‘Rafa is going to be the guy’ - Eurosport expert John McEnroe backs Rafael Nadal to top the next world rankings

Rafael Nadal has been tipped to become the new world No. 1 by Eurosport tennis expert John McEnroe, who “can’t believe” the 22-time Grand Slam winner is not guaranteed top spot in the ATP rankings. Current world No.

3 Nadal comfortably dismantled Frenchman Richard Gasquet on Sunday night as he progressed to the last 16, whilst top-ranked Daniil Medvedev was eliminated following a loss to Nick Krygios. Ad Ahead of Nadal’s fourth round match against Frances Tiafoe, McEnroe has expressed disbelief that the Spaniard isn’t guaranteed a place as world No. 1 in the next rankings update.

US OpenUS Open order of play, day 8 — When are Nadal, Swiatek, Alcaraz playing?20 HOURS AGO “I think Rafa [Nadal] is going to be the guy,” McEnroe claimed. “I don’t know how it plays out and if he’ll play much the rest of the year but look at it — he’s won Australia, he’s won the French, he got to the semis at Wimbledon. “The guy is heads and tails, I can believe that he won't be guaranteed No.

1 already.” Teenager Carlos Alcaraz, and Norwegian rising star Casper Ruud have been in the spotlight this year, both players tipped by McEnroe to threaten Nadal for a space at the top of the rankings, but admitted either player leapfrogging Nadal would be “beyond belief”. “Shows you how well [Carlos] Alcaraz and [Casper] Ruud, who got to the French Open final, [have been playing],” McEnroe said. “That would truly be remarkable, I must say.

“Alcaraz is one thing — he’s stepped it up so big. I mean God! He’s only 19. So if either one of those guys hits No.