ESPN tennis analyst Patrick McEnroe is not at the French Open for the first time in many years. He talks to The Post’s Justin Terranova about that and this year’s tournament.
Q: How does it feel to not be covering the French Open?
A: It is weird. I think it’s the first time in 15 years we haven’t been at the French Open. It is certainly disappointing, even though I understand it from a business perspective now that ESPN is used to getting every other major start to finish.
Q: Do you stay glued to the TV from home?
A: I wouldn’t say I am glued to it. I am more glued to taking my kids to school in the morning. I turn it on when I am making breakfast and I am definitely tracking it throughout the day. So, I know if there’s something I want to see then I’ll make sure I am in front of my TV to watch it. But I am living my life, and I am certainly happy that I get the Tennis Channel unlike some people in the area.
Q: Has the pressure on Novak Djokovic reached the levels it did with Roger Federer after he was shut out at the French for many years?
A: That’s my feeling. Through a lot of Federer’s dominant years he was the second-best clay court player on the planet behind Rafael Nadal, and Djokovic is even better on this surface than Federer was in his absolute prime. He’s just too good and has been too close, and I think this is Djokovic’s year.
Q: Why has Andy Murray had such trouble thus far?
A: He’s looked a little passive in his first two matches, and well, he always looks ornery. This is his best chance to get to the finals and I think that’s part of the problem. People are talking about him and I think that’s weighing on him. I give him a huge amount of credit, though, because clay is the hardest surface to improve on.
Q: Any player jump out as the biggest threat to Serena Williams?
A: The biggest threat to Serena is Serena. If she comes out and gets tight, like she did at the U.S. Open — and understandably so going for the slam — then she can get in trouble. Somebody like a Simona Halep, Garbine Muguruza certainly has the physicality. It just seems the player who has gotten to No. 2 over the course of these Serena-dominant years it’s like Kryptonite, like they can’t handle it, can’t handle getting so close to Serena.