John McEnroe’s brother names three ATP players he thinks could win their first Grand Slam soon

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Patrick McEnroe has named the players he thinks are most likely to win their first Grand Slam sooner rather than later.

2024 has given the clearest signs yet that men’s tennis has ushered in a new era.

Carlos Alcaraz, 21, and Jannik Sinner, 23 shared the season’s four Grand Slams between them, while players such as Jack Draper, Ben Shelton and Tomas Machac have all enjoyed the best year of their careers so far.

With the days of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic all dominating the majors now in the rearview mirror, McEnroe assessed who will be the next to break through at the highest level.

Who does Patrick McEnroe think will be the next players to win their first Grand Slam?

There are several young players who have impressed on the ATP Tour in recent seasons. Shelton burst onto the scene in 2022 after quitting college early to turn professional and it is a decision that has paid off.

He has already been in the ATP’s top 20, ahs two titles to his name and reached the 2023 US Open semi-finals. He is one of the names that McEnroe mentioned, in addition to the Czech pair of Machac and teenager Jakub Mensik.

Machac achieved his best results at all four Grand Slams in 2024, and is ranked inside the top 30 for the first time, while Mensik is at a career-high ranking of 51, reached his first final and claimed his first top 10 wins in 2024.

“Maybe it’s a Machac or Mensik, very physical players, very athletic,” McEnroe told Tennis Channel. “Shelton has the most upside and even watching him at the Laver Cup, which I have been lucky enough to do the last two years.

“Even watching him play that match with Alcaraz he lost in straight sets but for the first seven or eight games it was like tennis in a different stratosphere.

“He couldn’t do it for two sets and to do it for five sets in another story, but he did it for eight games. So if he can do it from eight games and match Alcaraz in the athleticism department and shot making department maybe he is the guy.

“He certainly has the belief and he’s not intimidated by those guys. You’re right, he may be the American guy with the most upside.

Which young ATP players have come closest to winning a Grand Slam?

Of the ATP’s next generation, Shelton came close to winning his first major at the 2023 US Open.

He defeated compatriot Frances Tiafoe to reach the semi-finals, where he lost to Djokovic, who went on to win the title.

British number one Draper reached the same stage at Flushing Meadows this year, but was beaten by World number one and eventual champion Sinner.

Felix Auger Aliassime has also reached the US Open semi-finals, while Holger Rune, who was tipped to be part of a new ‘Big 3’ alongside Alcaraz and Sinner, has yet to reach a major semi-final.