John McEnroe sure knows how to rile up a crowd! After all, his nickname “Superbrat” wasn’t given lightly. His brilliant serve-and-volley game often took a backseat to his on-court tantrums, like his iconic “You cannot be serious!” rant at Wimbledon in 1981. Despite the drama, he dominated the early to mid-1980s, winning 7 Grand Slam singles titles and holding the World No. 1 spot for 170 weeks. He also racked up an Open Era record 77 career titles. After retiring, he brought that fiery energy into commentary — where he still loves to stir the pot!

Everyone was buzzing about the ATP French Open final, where Carlos Alcaraz toppled world No.1 Jannik Sinner. But McEnroe dropped a bold take on their chances against the King of Clay. He said, “I’m saying Sinner and Alcaraz against Rafael Nadal on clay. You would make a serious argument with both guys that they would be favored to beat Nadal. At his best!” That’s a big claim and not many were on board. Even Patrick Mouratoglou, Naomi Osaka’s coach and Serena Williams’ former mentor, wasn’t buying it.

On June 18, Mouratoglou shared his thoughts on Instagram: “I don’t think that Alcaraz or Sinner would be favorites against Nadal in a Roland Garros final because Nadal has a game that is so different from everybody else. So adapted to clay. I don’t know how they would deal with that. So that’s why I don’t think we can say that. There’s no way we can know. And considering that this guy won 14 Roland Garros. It’s difficult to think that the year after any of the two finalists would beat him.” He makes a solid point, right?

Rafael Nadal was simply unstoppable on clay. He kicked off his French Open reign with four straight titles from 2005 to 2008, starting at just 19. After a hiccup in 2009, he came roaring back to claim five more in a row from 2010 to 2014. That kind of dominance? Almost impossible to beat.

Anyone who played him knew they faced a tough challenge. Even Andy Murray, who faced Rafa twice at Roland Garros, pushed back against John McEnroe’s claim. While applauding the level Sinner and Alcaraz brought, Murray said, “Winning 20-plus majors is something exceptional and it’s easy in today’s age to forget a little bit about that. I saw some pundits saying if [Alcaraz and Sinner] went on court against Rafa at the French Open, they would be favourites going into that match with Rafa in his prime.”

Being part of the Big four and retiring just last year, Murray certainly has a clear view of the past and the present. He added, “Alcaraz and Sinner are on the path to being two of the best, no doubt about that, but it takes time to build what Roger, Rafa, and Novak had. We’ll see whether they get that.”

In the end, as Mouratoglou said, it’s impossible to judge today. Rafa has retired, and the current World No.1 and No.2 can only prove themselves on court—without comparisons to legends. Still, Carlos Alcaraz’s former coach might have the clearest view of the situation!

John McEnroe’s verdict is backed up by French Open champion’s ex-coach

Carlos Santos, who coached Alcaraz from age 5 to 12, has had a front-row seat to his incredible journey. He boldly claims Alcaraz is “Much more complete..Tennis-wise, technically speaking, he does a lot more things. The drop shot, for example.” Coming from the man who shaped his early game, that’s quite the endorsement.

Santos goes further, calling Alcaraz “a magician.” He explains, “Nadal did it well, but this guy [Alcaraz] is a magician. The slice, the volley. Rafa had good shots, very powerful, very spin-heavy, and an exceptional brain, knowing what to do on the court. Carlitos has a different, more magical type of game, one that people love. He runs down every ball, you don’t know what he’s going to do.” That kind of unpredictability keeps fans hooked.

It’s not just Santos singing Alcaraz’s praises. Big names like Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and Patrick Mouratoglou have all drawn comparisons between Alcaraz and Nadal. Even Bjorn Borg, the tennis legend and McEnroe’s former rival, weighed in: “I believe that Alcaraz will achieve the same or more than Nadal. He has the right mentality and can play on all surfaces. With a bit of luck, he will be the king of tennis.”

The conversation will keep buzzing, but one thing’s clear: tennis is moving forward. Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are setting the stage for a new era, chasing titles and making history. But, what’s your take on John McEnroe’s hot take? Share your thoughts in the comments below!