Growing up with a father of three boys…..who taught his sons about life through the tenets of sports…..and I mean all sports…..for Dad, whom his boys and our friends that often played with us called Pops, spent his time at home with his boys (and friends) on the playgrounds, ball fields and sports courts of Midland, Texas….while playing games of sports of all types…..which goes a long way in explaining why I became the original Sportsphile. Pops was a commercial pilot by trade…..who was away from home quite often during the decade of the 1950’s….so, when he was home, he spent his time playing pick-up games of all kinds of sports with my two brothers and I along with our friends and any other kids on the playgrounds who wanted to play…..which depended on what sport was in season….so, if it was football season, baseball season, basketball season, Wimbledon tennis week or what …..as we would grab the football, the baseball equipment, the basketball, the tennis racquets and balls etc….and we would head to Memorial Stadium and Sam Houston Elementary School…..which were across the street from where we lived on Louisiana Street…..where the football field, baseball diamond and the playground with an outdoor basketball court and two tennis courts….and we’d spend the entire afternoon (after school) and early evening playing ball until it was dinner time at the house. The truth be known, Pops favorite sport was tennis….which he would play by hitting balls against the backboard at the tennis courts whenever his boys were busy with other activities…..as Pops always carried his tennis racquet with him when he would fly to any other city….and during his down time on overnight stays, he’d go to the local tennis courts and hit against the boards until he found another single player…..with whom he would strike up a match if the other solo was interested. Pops and his 3 boys would watch every televised match throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s…..which were not very many, and typically relegated to the men’s singles finals at the US Open, Wimbledon and the French Open ….as the 3 bosy grew up on Pancho Gonzales, Ken Rosewall, Tony Trabert, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, John Newcombe and Arthur Ashe. Since Pops continued to play tennis with his boys…..whenever the opportunity would present itself until he passed at age 85 in 2012….then suffice to say, the game of tennis is very special to me and my brothers, simply for all the hours that we spent on the court with Pops throughout our lives….and this post as well as any tennis posts here at ImaSportsphile are dedicated to those memories. I do want to note that it is a true priviledge to post this story and video collection of my favorite tennis player of all time…. who is none other than the Superbrat himself, John McEnroe…..cuz “You cannot be serious.”
Tennis – 1978 To 1994 – Great Sports Legends Special – “The Legend Of John McEnroe” – Narrated by Kris Chandler
John Patrick McEnroe Jr. (born February 16, 1959) is an American former professional tennis player. He was known for his shot-making and volleying skills, in addition to confrontational on-court behavior that frequently landed him in trouble with umpires and tennis authorities. McEnroe attained the world #1 ranking in both singles and doubles….while finishing his career with 77 singles and 78 doubles titles…..which remains today in 2022 as the highest men’s combined total of the Open Era….whereby, he also remains the only male player to win more than 70 titles in both the men’s singles and the men’s doubles categories. He won seven Grand Slam singles titles, with four at the US Open and three at Wimbledon…..nine Grand Slam men’s doubles titles, with five at Wimbledon and four at the US Open…..and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title at the French Open. His singles match record of 82–3 in 1984 remains the best single season win rate of the Open Era.
Tennis – 1959 To 2018 – ESPN Classic SportsCentury – John McEnroe
McEnroe also excelled at the year-end tournaments…..while winning eight singles and seven doubles titles…..as both are still records in 2022. Three of his winning singles year-end championships were at the Masters Grand Prix, the ATP year-end event……and five were at the World Championship Tennis (WCT) Finals, an event which ended in 1989. Since 2000, there has been only one year-end men’s singles event, the ATP Finals…..which is the new name for the Masters Grand Prix. He was named the ATP Player of the Year and the ITF World Champion three times each: 1981, 1983 and 1984.
Tennis – 1974 To 1984 – Special Documentary – John McEnroe: The Rites of Passage – Narrated by Bud Collins
McEnroe contributed to five Davis Cup titles for the U.S. and later was team captain. He has stayed active in retirement, often competing in senior events on the ATP Champions Tour. He also works as a television commentator during majors tournaments.
Tennis – 1982 – Davis Cup Final – France Vs USA – Doubles at Palais des Sports, Grenoble, France – Yannick Noah & Henri Leconte Vs John McEnroe & Peter Fleming
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McEnroe was born in Wiesbaden, West Germany (present-day Germany), to American parents, John Patrick McEnroe and his wife Kay Tresham McEnroe. His father, the son of Irish immigrants, was at the time stationed with the United States Air Force….who famously revealed during a press conference in Belgium that his son “John was made in Belgium but born in Germany.” McEnroe’s Irish paternal grandfather was from Ballyjamesduff in County Cavan and his grandmother was from County Westmeath. When he was about nine months old, the family moved to the Stewart Air Force Base in Newburgh, New York…..when his father was transferred back to the US. After leaving the Air Force, McEnroe’s father worked daytime as an advertising agent while attending Fordham Law School by night. In 1961, the family moved to the Flushing neighborhood of the borough of Queens in New York City…..then to Douglaston, also in Queens, in 1963. John has two younger brothers…..with Mark (born 1964) and former professional tennis player Patrick (born 1966).
