Tennis icon John McEnroe is remembered for his legendary tennis battles and entertaining outbursts. He also experienced turbulent times off the court. Today he turns 65
Only sometimes does John McEnroe still get off on the wrong foot, and then he breaks through, the snotty old man.
“Age”, says the once feared boor, is “a bitch”. A bitch, in other words, an indomitable opponent that not even “Big Bad John” can counter with all his fury. Now 65 years old, McEnroe has long since taken refuge in humor and entertains his fans almost as well as he did in his angry days as a tennis pro.
Although those days were many years ago, the US-American has never left the show stage of the professional tour. McEnroe still tours the world with the tennis circus: as a consultant, TV pundit and clownish entertainer who can look back on a rich life – also rich in private dramas.
“You cannot be serious “
Born in Wiesbaden on February 16, 1959, the son of an Air Force soldier was already different from the others as a player, and he never wanted to fit in.
“You can’t be serious”, he would hurl at the referees when he felt he was at a disadvantage again: “You can’t be serious. He scolded them, maltreated rackets, net posts, ice chests, chairs and flower boxes in his resentment and left the court in a rage when something didn’t suit him at all. In 1990 at the Australian Open, he was disqualified after insulting the tournament referee in the worst possible way
As crude as McEnroe could swear, his game was just as subtle. His touch, his ingenious touch on the volley, is still unrivaled to this day; he triumphed four times at the US Open and three times at Wimbledon. McEnroe was at the top of the world rankings for 170 weeks at the beginning of the 1980s, but his greatest matches are remembered more than his successes – he won a total of 77 tournaments in singles and 72 in doubles. Not least thanks to his great opponents
McEnroe vs. Borg – a legendary duel
The Wimbledon duels between McEnroe and the Swede Björn Borg are legendary; the fourth set in the 1980 final went down in tennis history as the “Battle of 1816” and provided the template for the 2017 film “Borg vs. McEnroe”. McEnroe won that almost legendary tie-break 18:16 before Borg triumphed for the fifth and final time at Wimbledon with an 8:6 win in the final round.
He also fought great final battles with compatriot Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl, and the “battle of the century” in the 1987 Davis Cup in Hartford, when McEnroe’s genius had to succumb to the elemental force of Boris Becker after more than six hours, remains unforgotten.
In his final year of his career in 1992, McEnroe almost pulled off a major coup at Wimbledon, where he made it to the semi-finals before falling to eventual winner Andre Agassi. Instead, he won his ninth major title in doubles, together with Becker’s compatriot and intimate enemy Michael Stich.
John McEnroe: Turbulent marriage to Hollywood star
“Big Mac” was born for drama, both on and off the court. His first marriage to Oscar winner Tatum O’Neal (“Paper Moon”), from which three of his five children were born, ended in divorce in 1992 – including a war of the roses. In 1998, McEnroe was granted sole custody because the daughter of Hollywood great Ryan O’Neal, who died in December, was addicted to heroin.
McEnroe was supported by his second wife, singer Patty Smyth (not to be confused with Patti Smith), and his love of tennis.
At the age of 47, McEnroe celebrated a highly acclaimed comeback and promptly won the doubles title in San Jose. On the senior tour, he continues to thrill fans who can’t get enough of his playful tantrums.
As amusing as John McEnroe still is in his old age as a TV oddity, he had the greatest entertainment value as Super Brat – as the only true boor on the tennis tour.
