Brad Gilbert explains the key similarity Carlos Alcaraz shares with John McEnroe

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Carlos Alcaraz is cruising through the Shanghai Masters, just as he did in Beijing, seeking to add to his first-ever ATP title in the Asian swing of the tour.

What he has already achieved, for his age, is simply mesmeric, and he truly threatens to forge a legacy set to rival some of the greatest of all time.

It’s a testament to his talent that already John McEnroe is being brought into conversations regarding the four-time Grand Slam champion.

Brad Gilbert may have split from Coco Gauff earlier this year, but he has not relented from keeping his voice heard within the tennis scene.

Brad Gilbert compares Carlos Alcaraz to John McEnroe

Taking to X after Carlos Alcaraz‘s routine first-round victory over Shang Juncheng at the Shanghai Masters, Gilbert, who coached Coco Gauff to US Open success last year, was full of praise for the Spaniard.

And with good reason too, with the 21-year-old having shown no hangover from his gruelling triumph in Beijing where he beat Jannik Sinner in the final of that ATP 500-level event.

In fact, in referencing Alcaraz, Gilbert actually sought to make a legendary comparison, citing his compatriot John McEnroe as someone who does one key trait very similarly to the young superstar.

He wrote: ‘Watching replay escape from Alcaraz, thinking about his creativity and movement at the net, are simply amazing. Someone else at the same age that was so good at that Johnny Mac.’

Carlos Alcaraz is already forging an all-timer legacy

It might seem ridiculous to say, but it is a very valid argument to suggest that it will not take long for Alcaraz to surpass McEnroe’s legacy within the sport.

After all, at his ridiculously young age, the former already has four Grand Slam titles, and is therefore just three away from matching what the American managed across his illustrious career.

Not only that, but he actually already has more major titles than any of the Big Three had managed at his age, having become the youngest ever to win a Grand Slam on all three surfaces.

There’s nothing he cannot do, adapting to every obstacle and turning it into an advantage.

With power and pace in abundance, and the artistry to execute magical moments too, he will surely finish his career with an all-time record across all competitions in tennis.