Tennis – 1977 To 1994 – Special Highlights – The Best John McEnroe Shots In His Career
Tennis – 1990 – US Open Men’s Singles Special – John McEnroe Vs Spectator
Growing up in Douglaston, McEnroe started playing tennis at the nearby Douglaston Club when he was eight. At nine, his parents enrolled him in the Eastern Lawn Tennis Association…..when he soon started playing regional tournaments…..then began competing in national juniors tournaments….and at twelve, he was ranked seventh in his age group…..and that is when he joined the Port Washington Tennis Academy on Long Island, New York.
Tennis – 2018 – In Depth With Graham Benzinger – Interview With John McEnroe – On His Parents And Them Dying Within Months of Each Other
As an 18-year-old amateur in 1977, McEnroe won the mixed doubles at the French Open with Mary Carillo…..and then made it through the qualifying tournament at Wimbledon and into the main draw…..where he lost in the semifinals to Jimmy Connors in four sets…..which was the best performance by a male qualifier at any Grand Slam tournament…..and a record performance by an amateur in the open era.
Tennis – 1991 – Special – ESPN’s Mary Carillo Interview John McEnroe After His Two Match Victories in Davis Cup Play
After Wimbledon in 1977, McEnroe was recruited by Coach Dick Gould and entered Stanford University…..where, in 1978, he led the Stanford team to an NCAA championship…..and also won the NCAA singles title. Later in 1978, he joined the ATP tour…..and signed his 1st professional endorsement deal with Sergio Tacchini. He again advanced to the semifinals at a Grand Slam, this time the US Open…..while losing to Jimmy Connors…..following which, he proceeded to win five titles that year…..which included his 1st Masters Grand Prix by beating Arthur Ashe in straight sets…..as well as Grand Prix events at Stockholm and Wembley. His late-season success allowed him to finish as the #4 ranked player for the year.
Tennis – 1978 – NCAA Men’s Finals Match Highlights – NCSt John Sadri Vs Stanford John McEnroe
Tennis – 1978 – US Open Men’s Semifinal Match – John McEnroe Vs Jimmy Conners
Tennis – 1978 – Masters Grand Prix Men’s Finals From Madison Square Garden, NYC – Arthur Ashe Vs John McEnroe – With Broadcasters Tony Trabert & Pat Summerall
Tennis – 1978 – Island Holidays Pro Tennis Classic Semifinals – Post Match Interview With John McEnroe With Bud Collins & John Newcombe – As McEnroe Loses Match After 13 Straight Victories
Tennis – 1978 – Forest Hills WTC Men’s Semifinal Ilie Nastase vs John McEnroe
In 1979, McEnroe and partner Peter Fleming won the Wimbledon Doubles title…..which was followed shortly by a win in the US Open Doubles…..then that same week, McEnroe won the men’s singles US Open title…..which was his 1st Grand Slam singles title…..as he defeated his friend Vitas Gerulaitis in straight sets in the final to become the youngest male winner of the singles title at the US Open since Pancho Gonzales…..who was also 20 in 1948. He also won the prestigious season-ending WCT Finals by beating Björn Borg in four sets. McEnroe won 10 singles and 17 doubles titles that year….for a total of 27 titles…..which marked an open-era record…..while finishing at #3 in the ATP year-end rankings.
Tennis – 1979 – US Open Men’s Singles Highlights – Ilie Nastase Vs John McEnroe
Tennis – 1979 – US Open Men’s Singles Finals – Vitas Gerulaitis Vs John McEnroe – In A Battle of the New Yorkers
At Wimbledon, McEnroe reached the 1980 Wimbledon Men’s Singles final….. which was his 1st final at Wimbledon…..where he faced Björn Borg….who was shooting for his 5th consecutive Wimbledon title. At the start of the final, McEnroe was booed by the crowd as he entered Centre Court following heated exchanges with officials during his semifinal victory over Jimmy Connors. In a 4th-set tiebreaker that lasted 20 minutes, McEnroe saved five match points and eventually won 18–16…..however, he couldn’t break Borg’s serve in the 5th set…..which the Swede won 8–6…..as this match was called the best Wimbledon final by ESPN’s countdown show “Who’s Number One?”
Tennis – 1980 – Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final Full Match – Bjorn Borg Vs John McEnroe
Tennis – 1980 – Wimbledon Men’s Finals Special Documentary – “Spirit of Wimbledon” – Featuring Bjon Borg Vs John McEnroe
McEnroe got revenge two months later…..when he beat Björn Borg in the five-set final of the 1980 US Open….then he was a finalist at the season’s last WCT Finals…..and finished as the #2 ranked player for the year behind only Borg.
