John McEnroe has found his lost broadcasting mojo. Last year McEnroe was somewhat unimpressive during his Grand Slam announcing broadcasts, not saying anything really interesting or intriguing for most of the year, which we all know he can do when he wants to. Maybe he was bored, maybe he was mailing it in, maybe he wasn’t up to taking any risks unlike his daredevil playing style, clearly McEnroe was not on his A game last year. But this year he’s been much better so far in the first few days of 2026 AO.
McEnroe actually saluted Don Budge, a legend nobody ever mentions, during the Carlos match. Brother Patrick noted if Carlos wins the title in AO he will break Budge’s record as youngest man to win all Grand Slam majors. John McEnroe told a story about the best advice he received from Budge, who used a giant grip, about a five today, revealing Carlos uses a 4.5 or 4 3/8 on his Babolat.
But I guess Mac forgot about Budge calling him and telling him to attack Lendl down the middle instead of to the corners, to take away his volleys. Budge’s advice to McEnroe resulted in McEnroe beating Lendl five or six times in a row after a losing streak.
McEnroe also praised Marcelo Rios during Novak Djokovic match yesterday, when Novak hit the jump forehand winner at 109 mph, Mac noted Rios and Michael Chang were the first two players he ever saw using the jump shot. John speculated the player loses power on that shot because the feet can’t push off the ground. McEnroe does not encourage juniors to use that shot at his academy. Patrick actually disagreed with big brother, suggesting if you have the timing to make the shot it’s an advantage because you are hitting down on the ball, which produces a different spin and trajectory.
McEnroe also used a boxing term during the Carlos match referring to Carlos being momentarily “rope a doped” by the injury of Adam Walton.
More:
“In my opinion which isn’t worth very much, especially to him, I don’t think he can hold up and beat both Sinner and Carlos after he’s already had to go through five matches.”
“In my opinion, the players have never been treated fairly, which is why the ATP was founded in the first place.”
“Tennis is too fragmented. Even PTPA was fragmented from the start, because there is already ATP. It’s a problem about 45 years old.”
AO · ESPN · John McEnroe
