John McEnroe Causes a Stir: Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz Drawn into the Debate
John McEnroe is once again stirring up controversy by addressing one of the most sensitive issues in tennis. The former world No. 1, interviewed by “The Athletic” on the sidelines of the Laver Cup in London, argued that players should receive a larger share of the revenue generated by Grand Slam tournaments and suggested a drastic solution to achieve this: skipping one or two of them altogether.
According to the four-time US Open champion and three-time Wimbledon champion, tennis players should be considered true business partners of the four Grand Slams—not just participants. This stance comes at a particularly sensitive time, following months of discussions and threats of boycotts regarding the relationship between prize money and the revenue generated by the most prestigious events on the tour.
“Players should be partners in the Slams. The fact that they aren’t creates friction: they receive a very small share of the revenue,” McEnroe explained. “The only way to achieve this, in my opinion, is to boycott one or two of them.” These remarks are bound to cause a stir, especially since they indirectly involve even the biggest stars on the tour, from Jannik Sinner to Carlos Alcaraz. A potential boycott of the Grand Slam tournaments, in fact, could only succeed with the participation of the most influential and representative players in world tennis.
The issue concerns a request made by a group of top ATP and WTA players—including Sinner himself, Aryna Sabalenka, Alcaraz, and Alexander Zverev—aimed at gradually increasing the share of revenue allocated to players. The goal is to reach 22% by 2030, whereas the current percentage hovers around 15%.
McEnroe also addressed another issue very close to the hearts of the tour’s top players: the schedule. According to the former U.S. champion, players should have more freedom in choosing which events to compete in: “They should play the tournaments they want. If you only play in six tournaments but win them all, you should still be in the running for the No. 1 ranking,” he emphasized.
The former star then criticized the current system, which requires players to participate in numerous events throughout the season: “The idea that you have to play twenty tournaments and then count the best results doesn’t allow players to perform at their best, but we’ve been talking about these things forever—there’s nothing new here. The game has become faster and more physical; the ball is traveling faster than ever. Many things have changed, but the issue needs to be addressed.”
McEnroe’s comments come at a time when the topic of schedule management has once again become particularly relevant. In recent months, several top players on the circuit have had to deal with breaks of varying lengths due to physical issues: Carlos Alcaraz was sidelined for the entire summer, while Jannik Sinner was forced to take a break after his Wimbledon triumph—first to recharge and then to treat a knee injury that still keeps him out of tournaments today.
