Carlos Alcaraz sports John McEnroe's Nike Mac Attack sneakers in honor of the legend, receives plaudits from McEnroe at Australian Open

Carlos Alcaraz sported Nike's Mac Attack sneakers during his on-court interview after his first round match at the 2024 Australian Open on Tuesday (January 16), much to the delight of John McEnroe, for whom the shoes were initially designed.

The sneakers were created in 1984 by Nike and were made popular by McEnroe. They were his preferred choice of footwear during his time on the tour.

Alcaraz, playing his first match in Melbourne in two years after missing out on last year's edition due to an injury, overcame Richard Gasquet 7-6, 6-1, 6-2. During his on-court post-match interview, John McEnroe began their chat by pointing to his shoes from 40 years ago and thanking the Spaniard for donning them.

"Thank you for wearing those sneakers first of all, those are my sneakers from 40 years ago. Much appreciated," McEnroe said.

A self-proclaimed sneakerhead, Alcaraz has donned the same sneakers on court in the past. He wore them after his quarterfinal victory against Alexander Zverev at last year's US Open too.

McEnroe highlighted the sneakers then via his brother Patrick, who conducted the on-court interview. Alcaraz said at the time:

“Thank you, it’s a good one, right?”

Alcaraz will continue his quest for a first Australian Open title in the second round against Lorenzo Sonego. The Italian saw off Dan Evans in a thrilling first-round match 4-6, 7-6 (8), 6-2, 7-6 (4).

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Carlos Alcaraz pays tribute to Richard Gasquet post-match

Carlos Alcaraz during his first-round match against Richard Gasquet at the 2024 Australian Open - Getty Images

John McEnroe and Carlos Alcaraz heaped praise on the timeless Richard Gasquet during the post-match interview. McEnroe described him as "a good man, and a damn good player."

Alcaraz concurred that the Frenchman was a great player and called him an even better person.

"Yea, obviously Richard is a great player, but an even better person. He's been around forever, and he's a really really kind person, and we wave every single day that we see each other," Alcaraz was quoted as saying.

The Spaniard also highlighted Gasquet's backhand, echoing the sentiments of many who are in awe of it.

"You know his backhand is amazing, it's crazy the way that he hits his backhand," Alcaraz said.

He concluded by quashing any talk about his age and simply paying tribute to his greatness.

"His talent is there, and it doesn't matter his age, he is an incredible player," Alcaraz said.