ESPN tennis analyst Patrick McEnroe has made a bold prediction for the upcoming U.S. Open, forecasting that American Ben Shelton will win the men's singles title. This would mark the first time an American man has claimed the U.S. Open singles championship since Andy Roddick in 2003.
McEnroe attributes this prediction to a confluence of factors, including the withdrawal of Jannik Sinner due to a knee injury and Carlos Alcaraz's limited tournament play since early spring. "It’s opportunity for the rest of the field," McEnroe stated in an interview with the New York Post. "If you’re Ben Shelton, or Taylor Fritz, or Alexander Zverev or any of these other guys that are sort of second-tier guys, you got to be licking your chips right now that this could be [their] one chance."
He specifically highlighted Shelton's recent success, noting his strong summer performance, including a win at the Canadian Open. McEnroe sees Shelton as having the most upside among American men and possesses a game that can match up well with potential top contenders. "I think Shelton has a decent game to match up with him," McEnroe said. "Clearly, if they played late in the tournament, that would mean that Alcaraz is feeling pretty good and would likely be the favorite if they do play, but I think if ever there were an opportunity for Big Ben to kind of put it all together, this would be the spot."
McEnroe also touched on the current state of men's tennis, describing Alcaraz as the "most electrifying player" and noting how he and Sinner have dominated the sport. However, he pointed out the increasing frequency of injuries among top players, including Alcaraz and Sinner, raising concerns about the tour's schedule. "These are two young players, two extremely fit players, athletic players, and both of them now missing significant time this year due to injury."
When assessing Alcaraz, McEnroe praised his "ultimate shotmaker" abilities and athleticism, suggesting his intense playing style might contribute to injuries. For Shelton, McEnroe highlighted his "monster serve, big forehand" and intangible qualities like "moxie" and swagger. He believes Shelton's potential lies in refining his tangible skills to match his strong mentality.
Regarding other American players, McEnroe described Learner Tien as an "unbelievable ball striker" who needs to develop more physicality. Taylor Fritz is recognized as a meticulous player with a "pure serve" and strong groundstrokes, whom McEnroe considers an "overachiever." He also mentioned potential dark horses like Rafael Jodar and Joao Fonseca.
In the women's game, McEnroe sees more unpredictability. While Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, and Iga Swiatek have established themselves, he noted the potential of players like Mirra Andreeva and Marta Kostyuk, stating, "I could probably give you double-digit number of women that could win the tournament." He specifically picked Swiatek to win the women's title, citing her more strategic approach to the game. For Coco Gauff, he identified her serve as a persistent issue despite her athleticism.
McEnroe also reflected on his own career, including his doubles win at the 1989 French Open and his quarterfinal appearance at the 1995 U.S. Open against Boris Becker. He also discussed his broadcasting career with ESPN and his role as president of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. He expressed a hope that his legacy will be one of someone who "loved tennis and spread the gospel and was someone that was great to work with or work for."