Who would win in their prime: Alcaraz or Federer - John McEnroe attempts to analyse tantalising matchup

While not possible, there are many dream tennis matchups that have been pitched over the years, simply not possible due to the era the specific players competed in. One of the most tantalising showdowns that never occurred was Carlos Alcaraz versus Roger Federer. In their pomp it would have been a sight to behold with John McEnroe even struggling to pick a winner between the two.

Despite Alcaraz beginning his first foray into the ATP Tour as Federer still competed at the highest level, not once did they meet on court. The 20-time Grand Slam champion would retire in 2022, the year Alcaraz made his major breakthrough as a 19-year-old at the US Open while also rising to World No.1.

The two players would have made for a brilliant match. The class and variety portrayed by both would make it enthralling for the fans who would struggle to pick their favourite due to both their popularities being so high.

At the end of the day, it is all speculation when it comes to Alcaraz against Federer. Tennis fans will never know what would have occurred between the two in their prime. Nevertheless, it is a thoroughly interesting topic, and McEnroe was happy to discuss his thoughts when speaking to Tennis365.

“I would say that it would be like the match you would dream of seeing,” McEnroe said, envisioning the events that would derive from it. “I’d say that’s be, you know, 50-50, you know, the way I see it. I was gonna say it depends on what surface, but I’m not sure it depends on that."

While clay would suit Alcaraz, Federer had the edge on the other surfaces. “I guess Carlos just had more success on the clay at the French (Open). Then you’ve got to do a lot of work to catch up to Roger, Wimbledon and the US Open, but those are one of those fantasy matches you’d love to discuss.”

The American, who has regularly praised the 23-year-old, can join a long line for tennis fans with the wish of seeing this classic. Having recently taken to court with the Swiss in an exhibition, he can say first hand how good and classy he is on the court.

Alcaraz returning to tennis for the US Open was a huge moment in the campaign. After being away from the sport for over four months, it was a big ask for him to travel to New York and compete on the big stage once more. His wrist had healed, and he was hungry and determined to defend his title.

He was carrying the mantle on the ATP side of the tournament with no Jannik Sinner thanks to a knee injury. The pressure was on for him to capitalise, and his performances were very commendable as he surged through the gears towards a quarter-final date with Ben Shelton.

It turned out to be a late-night thriller with both sets of players putting on a fantastic yet gruelling display of tennis for the fortunate fans watching on at Arthur Ashe Stadium. In the end, the title defence came to a sudden halt as Shelton prevailed in a fifth-set tiebreak. Thus came to an end Alcaraz's return to the sport. A sign for things to come as he turns his attention towards Asia.

Before analysing his display, McEnroe first let loose his relief and happiness to see him competing once more. “First of all, I’m happy he came back, very happy,” he stated. “It was a great boost for the tournament. It showed a lot of heart, considering he hadn’t played in that match with Ben and at the end, it looked like he got sick a few times."

This seemed inevitable when he had not played a competitive match since the Barcelona Open. “Obviously, the most challenging thing is to, you know, not play any events and come back in a major. You’re rolling the dice a little. They must have had their reasons. I don’t know what they are."

The match went away from Alcaraz at the end, but there were chances when he could have clinched the upper hand. "He had opportunities to win that match against Shelton, even though Ben definitely played the best match by far of his life and showed incredible athleticism as well as fitness. Otherwise, he would have lost."

The seven-time Grand Slam champion concluded with the positive that Alcaraz is back smiling on court. “All things considered, it seemed like he walked off the court with a smile on his face, which is just awesome for us. And hopefully, you know, he’ll sort of be not feel the after effects and just go on from there. Tennis needs Alcaraz and it’s great to have him back.”