McEnroe's desperate initiative that could endanger the Grand Slams

Carlos Navarro - 29 Sep 2026 | 11:55
John McEnroe grand slams Grand Slam ATP

The American was outspoken and called for a drastic change during the Laver Cup to financially help the players. His solution would blow a major tournament apart.

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McEnroe calls for a boycott of the Slams.

If there’s one thing we know about John McEnroe, it’s that he is a guy who doesn't hold back. Sharp-tongued, lively, and cheeky, that has been his personality since he stormed the throne of tennis as a young boy to this day, where he offers his insights on our sport as an analyst and expert. He was also a key figure since the beginning of the Laver Cup, serving as the captain of Team World until a couple of seasons ago when he passed the baton to Andre Agassi.

Not having played the game doesn’t mean he hasn’t intensely followed the experience. Specifically, he did so from London itself, where he witnessed the triumph of the European team, who reclaimed the crown led by Yannick Noah. From there, after being in direct contact with the players, the New Yorker dropped a bombshell, one of many he has left us with in recent times, although this one is loaded and refers to something that has already been raised throughout the year.

McEnroe calls for a boycott of the Grand Slams: here is his proposal

Johnny Mac is clear: the only way to achieve real change in tennis is to boycott one or two Grand Slams. The American supports the players in their protests and demands, making it clear in a column for The Athletic that the share of the pie that reaches them is too small compared to what the Grand Slams bring in, which do not offer the tennis players the amounts they truly deserve. Is he calling for a revolution? Would that be going too far? That will be up to the viewer, but his arguments are clear: either the tennis players take action, or large-scale changes will not happen.

"The only way to change things, in my opinion, is with a boycott of one or two Grand Slams. From my point of view, the players should be partners of the tournaments; instead, they only receive a small portion of the revenue,” the American stated clearly, who also weighed in on another highly controversial aspect: the mandatory nature of the vast majority of major events and the ATP ranking point system, leaving a proposal that would change everything.

"Players should play the tournaments they want. Do you only play six but win them all? Then you can be the number one in the world. The idea that you have to play twenty tournaments a year is, given the results of the current top-15, something that does not allow tennis players to show their full potential. This is nothing new; it’s something we’ve always talked about. If we compare it to the past, many things have changed, but it remains a problem that we must solve." A completely free ranking and a system where the player has total control over what they play. More open draw Masters 1000? More stars in other events? Free rein for exhibitions to take priority? Curious words from a McEnroe who, indeed, is very clear that the current structure of tennis needs to change. Do you agree with him?

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La desesperada iniciativa de McEnroe que podría poner en peligro a los Grand Slams