John McEnroe never learned to be quiet, and at 67 years old, there is no reason for him to do so. The man who turned anger into art on the court remains, decades later, the most uncomfortable commentator in the room: the one who says what others remain silent about. As part of the team of experts at Eurosport and HBO Max, the platforms that offer Roland Garros in Spain, he sits down with EL MUNDO at the Philippe Chatrier facilities to talk about Carlos Alcaraz's injury that has shattered the tournament before it even began, the almost insulting dominance of Jannik Sinner, the silent war between players and organizers over money, and a young Spanish player named Rafa. Another Rafa. McEnroe gives his opinion, provokes, and laughs at himself. He hasn't changed.
Do you like what you have seen from Rafa Jódar?
With the success of Rafa Nadal, then Carlos and now another Rafa, we should take a closer look at what is happening in Spain, because you are producing incredible talents. He plays with a lot of confidence and boldness. He is not afraid. And he seems to have his head in the right place. With Carlos, in Spain, you need a joy like this. I would be surprised if in a year or a year and a half he is not in the top 10.
Does he remind you of any other player?
It's hard to say. I think he has something unique, quite unusual. He has taken things from several players. These young guys play with tremendous natural power. He is playing without fear, letting himself go. He has the natural instinct to move forward and hit the ball early, that is a great virtue.
With Alcaraz's wrist injury, what worries you more: the physical or the psychological recovery?
I am much more concerned about the physical. Carlos is as mentally tough as they come, he is at the level of Rafa, Roger, and Novak. But I think of players like Del Potro, who could never fully come back because of the wrist, and that scares me. I am not a doctor, but I believe the entire tennis world is praying for his healthy return. I certainly am.
His injury, in a way, is due to technology.
Absolutely. I never had a wrist injury like that because we didn't hit as hard. The current rackets are much lighter and they are hitting them with great force, so the impact on the arm and wrist is greater than ever. With wooden rackets, there was more flexibility. The ones now are very rigid. In Carlos's case, it may have been a one-off thing, a freak hit, but it's still a shame. He was on top of the world, having just become the youngest player to complete the Grand Slam. I hope he returns soon.
Sinner's favoritism
Could it be that Sinner will not be the champion of this Roland Garros?
If I have to choose between Sinner and any other player, I would choose Sinner, no doubt. I think most fans would do the same. Who else could have a chance? Perhaps Novak, who beat him at the Australian Open. Besides him, someone will have to play the match of their life to beat him.
What would you do to beat him?
Pray a lot, that's the first thing. And then I would try to test him with short angles and drop shots, especially on clay, where passing shots are harder to cover. I wouldn't want to be behind in the point, but maybe I would have to take more risks than I would like on the return. And hope for very hot weather, because it affects him. He has fair skin.
Is tennis predictable now?
It hasn't really been a one-man show until Carlos got injured. It was a show with two main characters, and Novak was a very good third name. Now there has been a very unfortunate turn, but it could also open the door to others. Sinner is the clear favorite, and that takes pressure off everyone else.
There is much debate about the distribution of prize money.
It is an absolute joke how little the players receive. In this Roland Garros, they will receive about 14 or 15% of the revenue: 7% or 8% for men and the same for women. It's unfair. The players should be partners of the major tournaments.
That 1984 final
In the past, there were great personalities on the court. Do you miss more players like that?
I always believe the more, the better. Alcaraz has a tremendous personality. Sinner is more reserved. Djokovic shows a lot of emotion. Ben Shelton as well. Medvedev has his outbursts. Bublik, you never know what will come out. But in general, I would like to see more character. The more emotion you see in the players, the better for the fans.
In 1984, you lost your only final at Roland Garros to Ivan Lendl after leading by two sets.
I had great support from the local crowd here and managed to turn them against me, which was quite an achievement on my part. It's a very passionate crowd: it can be amazing if you know how to handle it, but if not... I learned it the hard way.