Tennis – 1980 – US Open Men’s Finals – John McEnroe Vs Bjon Borg – With Broadcasters Pat Summerall + Tony Trabert – Part 1
Tennis – 1980 – US Open Men’s Finals – John McEnroe Vs Bjon Borg – With Broadcasters Pat Summerall + Tony Trabert – Part 2
McEnroe remained controversial when he returned to Wimbledon in 1981….. when following his 1st-round match against Tom Gullikson, McEnroe was fined U.S. $1,500…..and came close to being thrown out after he called umpire Ted James “the pits of the world”…..then he swore at tournament referee Fred Hoyles…..when he also made famous the phrase “you cannot be serious”…..which years later became the title of McEnroe’s autobiography….. when he shouted it after several umpires’ calls during his matches. This behavior was in sharp contrast to that of Borg…..who was painted by the press as an unflappable “Ice Man.” Nevertheless, in matches played between the two, McEnroe never lost his temper.
Tennis – 2014 – HBO Sports Documentary – Legends & Legacies – “McEnroe Borg: “Fire & Ice”
Tennis – 2017 – British Broadcast Corporation (BBC) Special – John McEnroe Vs Bjon Borg: “Clash Of Titans”
After the controversy and criticism from the British press, specifically Ian Barnes of the Daily Express…..who nicknamed him “SuperBrat”…..that was when McEnroe again reached the Wimbledon men’s singles final in 1981 against Borg…..and this time, McEnroe prevailed in four sets to end the Swede’s run of 41 consecutive match victories at the All England Club. TV commentator Bud Collins quipped after the Independence Day battle, paraphrasing “Yankee Doodle”, “Stick a feather in his cap and call it ‘McEnroe-ni’!”. The controversy, however, did not end there…..as in response to McEnroe’s on-court outbursts during the Championships, the All England Club did not accord McEnroe honorary club membership….which is an honor normally given to singles champions after their 1st Wimbledon victory. McEnroe responded by not attending the traditional champions’ dinner that evening. The honor was eventually accorded to McEnroe after he won the championship again.
Tennis – 1981 – Wimbledon Men’s Finals Rolex Golden Moment – 3rd Set Tie-Breaker – Bjon Borg Vs John McEnroe
Tennis – 1981 – Wimbledon Men’s Finals Rolex Golden Moment – Final Game and Match Point – Bjon Borg Vs John McEnroe
Borg and McEnroe had their final confrontation in the final of the 1981 US Open…..when McEnroe won in four sets…..thus becoming the 1st male player since the 1920’s to win three consecutive US Open singles titles. Borg never played another Grand Slam event. McEnroe also won his second WCT Final by beating Johan Kriek in straight sets…..and finished the year as the #1 ranked player…..and was named the Associated Press Athlete of the Year….. which was only the 2nd men’s tennis player ever, after Don Budge in the 1930’s, to be named to the honor.
Tennis – 1981 – US Open Men’s Final Full Match – Bjon Borg Vs John McEnroe – With Broadcasters Tony Trabert & Pat Summerall
McEnroe lost to Jimmy Connors in the 1982 Wimbledon final…..as Superbrat had lost only one set (to Johan Kriek) going into the final…..however, Connors won the 4th-set tiebreak and the 5th set…..then he fell in the semi-finals at the US Open that year…..and was a finalist at the WCT Finals….albeit he was able to retain the ATP’s #1 ranking based on points at the end of the year on the basis of having won significant events at Philadelphia, Wembley, and Tokyo…..but due to Connors’s victories at the two most important events of Wimbledon and the US Open, Connors was named the player of the year by the ATP and most other tennis authorities.
Tennis – 1982 – Wimbledon Men’s Singles Quarterfinal Match Point – With McEnroe Having A Hilarious Moment with A Cameraman
Tennis – 1982 – Wimbledon Men’s Singles Finals Extended Highlights – John McEnroe Vs Jimmy Connors
Tennis – 1982 – US Open Men’s Singles Semifinal Full Match – Ivan Lendl Vs John McEnroe – With Pat Summerall, Tony Trabert & John Newcombe
Tennis – 1982 – Michelob light Exhibition Match In Chicago – Jimmy Connors Vs John McEnroe Flare-Up – As Connors Crosses Over The Net To Confront McEnroe
Tennis – 1982 – Davis Cup Final – USA Vs France – Yannick Noah Vs John McEnroe
In 1983, McEnroe reached his 4th consecutive Wimbledon final…..while dropping only one set throughout the tournament to Florin Segărceanu…. and sweeping aside the unheralded New Zealander Chris Lewis in straight-sets. At the US Open, he was defeated in the 4th round…..which was his earliest exit since 1977. He played at the Australian Open for the 1st time….. while making it to the semifinals before being defeated in four sets by Mats Wilander. He made the WCT Final for the 3rd time…..and beat Ivan Lendl in an epic five-setter…..then he took the Masters Grand Prix title for the 2nd time, again beating Lendl in straight sets…..and he also won major events at Philadelphia, Forest Hills, and Wembley…..which enabled him to capture the year-end #1 ranking once again.
