Patrick McEnroe Explains ‘What’s Wrong With American Tennis’ Amid Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner Dominance

Since 2024, whenever Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have competed in tournaments, most of the time, one of them ends up winning the title. In Grand Slam events, they dominated, so much so that they have won a combined 10 titles at this level.

Their duopoly in Majors was broken by Alexander Zverev in this year’s French Open. And Zverev won that title in the absence of Alcaraz (he was the two-time defending champion) and Sinner’s shock defeat to Juan Manuel Cerundolo due to cramps in the second round.

Amid all this, no player from America has tasted glory in the Grand Slams since former World No.1 Andy Roddick‘s win at the 2003 US Open, also his career’s first and only Major. Two players, Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz, have been backed to end America’s Grand Slam title drought.

Former player Patrick McEnroe, during an interview with  Yahoo Sports Daily, discussed America’s Major title drought.

But once you get to the Majors, best of five, biggest stages in tennis, if these guys [Alcaraz and Sinner] are at their best, basically, they’ve been unbeatable. So that’s been the problem for American tennis. We’ve got a lot of really good players now. In fact, we have the most top hundred players on the men’s side and women’s side of any other country. But when you haven’t won a major, people want to say, what’s wrong with American tennis? Well, there’s a lot right with it.

Fritz, in fact, came close to winning when he reached the final of the 2024 US Open but got dismantled by Sinner. Shelton has so far made two Grand Slam semifinals, at the 2023 US Open and the 2025 Australian Open.

Because, as I said, numbers-wise, we have the most players, but we need that one player who can break through and win one. That would be very nice to see. And I would be very happy to see it, to not have to answer this question for another 20-some years.

Patrick McEnroe added

Shelton, after defending his title at the Canadian Open, lost in the opening round of the Cincinnati Masters. Fritz has made the quarterfinals. Sinner and Alcaraz are not competing due to injury woes. Alcaraz was last seen in action in the first round of the Barcelona Open.

Jannik Sinner withdraws from the US Open

Jannik Sinner took to X to announce that he will not participate in the US Open. The Italian ace, who clinched the title here in 2024 and lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the final last year, is nursing a knee injury.

Even though I have been working hard with my team and my medical staff, we have now had to make the difficult decision that I will not be able to compete at the US Open this year. We have been back on court in Monte Carlo over the last couple of days and have realized that I still need more time to recover from my right knee issue.

Sinner was last seen in action in the final of Wimbledon. He beat Alexander Zverev to defend his title. It was his sixth title of the season after wins in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome.

I’m obviously very sad and disappointed, as New York has a special place in my heart. I was very much looking forward to coming back and playing in the electric atmosphere in front of the great fans there.

Jannik Sinner added

Sinner also skipped the Canadian Open, choosing to prioritize his health instead of chasing the historic Golden Masters. This is the first time since 2024 that the five-time Grand Slam champion will be ending his season with just one Major.

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