John McEnroe identifies eight players who could win the Australian Open men’s title
Tennis great John McEnroe has named Novak Djokovic as the “big favourite” to win the 2024 Australian Open but feels there are eight contenders for the men’s title.
The seven-time major singles champion also identified Grigor Dimitrov and Sebastian Korda as the players most likely to “sneak through” and challenge the favourites.
Djokovic is looking to win an 11th Australian Open title and a 25th Grand Slam crown overall at the tournament he has won more times than any other.
The world No 1, who won three of the four majors in 2023, has won the Australian Open the last four times he has competed and has not lost at the event since 2018. The 36-year-old Serbian downed Stefanos Tsitsipas in last year’s final.
World No 2 and two-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz will be making his first appearance at the Melbourne major since 2022, having missed lat year’s edition through injury.
Third-ranked Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion, was a runner-up at the Australian Open in 2021 and 2022, losing to Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in the respective title matches.
Speaking to ESPN, McEnroe was asked which players he could see sneaking through to challenge the big names and main contenders.
“I don’t see anyone sneaking through, to be honest. I see a handful of guys, eight guys, that could win it. Obviously Novak being by far, if he’s healthy, the guy that would be the big favourite,” the 64-year-old American said.
“If I had to pick one guy that could potentially sneak through, if you want to call it that, and I’m really happy that I see this late in his career, that he has the potential to do something that he’s never even come close to doing, I would pick Grigor Dimitrov.
“The guy looks as good as the top five or six guys. I would consider that completely sneaking through, even though he’s like 12 or 14 in the world.
“Then the obvious: [DaniilMedvedev, Sinner, Alcaraz, Djokovic, Rune, Zverev. Tsitsipas has been in the finals there a couple times (once). Those guys. Then Ben Shelton I believe is going to win majors.
“Sebastian Korda, would you call it sneaking through? Maybe he’d be sneaking through. I don’t know if physically he’s ready to make that move yet. He’s got an unusual problem: he needs to put on weight, get stronger. Normally you are always like, I have to get really fit.
“Still I’d be surprised not to see the top guys do it.”
The former world No 1 also commented on the wrist injury concern over Djokovic and the withdrawal of Nadal due to a hip problem.
“Novak has been injured allegedly the last couple years and won the event handily. So we’ll see. Obviously he’s won it 10 times. Who would have thought that could have happened. Then again you look at Rafa who won the French 14 times,” he added.
“It’s a little bit of a bummer because Rafa is not playing obviously. You still got these youngsters that are trying to step up. Carlos hasn’t been there for a couple years.”
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