John McEnroe (Wiesbaden, Germany; 66 years old) has a weakness. And that’s how he is, he can’t contain himself: “Everyone knows that Alcaraz’s game excites me.” The American, a cult tennis player, also broke rules and molds in his day, and now enjoys the dizzying talent of the current number one, who will finally not face Jannik Sinner in the final this Sunday (9.30). In any case, he surrenders to the new binomial: “They go very fast.” These days he is a commentator for Eurosport and HBO Max, which exclusively offer the Australian Open, and takes time to kindly respond to EL PAÍS’s questionnaire.
Ask. To what extent do you consider Alcaraz’s decision to dispense with Juan Carlos Ferrero more or less risky?
Answer. There are a lot of people talking about it. Ferrero was very involved for many years, but there is surely a compelling reason behind it. For these types of players as good as him, they already know most of the things they are told; As the games progress they are constantly processing things in their heads. The information they receive from the bench serves, above all, to keep them in the right mental state: focused, intense and prepared for any situation.
P. Can you imagine training him one day?
R. Honestly, someone like me—or even this cap [que lleva puesta]— could coach these players, maybe even the top-3 of the world. But, I think that to win 10, 15 or 20 Grand Slams you need someone to make that little difference. That’s where great coaches can influence. And I don’t think I’m in that category…
Train him one day? I would just pat him on the back before jumping onto the court.
P. Do you think it is correct? Or would it be necessary to complement her with some higher profile figure, with previous experience as a frontline player?
R. Carlos is a great player and knows perfectly well who he needs to have around him to get the most out of his qualities. If you have decided to work only with Samuel it is because you are convinced that that is what you need right now. An athlete’s professional career has many different stages, and at this time he may simply need a change in the way he works. We don’t know what the future will bring, but I think he has analyzed his current level well and knows what he wants to strengthen, or what he needs at this moment.
P. If you were given the choice, who would you like to train more, him or Sinner?
R. I have great respect for both of them. Darren Cahill [técnico del italiano] and his team have done a fantastic job, and both are surrounded by very solid coaching staffs. Those who have heard me comment on the games know that; It is crazy what he is capable of doing on a tennis court, and he is not even a particularly tall player; Maybe he’s half a centimeter taller than me… Honestly, I would enjoy either of them, all I would do is pat them on the back and wish them luck before they hit the court. I don’t know to what extent I would really have anything to say to them.
P. From a technical, strategic and mental point of view, which of the two has evolved the most since they reached the elite?
R. I honestly think that both Sinner and Alcaraz have evolved very quickly in all aspects of the game. We see how in big tournaments they are able to apply important technical variations in their style, and that directly influences the results. Both maintain their essence and their brave spirit, but they also know how to compete in a very intelligent way. They represent today’s tennis: a new generation that combines emotion and technical excellence. In my time, all this was unthinkable… We are very lucky to be able to enjoy both.
P. At its maximum level, which is more powerful, more difficult to stop?
R. I can’t choose. I think when they are at their best, they are both almost unstoppable for anyone. It’s like comparing the best versions of Pete Sampras, Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andre Agassi… Or my own. All I can do is enjoy and get excited when I see them compete, especially in big tournaments like this.
How can someone, at his age, maintain that desire and for as long as Djokovic has done?
P. Are you worried that, in this progressive search for efficiency, Alcaraz could end up losing its spectacular nature?
R. Not at all. If Carlos has shown anything since he appeared, it is a maturity inappropriate for his age. He knows his strengths very well and is trying to correct those aspects of his game with which he is not completely satisfied. He wants to improve without losing sight of the great qualities he has, in addition to having a winning mentality. It is true that, and I agree that there are obvious similarities. Living with that kind of pressure isn’t easy, and I think he’s handling it the best he can. Always being at the top and maintaining that level is very complicated. The same goes for Sinner: it is impossible to always be at your best and win every match.
P. Were you surprised by Djokovic’s feat in the semi-finals?
R. We probably assumed that the student was a little better than the teacher, and much younger, and presumably more ambitious… But in the end it was the teacher who taught the student. And that is a key point: How can someone, at their age, maintain that desire and for so long to get so far? Novak has had to work hard.
P. Do you think that, finally, the Serbian – he will turn 39 in May – has been gaining greater recognition in the last two years?
R. It’s absolutely incredible that he made it to the final. But, beyond the numbers, the amazing thing is how Novak raised his level after [en cuartos] and after not having played much [no saltó a la pista en los octavos por la renuncia de Jakub Mensik, lesionado] before doing it against Jannik. To rise to this level and then win is just incredible.
P. And what do you expect from the final?
R. History is going to be made, whoever wins. Both are chasing a record [los 25 grandes el balcánico y completar el círculo de los cuatro grandes el de El Palmar]. Carlos is number one in the world. Novak beating number two and then number one in a row is something that has only happened seven or eight times in the Open Era [a partir de 1968]. That’s something incredibly difficult to achieve.
