell is he doing? I mean he's pushing, he's gonna get destroyed, but he got in Djokovic's head and he got a lot of respect in the locker room for that style that he was willing to go to that point of total exhaustion and both guys were looking exhausted."