John McEnroe says Carlos Alcaraz won’t reach Big Three totals

Carlos Alcaraz faces a difficult path to match the Grand Slam totals of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic because taller, powerful opponents are increasingly equipped to disrupt his game. Tennis legend John McEnroe analyzed the 23-year-old Spaniard’s career trajectory on the podcast Off Court, pointing to physical matchups and shifting competitive dynamics.

Ben Shelton Beats Alcaraz at US Open

Alcaraz returned to Grand Slam competition at the US Open following a four-and-a-half-month absence due to a wrist injury. His run ended against American Ben Shelton. McEnroe noted that while Alcaraz did not appear overly rusty, his lack of recent match play became apparent against an opponent playing the best match of his life amidst a charged home crowd.

“If you see him play, Alcaraz didn’t look like he was very rusty, but the lack of rhythm arose when facing a bigger tennis player who played the best match of his life, and who also fed off the energy in the atmosphere and the support of the public,” McEnroe stated.

Why Big Hitters Complicate Alcaraz’s Grand Slam Chase

With seven Grand Slam titles and an Olympic silver medal already to his name—including becoming the youngest player to complete the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open—Alcaraz is batiendo todas las estadísticas de precocidad posible. Yet McEnroe argues that modern opponents present a different tactical hurdle than those faced by previous generations.

“One of the reasons why I think it’s going to be so difficult for Alcaraz to get close to Djokovic and Federer in Grand Slams is that there are bigger tennis players like Shelton, who can come out and play incredible matches and even take the racket out of Alcaraz’s hands and frustrate him,” McEnroe explained.

While earlier eras featured giants like John Isner or Sam Querrey, today’s tall players match that power with baseline consistency and variety.

Post-US Open Recovery and Success in Tokyo

Despite the New York defeat—which Alcaraz notably greeted with a smile as he left the court—his overall comeback trajectory has yielded immediate silverware. Alcaraz helped Europe secure the Laver Cup title before traveling to Japan to capture the ATP 500 title in Tokyo, marking his first tournament victory since February.

McEnroe praised the Spaniard’s resilient attitude in defeat and expressed gratitude for his presence at Flushing Meadows. “Despite the loss, I think the balance for Alcaraz was positive, because as the US Open progressed, people thought Alcaraz was going to win even though he didn’t reach his best level and his body took a toll,” McEnroe said. “Still, Shelton’s victory had a lot of merit. But I want to thank Alcaraz for playing in New York; his return was extremely important for the US Open.”