Tennis – 1983 – Wimbledon Men’s Singles Finals Full Match – Chris Lewis Vs John McEnroe
Tennis – 1983 – WCT Finals Match Highlights from Dallas, Texas – Ivan Lendl Vs John McEnroe – 5 Set Thriller
Tennis – 1983 – Pro Indoor Final At Philadelphia Spectrum – Men’s Finals – Ivan Lendl Vs John McEnroe – Part 1
Tennis – 1983 – Pro Indoor Final At Philadelphia Spectrum – Men’s Finals – Ivan Lendl Vs John McEnroe – Part 2
McEnroe’s best season came in 1984…..when he compiled an 82–3 match record…..which remains the highest single-season win rate of the Open Era…. as he won a career-high 13 singles tournaments….which included Wimbledon and the US Open…..as he captured the year-end #1 ranking. He also played on the winning US World Team Cup and runner-up Davis Cup teams.
Tennis – 1984 – US Open Men’s Finals Highlights – Ivan Lendl Vs John McEnroe – With Pat Summerall + Tony Trabert + John Newcombe
Tennis – 1984 – Tournament of Champions Men’s Finals At Forrest Hills – Ivan Lendl Vs John McEnroe – With Howard Cosell
Tennis – 1984 – The French Open Men’s Quarterfinals – Jimmy Arias Vs John McEnroe – With French Commentary
Tennis – 1984 – World Team Cup Tennis Men’s Finals – John McEnroe Vs. Milosav Mecir – Japanese Commentary
He began the year with a 42-match win streak…..while winning his 1st six events of the year….and reaching his 1st French Open final…..where his opponent was Ivan Lendl…..as McEnroe won the 1st two sets…..but Lendl’s adjustments of using more topspin lobs and cross-court backhand passing shots…..as well as McEnroe’s fatigue and temperamental outbursts, resulted in a demoralizing five-set loss. In his autobiography, McEnroe described this as his most bitter defeat and implied that he’s never quite gotten over it.
Tennis – 1984 – French Open Men’s Final Full Match – Ivan Lendl Vs John McEnroe
He rebounded at Wimbledon….while losing just one set in route to his 3rd Wimbledon singles title…..which included a straight-set rout over Jimmy Connors in the final…..then he won his 4th US Open title by defeating Lendl in straight sets in the final….which was after defeating Connors in a five-set semifinal. He also won his 4th WCT Final by defeating Connors in straight sets…..and took his 3rd Masters Grand Prix by beating Lendl in straight sets. His combined record against the #2 and #3 ranked players for the year, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl, respectively, was 11–1…..which included going undefeated versus Connors in 5 matches.
Tennis – 1984 – Wimbledon Men’s Finals Full Match – Jimmy Connors Vs John McEnroe – With Broadcasters Dick Enberg & Bud Collins
Tennis – 1984 – WCT Men’s Finals – Jimmy Connors Vs John McEnroe – With German Commentary
Tennis – 1984 – Volvo Masters Grand Prix Finals At Madison Square Garden – Ivan Lendl Vs John McEnroe
The year did not end without controversy. While playing and winning the tournament in Stockholm, McEnroe had an on-court outburst that soon became notorious….when after questioning a call made by the chair umpire, McEnroe demanded, “Answer my question! The question, jerk!”…..when Superbrat then slammed his racquet into a juice cart beside the court in anger….and the stadium crowd booed him…..for which he was suspended for 3 weeks (21 days) for exceeding a $7,500 limit on fines that had been created because of his behavior. As a result, he was disqualified from competing in the following week’s significant Wembley (London) Indoor tournament…..at which he was supposed to be the #1 seed…..with Connors and Lendl (the eventual winner) as the 2nd and 3rd seeds. During his suspension, he injured his left wrist in practice causing him to withdraw from the Australian Open, the 4th major of the year.
Tennis – 1980 T0 1986 – Special Career Highlights – John McEnroe: “Angry Moments”
Tennis – 1978 To 1994 – Special Highlights – John McEnroe: “Serve and Volley Perfection”
In 1985, having reached the semi-finals at the French Open, McEnroe was beaten in straight sets by Kevin Curren in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon. He reached his last Grand Slam singles final at the US Open…..and this time, he was beaten in straight sets by Lendl. He did not advance past the quarter-finals at the WCT Finals or the Masters Grand Prix…..however, he did win major events at Philadelphia (his 4th straight there), Canada (2nd straight) and Stockholm (2nd straight and 4th overall) and finished the year as the
#2 ranked player.
Tennis – 1985 – The French Open – Special Film Of The French Federation of Tennis – “Roland Garros avec John McEnroe” – A Film Documentary of John McEnroe At Roland Garros in 1985 – With French Narration
Tennis – 1985 – The US Open Men’s Singles Semifinals (Full Match) – Mats Wilander Vs John McEnroe – With Pat Summerall + Tony Trabert + John Newcombe
Tennis – 1985 – The US Open Men’s Singles Finals (Full Match) – Ivan Lendl Vs John McEnroe – With Pat Summerall + Tony Trabert + John Newcombe
Tennis – 1985 – ESPN Presents Canadian Open Men’s Finals (Full Match) – Ivan Lendl Vs John McEnroe
By 1986, the pressures of playing at the top had become too much for McEnroe to handle…..and he took a six-month break from the tour. It was during this sabbatical that on August 1, 1986, he married actress Tatum O’Neal…..with whom he had already had a son, Kevin in 1986. They had two more children, Sean in 1987) and Emily in 1991, before divorcing in 1994. When he returned to the tour later in 1986, he won three ATP tournaments…. but in 1987 he failed to win a title for the 1st time since turning pro. He took a seven-month break from the game following the US Open, where he was suspended for two months and fined $17,500 for misconduct and verbal abuse.
