Patrick McEnroe released his expectations for the approaching 2026 US Open tournament. He pointed to Ben Shelton as a key player. He expects Shelton will break a 23-year U.S. men's Grand Slam drought at the US Open. McEnroe commented on Carlos Alcaraz in addition. He stated the returning player holds a strong chance at the 2026 competition.
These predictions for Shelton and Alcaraz demonstrate the opportunity to break the drought in American tennis. Outlets including Tennis World USA and SSBCrack covered McEnroe's statements about the athletes and the action.