McEnroe: Carlos Alcaraz is Most Complete Player I’ve Seen
By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, September 22, 2025
Photo credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty
John McEnroe has spent a lifetime in the sport.
Hall of Famer McEnroe declares Carlos Alcaraz the most complete player he’s seen—and a game-changing champion as well.
Speaking to Tennis Channel’s Steve Weissman at Laver Cup in San Francisco, McEnroe, who grew up idolizing Rod Laver and formed the famed “Fire and Ice” rivalry with tennis prodigy Bjorn Borg, says no champion he’s seen has the skill set of the 22-year-old champion.
“I’ve watched tennis for 50 years—longer in a way—and obviously we went through a period, I mean I idolized Rod [Laver], I just said that,” McEnroe said. “I got to play against Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl. My three greatest rivals.
“Along came these nobodies—what’s their names Becker, Edberg, Agassi, Sampras. You’re like: Oh my God this is amazing. And then to top it off you get Roger, Rafa and Novak. And you’re like: I’m looking at the three greatest players that ever lived.
“And suddenly, somehow, along comes this other guy from Spain. I remember seeing him, he was probably 17. Hey this guy’s got some talent, that guy’s pretty quick out there. I never in my wildest dreams, I’ll tell you of all the players I’ve ever watched at this age, I’ve never seen a player this good, this complete the last two, three years.”
"I've never seen a player this good, this complete."
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) September 19, 2025
John McEnroe heaps praise on @carlosalcaraz 👑#LaverCup pic.twitter.com/1H8mHwNDv0
Six-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz not only owns devastating all-court skills, says McEnroe, he has a disarming positive presence on court.
Devoted serve-and-volleyer McEnroe asserts Alcaraz, already one of the best volleyers in the game, will change the sport by reviving the front-court game that Sampras himself declared dead after his retirement.
“And with that damn smile that you have, I’m very jealous of that,” McEnroe said. “Thank God for Carlos Alcaraz and what he’s bringing to the table…
“You don’t see the volleying that much [in today’s game]. But I think that’s gonna change because of him. You talk about a breath of fresh air when we desperately needed it. When we thought: Oh my God, what are we gonna do? These three guys are finished. Two quit and Novak looks human all of a sudden.
“So to have [Alcaraz] and Jannik come in and now the other guys have gotta chase and try to catch up, it’s really awesome.”
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