Tennis & News – 2021 – News Special – “The Real Reason Tatum O’Neal And John McEnroe Got Divorced”
Tennis – 2018 – In Depth With Graham Benzinger – Interview With John McEnroe – “Losing My Wife and My Edge”
Tennis – 2018 – In Depth With Graham Benzinger – Interview With John McEnroe – “Parenting Six Kids”
John McEnroe had become the top-ranked singles player in the world on March 3, 1980…..and was the top-ranked player on 14 separate occasions between 1980 and 1985…..while finishing the year ranked #1 four straight years from 1981 through 1984. He spent a total of 170 weeks at the top of the rankings.
Tennis – 1978 To 2006 – Special – Legends of Tennis – John McEnroe
It has been written about McEnroe that he might have been “the greatest doubles player of all time” and “possibly the greatest team player never to have played a team sport.”…..as he was ranked #1 in doubles for 270 weeks. He formed a powerful partnership with Peter Fleming…..with whom he won 57 men’s doubles titles…..which included four at Wimbledon and three at the US Open. Fleming was always very modest about his own contribution to the partnership…..when he once said, “the best doubles partnership in the world is McEnroe and anybody.”…..which is somewhat evidenced by McEnroe winning a 4th US Open men’s doubles title in 1989 with Mark Woodforde….. and a 5th Wimbledon men’s doubles title in 1992 with Michael Stich. He also won the 1977 French Open mixed doubles title with childhood friend Mary Carillo.
Tennis – 1981 – Davis Cup Doubles Rubber Highlights – Argentina Vs USA – José Luis Clerc + Guilhermo Vilas Vs. Peter Fleming + John McEnroe
Tennis – 1982 – Davis Cup France Vs USA Men’s Doubles Rubber – FRA Yannick Noah + Henri Leconte Vs Peter Fleming + John McEnroe
Tennis – 1984 – Wimbledon Men’s Doubles Championship Match – Pat Cash + Paul McNamee Vs Peter Fleming + John McEnroe – With Dick Enberg + Bud Collins
Tennis – 2014 – Men’s Legends Doubles Exhibition – Mats Wilander + Henri Leconte Vs Bjon Borg + John McEnroe
Tennis – 2017 – Australian Open Men’s Legends Doubles Match Highlights- Pat Cash + Goran Ivanisevic Vs. Patrick McEnroe + John McEnroe
More than any other player in his era, McEnroe was responsible for reviving U.S. interest in the Davis Cup…..which had been shunned by Jimmy Connors and other leading U.S. players…..and had not seen a top U.S. player regularly compete since Arthur Ashe. Connors’s refusal to play Davis Cup instead of lucrative exhibitions became a source of enmity between him and Ashe. In 1978, McEnroe won two singles rubbers in the final as the U.S. captured the cup for the 1st time since 1972 by beating Great Britain in the final. McEnroe continued to be a mainstay of U.S. Davis Cup teams for the next 14 years….. and was part of U.S. winning teams in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1992. He set numerous U.S. Davis Cup records….which included years played at 12….. ties at 30…..singles wins at 41…..and total wins in singles and doubles at 59. He played both singles and doubles in 13 series…..and he and Peter Fleming won 14 of 15 Davis Cup doubles matches together.
Tennis – 1981 – Davis Cup Argentina Vs USA – Men’s Singles Rubber Final – Jose Luis Clerc Vs John McEnroe
Tennis – 1982 – Davis Cup France Vs USA – Men’s Singles Rubber Final – FRA Henri Leconte Vs USA John McEnroe – French Commentary
Tennis – 1981 – Davis Cup India Vs USA – Men’s Singles Rubber Final – IND Ramesh Krishnan Vs John McEnroe
Tennis – 1987 – Davis Cup USA Vs Germany Men’s Singles Rubber – GER Boris Becker Vs USA John McEnroe
Tennis – 2019 – Special – The Commissioner Of Tennis John McEnroe and Friends Boris Becker, Henri Leconte, Mats Wilander and Alex Corretja – On The Death of The Davis Cup
An epic performance was McEnroe’s career was a 6-hour, 22-minute victory over Mats Wilander in the deciding rubber of the 3–2 quarterfinal win over Sweden in 1982, played in St. Louis, Missouri…..as McEnroe won the match …..which was at the time the longest in Davis Cup match in history, 9–7, 6–2, 15–17, 3–6, 8–6. McEnroe nearly broke that record in a 6-hour, 20-minute loss to Boris Becker five years later…..as Becker won their match…..which was the 2nd rubber in a 3–2 loss to West Germany in World Group Relegation play, 4–6, 15–13, 8–10, 6–2, 6–2.
