Patrick McEnroe has done it again. He can’t catch a break! Although he might confidently sit behind the mic during important matches, some of his statements have been questioned. Remember how he called World No. 35 Matteo Arnaldi “complete unknown”? He also made a similar statement about Nicolas Jarry. But now, McEnroe is under fire for a seemingly innocent question about Grigor Dimitrov
Dimitrov, who started his season with a title triumph at the 2024 Brisbane International, has jumped to the 10th spot in a bit of a shocking development. Nevertheless, his third-round match against Belgium’s Zizou Bergs at the French Open was poised in his favor at 6-3,2-1. But the weather had different plans. The match was delayed; worries abounded about whether Dimitrov could keep up the fiery performance.
Patrick McEnroe, former ATP player and brother of also retired John McEnroe, then nonchalantly posted on X, “Could Grigor actually win this thing ??” Did he mean the Grand Slam overall? Or the match against Bergs? Without a doubt, Grigor Dimitrov has looked pretty impressive this season. The new number 10 currently has a win-loss record of 24-8 (75%). But is it enough to put him in the rider’s seat at the mega clay court slam? The online tennis community doesn’t think so! Let’s not forget that the world number 1 and number 2 are still a part of this tournament.
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Although McEnroe chose four contenders for the French Open title in 2024, the world number one, two, or even three were missing from the list. While Dimitrov certainly won against Zizou Bergs, Novak Djokovic is still kicking around in Paris. And so are Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
Could Grigor actually win this thing ??
— Patrick McEnroe (@PatrickMcEnroe) May 31, 2024
But Patrick McEnroe, well known for voicing some controversial opinions on social media much like his brother, opted to pick Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud, and Grigor Dimitrov as the potential favorites for lifting the title this year in Paris. Fans are, of course, furious.
Fans are still rooting for Sinner and Alcaraz; Doesn’t matter what McEnroe says about Dimitrov!
Did you know, Patrick McEnroe named Carlos Alcaraz as the favorite to win the French Open title in 2023? He stated that both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were then ‘out of form‘. And guess who ultimately won? Novak Djokovic defeated Casper Ruud in the final by 7-6,6-3,7-5 to lift his third French Open title (2016, 2021, and 2023) that season. Djokovic holds around 85% win percentage in this tournament. So, ruling him out is really a bold call! Hence, when McEnroe put up the question on X, a fan quickly jumped to the post and commented, “Djokovic said No.“
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Another fan asked him what made him snub the current world number 2 and number 3. Jannik Sinner has already won three titles this season, including a major title in Melbourne. Even Carlos Alcaraz has also tasted a title triumph this year. Both of them are in good form and yet Patrick McEnroe picked a different name. Surprising? Well, one social media user had the same question. “What exactly about Sinner and Alcaraz’s form so far makes you think that Grigor has any chance?“
Carlos Alcaraz has a win-loss record of 18-5 this season. On the other hand, Jannik Sinner has recorded a staggering 28-3 this season. Relating to his extraordinary form this year, another one wondered, “Have you seen Jannik Sinner play?“
Another person wrote, “Tournament starts > Wow those are some amazing points > Could Grigor actually win this thing? (McEnroe’s tweet) > Ok, it’s just one break, he can comeback > UFEs his way out of the tournament.” The fan clearly wanted to highlight how the tennis legend got a little carried away with Grigor Dimtrov’s decent run in 2024. They questioned Patrick McEnroe, “First time experiencing the cycle?“
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An X user had a very straightforward answer to McEnroe’s question. “Hey Patrick just want to pitch in here! No.” Now, it’ll be interesting to see if Dimitrov stands a chance against the Top 3 in the men’s tour. What do you think?
UPDATE: Grigor Dimitrov won against Zizou Bergs 6-3, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-4. He will face Hubert Hurkacz, the No. 8 seed, in the next round.