John McEnroe Strangely Claims Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz Would be ‘Favorite to Beat Rafael Nadal at His Best’ in Paris

World No.1 Jannik Sinner and World No.2 Carlos Alcaraz faced off for the first time in a Grand Slam final.

John McEnroe Strangely Claims Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz Would be ‘Favorite to Beat Rafael Nadal at His Best’ in Paris

John McEnroe, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/TNT Sports, Roland Garros)

According to John McEnroe, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz would have been the favorite to beat Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros. Sinner and Alcaraz are pitted against each other in the final of the 2025 Roland Garros.

On Day 1 of the French Open, right after three matches on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Nadal bade an emotional farewell to Roland Garros where he ruled for nearly two decades, winning 14 titles. On the final day, Sinner and Alcaraz clashed- for the first first time in a Grand Slam final. Ahead of the dream championship clash, McEnroe made a strange statement involving Nadal.

You would make a serious argument with both guys that they would be favored to beat Nadal, at his best. Do I think they’re gonna reach 20, 24 [titles], either one of them? No, because that plateau is so hard. But these two guys right now, it’s like when you watch the NBA and you say nobody could be better than Michael Jordan.

John McEnroe said on TNT Sports

Sinner has met the 39-year-old three times, including twice at the French Open, losing all the matches. Alcaraz never met his compatriot at Roland Garros but in their three encounters, they faced each other twice on clay with both winning a match each.

Neither Alcaraz nor Sinner has lost a Grand Slam final but it will change on Sunday. Alcaraz is playing as a defending champion and last year, en route to his five-set win over Alexander Zverev, the Spaniard knocked Sinner in five sets in the semifinals.

The 22-year-old entered the final as the favorite to win given that he has 7-4 head-to-head over the Italian and also won their last four encounters, including in the Italian Open final which they played right before the French Open. Sinner hasn’t yet dropped a set, while Alcaraz dropped four against four different opponents.

Sinner is chasing his second title of the season, reaching the finals of all the tournaments he has played so far. Alcaraz, on the other hand, is bidding to win his fourth title and his third on clay after his victories in Monte Carlo and Rome.

John McEnroe names players he thinks could join Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz to form another Big 3

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are leading this generation of tennis players and will share six Grand Slam titles between them after the French Open final. Before reaching the championship clash, the four-time Grand Slam champion was handed a walkover by Lorenzo Musetti. Sinner later clinched a straight-set thriller to knock out 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.

Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz
Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)

The Serb once again dropped the retirement hint, saying that the French Open semifinal against Sinner could be his final match at Roland Garros. The legendary Big 3 era will come to an end once he hangs up his racket. John McEnroe told TNT Sports who he thinks could join the two young rivals to form another Big 3.

These two kids have grown into incredible tennis players, they’re fine young men and a credit to our game. The third guy, to me, should be either Jack Draper or Ben Shelton. Frances Tiafoe may be a little bit old.

Last year, Draper made it to the US Open semifinals and won his career’s biggest title at Indian Wells en route to knocking out Alcaraz in the semifinals. He also made it to the Madrid Open final, losing to Casper Ruud.

In Paris, he was knocked out by Alexander Bublik in the fourth round. Shelton is a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist, reaching the last four at the 2023 US Open and this year’s Australian Open.

Also read: Novak Djokovic Is Confident His “Special Charm” at Wimbledon Will Bring out the Best in Him