Tennis legend John McEnroe made a staggering claim after Carlos Alcaraz reached the third round of the 2025 US Open on Wednesday. The American has never shied away from showing his fondness for the 2022 champion, and after the Spaniard downed Italian Mattia Bellucci 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 in his second-round tie, McEnroe hailed him as the "most talented" tennis player he has ever seen.
Ranking him above the Big Three - Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, McEnroe told ESPN: "This kid, at 21 or 22, is the most talented guy I've ever seen on a tennis court."
McEnroe was further asked to pick between contemporaries Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz - whose rivalry has shaped men's tennis since the exit of Federer and Nadal. "You expect two great players in any sport to give their best. In my opinion, if both give their best, Carlos Alcaraz is the better overall player," he explained.
"If he's at A- or lower, Sinner is going to beat him. That's what it all comes down to," McEnroe clarified. He added, however, "This Carlos Alcaraz, at 21 or 22, is the most talented kid I've ever seen on a tennis court."
'Big Mac' went even further. "That beats Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, all of whom I respect a lot. I idolised Rod Laver, I played against Pete Sampras. This guy is incredibly good when he's in shape. One of the fastest players to ever grace the court, with an incredible personality and attitude. He has every shot possible. Everything," he concluded.
{{/usCountry}}'Big Mac' went even further. "That beats Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, all of whom I respect a lot. I idolised Rod Laver, I played against Pete Sampras. This guy is incredibly good when he's in shape. One of the fastest players to ever grace the court, with an incredible personality and attitude. He has every shot possible. Everything," he concluded.
{{/usCountry}}McEnroe's comment came despite Sinner ending Alcaraz's reign at Wimbledon earlier this summer. The two-time champion was aiming for a rare three-peat, but the Italian won in four sets in the final, revenge for his loss to the Spaniard in the Roland Garros final earlier in June.
Alcaraz arrived in New York on the back of a win in Cincinnati, where Sinner had retired hurt in the final after going 0-5 down in the opening set. He then produced flawless tennis in the first two matches in New York.
"If I'm honest, I thought about last year when I stepped on the court. Some bad thoughts," Alcaraz said in his post-match press conference, referring to his shock second-round exit against Botic van de Zandschulp last year. "I was nervous about it, thinking, 'Okay, I don't want to do the same thing as I did last year'."