Tennis – 1982 – Davis Cup – Sweden Vs Usa – Singles Rubber Highlights – Mats Wilander Vs. John McEnroe
Tennis – 1982 – Davis Cup – Sweden Vs Usa – Singles Rubber Match Point – Mats Wilander Vs. John McEnroe
Tennis – 1987 – Davis Cup USA Vs West Germany – 2nd Rubber Full Match – John McEnroe Vs Boris Becker
McEnroe struggled to regain his form after his 1986 sabbatical. He lost three times in Grand Slam tournaments to Ivan Lendl…..while losing straight-set quarterfinals at both the 1987 US Open and the 1989 Australian Open….and a long four-set match, played over two days, in the 4th round of the 1988 French Open. Rumors of drug abuse had begun during his 2nd sabbatical. McEnroe denied them at the time, but acknowledged that he had used cocaine during his career in a 2000 interview that implied that the use occurred during this period, although he denied that the drug affected his play.
Tennis – 1986 – Forum Tennis Challenge Men’s Singles Finals Highlights – Ivan Lendl Vs John McEnroe – In McEnroe’s Official Comeback Match
Tennis – 1986 – US Open Round 3 Men’s Singles Full Match – John McEnroe Vs Paul Annacone – with French Commentary
Nevertheless, McEnroe had multiple notable victories in the final years of his career. In the 1988 French Open, McEnroe beat 16-year-old Michael Chang 6–0, 6–3, 6–1 in the 3rd round…..as Chang went on to win the title the next year. In 1989, McEnroe won a record 5th title at the World Championship Tennis Finals….which was the championship tournament of the WCT tour…. and was being staged for the last time…..when he defeated top-ranked Lendl in the semifinals. At Wimbledon, he defeated Mats Wilander in a four-set quarterfinal before losing to Stefan Edberg in a semifinal. He won the RCA Championships in Indianapolis…..and reached the final of the Canadian Open…..where he lost to Lendl. He also won both of his singles rubbers in the quarterfinal Davis Cup tie with Sweden.
Tennis – 1988 – Suntory Cup Japan Open Men’s Finals Full Match – Stefan Edberg Vs John McEnroe – Japanese Commentary
Tennis – 1988 – French Open 3rd Round Men’s Singles Full Match – Michael Chang Vs John McEnroe – French Commentary
Controversy was never far from McEnroe, however, when in his 4th-round match against Mikael Pernfors at the 1990 Australian Open, he was ejected from the tournament for swearing at the umpire, supervisor, and referee…. as he was warned by the umpire for intimidating a lineswoman….and then docked a point for smashing a racket. McEnroe was apparently unaware that a new Code of Conduct…..which had been introduced just before the tournament, meant that a 3rd code violation would not lead to the deduction of a game….but instead would result in immediate disqualification ….. therefore, when McEnroe unleashed a volley of abuse at umpire Gerry Armstrong, he was defaulted. He was also fined $6,500 for the incidents.
Tennis – 1990 – Australian Open Men’s Singles 4th Round Full Match – Mikael Pernfors Vs. John McEnroe – As McEnroe Is Disqualified and Ejected from Tournament for Swearing at Umpire, Supervisor and Referee – Commentary In French
Tennis – 1990 – Australian Open Special – “John McEnroe Is Disqualified and Ejected From Tournament”
Tennis – 1990 – Wimbledon Men’s Round 1 Highlights – Derrick Rostagno Vs. John McEnroe – With Post Match Interview with Bud Collins + Jimmy Connors + John McEnroe – On The Effects of Being Disqualified At Australian Open
Later that year, McEnroe reached the semifinals of the US Open, losing to the eventual champion, Pete Sampras, in four sets. He also won the Davidoff Swiss Indoors in Baselby defeating Goran Ivanišević in a five-set final. The last time McEnroe was ranked in the top ten was on October 22, 1990….when he was ranked 9th…..while his end-of-year singles ranking was 13th.
Tennis – 1990 – US Open Men’s Singles Semifinals Highlights – Pete Sampras Vs John McEnroe
Tennis – 1990 – Davidoff Swiss Indoors in Baselby – Men’s Final Highlights – John McEnroe Vs Goran Ivanišević – Picks Up 4 – 4 In 1st Set and Goes To End of 1st Set
Tennis – 1990 – Davidoff Swiss Indoors in Baselby – Men’s Final Highlights – John McEnroe Vs Goran Ivanišević – Start Of 2nd Set and Goes To 3rd Game of 2nd Set
Tennis – 1990 – Davidoff Swiss Indoors in Baselby – Men’s Final Highlights – John McEnroe Vs Goran Ivanišević – Start Of 5th Set and Goes To 3rd Game of 5th Set
Tennis – 1990 – Davidoff Swiss Indoors in Baselby – Men’s Final Highlights – John McEnroe Vs Goran Ivanišević – Picks Up In 5th Set With McEnroe Up 4 – 3
In 1991, McEnroe won the last edition of the Volvo Tennis-Chicago tournament by defeating his brother Patrick in the final. He won both of his singles rubbers in the quarterfinal Davis Cup tie with Spain. He reached the 4th round at Wimbledon while losing to Edberg…..and the 3rd round at the US Open after losing to Chang in a five-set night match…..when his end-of-year singles ranking was #28.
