John McEnroe has again singled out Carlos Alcaraz as his “favourite player” and suggested the Spaniard still has plenty of Grand Slam success ahead of him.

Alcaraz, who turned 23 in May, already owns seven major titles and is competing at the 2026 US Open, where he is attempting to defend his crown. His latest milestone came earlier this season, when he won the Australian Open to become the youngest man in tennis history to complete the career Grand Slam. He has also collected two titles each at the US Open, Wimbledon and the French Open. Alcaraz first reached the summit of the ATP rankings after winning the 2022 US Open as a 19-year-old.

McEnroe has long been impressed by the Spaniard’s athletic ability. Speaking to Tennis365 last year, he praised Alcaraz’s movement and described him as a “natural freak athlete.”

“Whoever taught him taught him well,” McEnroe said. “You’re talking about, if you had to pick the top five athletes that ever played on a tennis court, I think without a doubt he’d be one of the top five.

“So, he’s just a natural freak athlete for us that can cover the court in ways that few people have ever been able to do so.”

Alcaraz arrived at Flushing Meadows having not played for more than four months because of a right wrist injury. McEnroe then spoke warmly about the young star’s place in the sport.

“I hope Carlos has a brilliant future ahead of him. He is my favourite tennis player, just as he is for many fans,” said the seven-time major champion.

“He is incredible for our sport and has a fantastic personality. We all hope he’s okay and can continue to excel for at least another ten years. That would make him 33 — six years younger than Novak is now.

“My great rival Bjorn Borg played his last match at 25. That is the last thing we want to see happen to Carlos.

“It would be terrible if he couldn’t become the player he once was. If he stays fit, he could win at least ten more majors.”

Before the tournament began, McEnroe said Alexander Zverev was his favourite to win the title.

Carlos Alcaraz remains among the leading contenders for the US Open despite having missed four and a half months with a wrist injury. The Spaniard was sidelined from April, but his return to competitive singles at Flushing Meadows has begun in controlled fashion.

So far, Alcaraz has moved through Roman Safiullin and Jaime Faria to reach the third round, and he has only dropped one set along the way. That run has done little to alter the sense that he is the player to beat in the draw. His next opponent is Wu Yibing, who earned the meeting by defeating James Duckworth in straight sets.

Daniil Medvedev was asked about Alcaraz’s prospects after advancing himself with a straight-sets win over Sebastian Gorzny. In his press conference, he backed the idea that the biggest names are always the main reference point in major tournaments.

“I think someone like Carlos or Novak as well, even if he is 39 years old. He was the same at Wimbledon and the final of the Australian Open. Yeah, he lost here but things like this can happen. Whenever people like this are in the draw, they are the favourites,” said Medvedev.

“We have no idea how Carlos is going to feel, how his body is going to feel going later into the tournament, but he is definitely the top favourite for the title.

“Usually it’s a mix of things. It is, of course, how you played in Cincinnati and how you played in summer but we just saw Arthur Fils and Brandon Nakashima losing, they had a great summer.

“Then you see the matches that you play here, I am happy with my first two matches. I am looking forward to trying to improve my form. So every tournament is a new story and I want to try and write a good one.”

Medvedev, a former US Open champion, has also seen the path open somewhat with several seeded players already out. Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal and Novak Djokovic’s early exit have changed the shape of the event, while Rafael Jodar, Fils, Andrey Rublev, Cameron Norrie, and Matteo Arnaldi have also departed in the opening rounds. That leaves Medvedev as the sixth highest-ranked player still standing, behind only Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Flavio Cobolli, and Alex de Minaur.

Former world No. 4 Greg Rusedski has offered his view on Alex Eala’s path at the 2026 US Open, with the Filipina already through one round and drawing plenty of attention.

Eala opened her campaign with a composed 6-1, 6-2 victory over world No. 122 Mary Stoiana on Tuesday. The No. 17 seed now turns to world No. 46 Oleksandra Oliynykova in the second round, with that match set for Louis Armstrong Stadium on Thursday.

If Eala advances, the draw could become significantly more demanding. A third-round meeting with 14th seed Iva Jovic is possible, and fourth seed Coco Gauff stands as a potential opponent in the last 16.

On his Off Court With Greg Rusedski podcast, the 1997 US Open finalist focused on the prospect of an Eala-Jovic clash in round three. “That’s going to be a night session match if it happens — no question about it. It’s going to be on the Arthur Ashe stadium.

“And it’ll be interesting to see where the crowd goes on that one, because Eala mania continues. She deserves it. She’s been absolutely brilliant.”

Rusedski also said he expects Eala to handle the next hurdle with ease. “I expect her to cruise comfortably in the match coming up today [against Oliynykova],” he said.

“I think she’s just got too much game. I think she cuts through three and three (6-3, 6-3), and continues the roll.

“And we’ll probably get that Jovic-Eala match in the third round — which will be a real test for her — but I think she comes through that, and we get the fourth round we’ve all been talking about: Coco Gauff versus Eala… Arthur Ashe stadium, night session.

“But we don’t get ahead of ourselves too soon, but I think she does get through today pretty comfortably.”

He also praised her rise and popularity, noting her ranking, seeded status at a major, and growing appeal across the sport.