Tennis legend John McEnroe has raised an interesting concern about Carlos Alcaraz – it’s not his talent or achievements that worry him, but his height.
At just 6 feet tall, Alcaraz might face growing challenges in a sport increasingly dominated by towering players.
The tennis world has seen a major shift over the last two decades. The sport’s biggest stars – Djokovic, Nadal, Federer, and Murray – are all over 6 feet tall. And the new generation? They’re even taller.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| es Carlos Alcaraz | 21 | 68,791 | 25 - 5 |
Take Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev. Both stand at an imposing 6’6″. Jannik Sinner, who’s had an incredible 2024, comes in at 6’4″.
Speaking of Sinner, he’s been absolutely crushing it this year. He grabbed his first Grand Slam titles at both the Australian Open and US Open, won the ATP Finals in front of his home crowd in Turin, and helped Italy win back-to-back Davis Cup titles.
Alcaraz hasn’t exactly been slouching either. He picked up two more Grand Slams in 2024 – the French Open and Wimbledon – bringing his total to four. He also won at Indian Wells.
But here’s where McEnroe’s worry comes in. On the “Served with Andy Roddick” podcast, he couldn’t help but notice how the game is changing.
“These guys are 6’6″ and standing 50 feet behind the baseline,” McEnroe said. “They’re willing to run 25% more than their opponents.”
He’s absolutely blown away by Alcaraz’s talent though: “This guy’s the greatest talent that I’ve seen in the last 20 years. It is the most pleasure to watch Alcaraz maybe than I’ve ever seen, certainly at this age.”
But that height difference? It’s a real concern for McEnroe.
“I worry only because he’s 6 feet and a half inch tall,” he explained. “These other guys are going to drive him absolutely nuts. He’s going to play these guys that just serve out of a mountain and get frustrated.”
We’ve already seen glimpses of this frustration, especially toward the end of last year. And with players like Medvedev and Zverev using their height advantage more strategically, it’s something Alcaraz will need to figure out.
Sure, Alcaraz has already achieved more than both Zverev and Medvedev at this point in his career. But in tennis, the game is always evolving. Only time will tell if McEnroe’s height concerns become a real issue for the young Spanish star.