Tennis – 1991 – Volvo WTC Men’s Finals in Chicago – Highlights – Patrick McEnroe Vs John McEnroe
In 1992, McEnroe defeated 3rd-ranked and defending champion Boris Becker in the 3rd round of the Australian Open 6–4, 6–3, 7–5 before a sell-out crowd…..then in the 4th round, McEnroe needed 4 hours 42 minutes to defeat 9th-ranked Emilio Sánchez 8–6 in the 5th set….but he lost to Wayne Ferreira in the quarterfinals. At Wimbledon, McEnroe reached the semifinals where he lost in straight sets to the eventual champion Andre Agassi. McEnroe teamed with Michael Stich to win his fifth Wimbledon men’s doubles title in a record-length 5-hour-1-minute final….which the pair won 5–7, 7–6, 3–6, 7–6, 19–17. At the end of the year, he teamed with Sampras to win the doubles rubber in the Davis Cup final, where the U.S. defeated Switzerland 3–1.
Tennis – 1992 – Wimbledon Men’s Doubles Finals Extended Highlights – Jim Grabb + Richey Reneberg Vs Michael Stich + John McEnroe
Tennis – 1992 – Davis Cup – USA Vs Switzerland – Doubles Rubber – SUI Jacob Hilasek + Marc Rosset Vs USA Pete Sampras + John McEnroe – Great 5 Set Match
Tennis – 1992 – Davis Cup – USA Vs Switzerland – Doubles Rubber – SUI Jacob Hilasek + Marc Rosset Vs USA Pete Sampras + John McEnroe – Great Volley and Way To End Match
McEnroe retired from the professional tour at the end of 1992. He ended his singles career ranked #20…..albeit he played in one tournament in 1994 as a wildcard at the Rotterdam Open, losing in the 1st round…..which was his last singles match on the ATP Tour. After Steffi Graf won the French Open in 1999, McEnroe suggested to her that they play mixed doubles at Wimbledon. He and Graf reached the semi-finals of the 1999 Wimbledon mixed doubles but withdrew at that stage because Graf, who was the losing finalist to Lindsay Davenport, decided to focus on her singles draw.
Tennis – 1999 – Wimbledon Mixed Doubles 2nd Round – Eyal Ran + Vanessa Menga Vs John McEnroe + Steffi Graf
McEnroe was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1999. He is now a sports commentator providing commentary for American television networks such as ESPN, CBS, NBC, and USA at the US Open, the Australian Open, and various ATP tournaments, as well as at Wimbledon for the BBC in the UK.
Tennis & Talk Shows – 1999 – Charlie Rose Interviews John McEnroe – After Being Inducted Into The Tennis Hall of Fame
Tennis – 1999 – Tennis Hall of Fame Inducion Ceremony – John McEnroe’s Speech
Tennis – 2000 – Special – The Duke of York’s NSPCC Challenge Charity Event – Featuring John McEnroe Vs Bjon Borg
After retiring, McEnroe pursued his post-tour goal of becoming a working musician. He had learned to play guitar with the help of friends like Eddie Van Halen and Eric Clapton. During his divorce, McEnroe formed The Johnny Smyth Band….with himself as lead singer and guitarist….as he began writing songs….and played small gigs in cities where he played with the senior tour. Although Lars Ulrich complimented his “natural instinct for music”, a bar owner where McEnroe’s band played said that “he couldn’t sing to save his life.” The band toured for two years, but McEnroe suddenly quit in 1997 just before finishing his 1st album. In 1997, McEnroe’s wife, singer/songwriter Patty Smyth, told him, “In future only one of us will be working away from home on a music tour and it ain’t gonna be you!” In 2002, McEnroe played himself in Mr. Deeds…..and again in 2008 in You Don’t Mess with the Zohan. McEnroe played himself in the 2004 movie Wimbledon.
Tennis – 2008 – Showdown Of Champions Exhibition From Kuala Lumpur Mixed Doubles Match – Roger Federer + Bjon Borg Vs James Blake + John McEnroe
Tennis – 2008 – Showdown Of Champions Exhibition From Kuala Lumpur – Singles Match – Bjon Borg Vs John McEnroe
McEnroe is active in philanthropy and tennis development. For years he has co-chaired the City Parks Foundation’s annual City Parks Tennis fundraiser. The charitable benefit raises crucial funds for New York City’s largest municipal youth tennis programs. He collects American contemporary art, and opened a gallery in Manhattan in 1993.
Tennis – 2018 – In Depth With Graham Benzinger – On John McEnroe: Giving Back to NYC Tennis, Despite USTA
Tennis – 2018 – In Depth With Graham Benzinger – John McEnroe: Tour Of My Art Gallery
McEnroe still plays regularly on the ATP Champions Tour…..when one victory came at the Jean-Luc Lagardere Trophy in Paris in 2010…..where he defeated Guy Forget in the final…..while playing on the Champions Tour allows him to continue his most iconic rivalries with old adversaries Ivan Lendl and Björn Borg. His last and 26th win (a record for the ATP Champions Tour) was his 2016 win at Stockholm against Thomas Muster. In charity events and World Team Tennis, he has beaten many top players, including Mardy Fish and Mark Philippoussis.
