Tennis legend John McEnroe delivered an unexpected moment during coverage of the Australian Open, leaving his fellow pundits somewhat bewildered.
The American, who claimed seven Grand Slam singles titles during his illustrious career, went rogue and made his point about coaching in tennis by bringing an unsuspecting member of the production crew into the spotlight.
McEnroe beckoned to a TNT Sports camera operator, asking them to follow him.
He then approached a young woman working backstage.
When asked her name, the crew member responded: "Manon."
Presenter Laura Robson admitted she was initially uncertain where McEnroe was heading with his impromptu demonstration.
The seven-time major champion then revealed his reasoning behind the unusual stunt.
He said: "If Manon coached Carlos Alcaraz, he'd be second or first in the world at worst."
John McEnroe delivered an unexpected moment during coverage of the Australian Open
|TNT SPORTS
His point became clear: McEnroe firmly believes that elite players such as Alcaraz possess sufficient natural talent that they do not require extensive coaching setups to reach the pinnacle of the sport.
The American continued to challenge the notion that top-ranked competitors need a so-called 'supercoach' to achieve success, arguing instead that substantial entourages can actually prove detrimental to a player's performance rather than beneficial.
McEnroe drew on his own experiences as a player when discussing the matter, acknowledging that travelling with a large group was never something he personally favoured.
He explained: "I didn't like travelling with a lot of people.
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The seven-time major champion then revealed his reasoning behind the unusual stunt
| PAHe added: "God bless these guys, they're bringing their family, brothers, sisters, coach, physios, and cook.
"Gotta get to the semi-finals just to break even."
Despite his scepticism regarding large coaching teams, McEnroe was willing to acknowledge that certain coaches merit exceptional praise.
The American singled out Darren Cahill for the highest recognition in the profession.
John McEnroe also noted that Sinner's original coach, Riccardo Piatti, had done excellent work with the Italian
| GettyCahill currently works with world number one Jannik Sinner.
McEnroe has previously spoken to ESPN about the Australian coach.
He said: "Darren Cahill is one of the greatest coaches that you will ever see in any sport, he should be in the Hall of Fame."
McEnroe also noted that Sinner's original coach, Riccardo Piatti, had done excellent work with the Italian during his formative years, though the player eventually sought additional guidance to progress further.
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