"Most talented kid I've ever seen on the tennis court": John McEnroe decides who is better between Sinner and Alcaraz

Thursday, 28 August 2025 at 20:00

John McEnroe looking seriously into the camera

Move over GOAT debate and move forward who is the best player in the current era as John McEnroe has lauded the talents of Carlos Alcaraz in particular in the new talking point which rears its head which is who is better between the Spaniard and Jannik Sinner.

Alcaraz if he claimed the US Open crown would seal a sixth Grand Slam in total at the 2025 edition of the hard court major in New York and has already broken many records including being youngest World No.1. He saw off Mattia Bellucci and as ever is on a collision course with his great rival Jannik Sinner in the fnal as they exchanged final wins in the last two majors.

But while Sinner has been a sudden emergence, Alcaraz has been a talent that has flourished for some time and has long been lauded so carries the obvious tag in the eyes of many of being the best talent on the planet. Something that McEnroe chimes with when he is asked the question. He also sees him as being as good as the so-called Big Three. Big claims.

“You want two great players in any sport to play their best,” said the seven-time major singles champion," said McEnroe to ESPN. "In my opinion, if both guys play their best, Carlos Alcaraz is the better all around player.

Debating the big question in tennis

“If he brings A- or below, Sinner is going to beat him. That is what it boils down to. This guy Carlos Alcaraz at 21 or 22 is the most talented kid I have ever seen on the tennis court.

“That is more than Roger Federer, [Rafael] Nadal and [Novak] Djokovic, who I have great respect for. I idolised Rod Laver, I played Pete Sampras. This guy is astoundingly good when he is on. One of the quickest guys who has ever been on the court, incredible personality, the attitude is amazing. He has got every shot in the book. Everything.”

Albeit Patrick McEnroe, his brother also for ESPN gives Jannik Sinner the edge in regards to at the current time but says that his Head to Head is very much hard to ignore as well as edging their last big meeting at Wimbledon. A debate that no doubt will captivate tennis minds further in the next few months.

“I give Sinner the slight edge at the moment, although when you look at just the head-to-head, it favours Alcaraz very significantly,” said the French Open doubles winner.

“But this year, you have got to look at the fact Sinner has won two of the three majors. He wins Wimbledon for the first time and overall he is more consistent.

“I think this loss here at Wimbledon is going to give Alcaraz a little bit more of an edge. He looked, for him, like a little passive in that match.

“He couldn’t believe that Sinner was just taking it to him. I think he is going to come here to New York thinking, ‘Okay, now I have got something to prove’. So I give Sinner the slight edge, but I think Alcaraz is right there and he has a little bit of a chip on his shoulder.”

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Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.

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