Tennis – 2010 – Jean-Luc Lagardere Trophy in Paris Highlights – Featuring Men’s Finals – Guy Forget Vs. John McEnroe
Tennis – 2013 – ATP Kings of Tennis Stockholm Men’s Finals Full Match – Stefan Edberg Vs John McEnroe
Tennis – 2016 – ATP Kings of Tennis Stockholm Men’s Finals Highlights – Thomas Muster Vs. John McEnroe
In 2007, McEnroe received the Philippe Chatrier Award (the ITF’s highest accolade) for his contributions to tennis both on and off the court. Later that year, he also appeared on the NBC comedy 30 Rock as the host of a game show called “Gold Case” in which he uttered his famous line “You cannot be serious!” when a taping went awry. McEnroe also appeared on the HBO comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm. In 2009, McEnroe appeared on 30 Rock again, in the episode “Gavin Volure”…..where the title character, a mysterious, reclusive businessman (played by Steve Martin) invites him to dinner because he bridges the worlds of “art collecting and yelling.”
Tennis – 2009 – US Open Special – Novak Djokovic Challenges John McEnroe To A Match – When Superbrat Comes From The Broadcast Booth To Play In His Street Clothes
Tennis – 2016 – World Team Tennis Smash Hits Special Highlights – Maria Sharapova & John McEnroe vs Martina Navratilova & Andy Roddick – In A Las Vegas AIDS Charitable Function
In 2010, he founded the John McEnroe Tennis Academy on Randall’s Island in New York City. McEnroe was part of Milos Raonic’s coaching team from May to August 2016. In addition to his other commentary roles, McEnroe was a central figure for Australian television network Nine’s coverage of the 2019/2020 Australian Open.
Tennis – 2010 – Virtual Tour – John McEnroe Tennis Academy
Tennis – 2010 – Special – John McEnroe Tennis Academy – “Lesson Coaching”
Tennis – 2010 – Farmers Insurance Exhibition Match – Andre Agassi Vs John McEnroe
McEnroe returned to the ATP Tour in 2006 to play two doubles tournaments. In his first tournament, he teamed with Jonas Björkman to win the title at the SAP Open in San Jose…..which was his 78th doubles title…..which put him at #5 in history…..and it was his 1st title since capturing the Paris Indoor doubles title in November 1992 with his brother Patrick. The win meant that McEnroe had won doubles titles in four different decades. In his second tournament, McEnroe and Björkman lost in the quarterfinals of the tournament in Stockholm. McEnroe won the over-45 legends doubles competition at the French Open in 2012…..when he was partnered with his brother Patrick…..as they beat Guy Forget and Henri Leconte 7–6, 6–3. McEnroe and his brother Patrick won again at the 2014 French Open in the over-45 legends doubles competition…..as they beat Andres Gomez and Mark Woodforde 4–6, 7–5, 1–0 (10–7).
Tennis – 2006 – ATP Tour SAP Open Men’s Doubles Championships at San Jose, CA (Full Match) – Paul Goldstein + Jim Thomas Vs Jonas Bjorkman + John McEnroe
Tennis – 2017 – Australian Open Men’s Legends Doubles – John McEnroe & Patrick McEnroe Vs Mansour Bahrami & Fabrice Santoro
In bringing this story of the life and tennis career of John McEnroe…..who was and still is my beloved Superbrat…..albeit, he is still my favorite tennis player of all time…..and as I have reviewed and revisited the many videos seen within this post….which have simply reconfirmed what an exceptional shot maker and tennis master that he was….for I never grow tired of watching him perform with a tennis racquet in his hand…..and for that matter, I never grow tired of his Superbrat antics on the tennis court….cuz in my opinion the game of tennis, like the game of golf, is way too staid…..with players that are not flighty or capricious…..who are dignified, respectable and for the most part even boring…..which is like a staid dinner party that is heavy on the important guests but light on the laughs…..but John McEnroe, he was a breath of fresh air….albeit a bit bristly on the edges….however, put a tennis racquet in his hands and he becomes a Van Gogh with bright colorful bold strokes… along with Picasso-like extraordinary artistic talent in a naturalistic manner through his younger years, which changed as he experimented with different theories, techniques, and ideas as he matured in the pro ranks…..while demonstrating Rembrandt qualities of self expression …..albeit like Renoir, he celebrated beauty in his shot making. Simply put, John McEnroe was not cut from the same bolt of cloth that all other great tennis stars were cut from…..as he had an abundance of individuality that endeared him to folks like me…..as we folks have always been drawn to the “bad boys who were really good”….and John McEnroe was the best of the best when it came to that….and for this, and so much more, I am simply honored to present this video history and life’s story of my favorite all-time tennis player, John McEnroe.
Tennis – 1977 To 1994 – Special Highlights – John McEnroe: “Simply The Best”
Tennis – 1981 – Wimbledon Tennis Championship Special Moment – John McEnroe Coins Phrase “You Cannot Be Serious”
