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What do you have to do to be tagged the bad boy of tennis?
Bizarre Tantrums? Trash talk? Racket smashing rage?
And No! We’re not talking about Nick Kyrgios, the tennis bad boy of this generation.
We’re talking about this guy
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Because before Nick was even born, this tennis player held the title of Tennis Bad boy like it was his birthright.
This is the intriguing story behind John McEnroe, the jerk that made us watch tennis.
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But first, let’s travel to the 1970s.
Depending on who you ask, the 70s was a great time to be alive. Music, Kids went out to play, Space Invaders was released, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded a small company called Apple, Bill Gates created Apple, people embraced their sexuality and did whatever the hell they wanted to do.
The 70s was surely a great time, especially for Tennis fans around the world.
In fact, you could argue that the 70s is arguably the best decade the Tennis world has seen. And believe me, this is no disrespect to the three GOATs that ruled the late 2000s and 2010s. The 70s saw the rise of some of the most iconic players of all time. And unlike their counterparts of the 2010s, it wasn’t just their performance on court that made them stand out. It was their personalities.
The players embodied the bad boy reputation like no one else. And just to be frank, these bad boys didn’t just throw tantrums in court, they were douchebags to everyone and anyone that stood in their way.
And the president of this bad boys association was McEnroe.
But before we talk about how MacEnroe made himself the president of the Bad boy club , let’s do a quick background on the former Tennis player.
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You see, almost anyone can become a tennis player today.
But back in the days, becoming a pro tennis player seemed like something only rich kids could dream of.
You know, those youngsters from upper-class families who could afford fancy tennis lessons, enroll in those posh academies, and join exclusive clubs.
So it was pretty tough for folks from humble backgrounds to even get a foot in the door.
But you see, there’s always an exception. And in this case, that exception was John McEnroe.
The American was born to a military father in Germany. But he ultimately grew up in Queens, New York.
Despite not being born with a silver racket in his hand, Mcenroe showed insane tennis skills from a young age.
According to Mary Carillo, McEnroe’s childhood friend and mixed doubles partner, “You just had to look at him, his strokes were tidy and tight and homemade. The spacing between his body and ball was remarkable, even when he was seven years old…”
At just 12 years old, he was already ranked 7th in his age group.
Yes! He was that good.
But that was just a tip of the iceberg because this kid from Queens turned pro in the June of 1978, stepping onto the iconic grass courts of Wimbledon.
And boy did he make an entrance.
As a 270th ranked amateur, the American went head-to-head with the pros and pulled off a jaw-dropping feat by storming all the way to the semifinals!
This wasn’t just any performance. It was and still is the best performance ever pulled off by a non-professional in the Open era. A record that still stands till this very day.
Many people called it a fluke, but McEnroe was just getting started.
By January 1979, just a few months after a young McEnroe had etched his name into the history books, McEnroe would climb his way to top five in ranking after beating Arthur Ashe at the 1978 year-end championships.
And the game?
Man, it was simply a thing of beauty. It was built on precision, touch, and a remarkable level of versatility that no one else could match at the time.
Now, it’s important to note that McEnroe was the epitome of a true serve and volley player. But what really set him apart was his ability to hold his ground from the baseline against the toughest opponents of his generation.
It was like watching a master at work.
You see, while most serve and volley players preferred to finish points at the net, McEnroe had a different trick up his sleeve.
When it came to serving, John McEnroe had this uncanny ability to almost entirely turn his back to the net, and you know what that did?
It gave him a massive advantage.
By turning his back in that split second before he struck the ball, he left his opponents in the dark. So much that they couldn’t predict for the life of them where that ball was going to land.
The American tennis GOAT could fire off precise shots with his trusty continental grip on the forehand, while delivering power and finesse from the baseline.
But here’s where it gets even more impressive
McEnroe was a classical net rusher!
He lived and breathed for those moments when he could charge forward to the net. And boy, did he make it look effortless! He seized every chance to display his exceptional speed and once he was at the net, it was game over for many opponents.
Watching McEnroe on the net was like witnessing an artist in their element. The way he glided across the court and effortlessly put away volleys was nothing short of mesmerizing.
It’s no wonder he’s the only male player in tennis history to hold the male number 1 ranking in both singles and doubles at the same time.
And speaking of doubles, the American’s doubles game was nothing short of legendary, especially when he teamed up with Peter Fleming.
A partnership that went on to win an astounding 52 doubles titles, including four at Wimbledon and three at the US Open. It was really a match made in tennis heaven, and their chemistry on the court was a marvel to witness.
With such a remarkable track record in doubles, a lot of folks believe that McEnroe might just be one of the greatest doubles players of all time.
And you know what? It’s hard to argue against that.
His accomplishments in doubles are truly remarkable, and his ability to dominate alongside different partners spoke volumes about his skills and adaptability.
McEnroe’s partnership with Mark Woodford brought them their fourth US Open men’s doubles championship back in 1989.
And in 1992, he clinched a fifth Wimbledon men’s doubles championship alongside Michael Stitch, adding even more shine to his already sparkling career.
But it wasn’t just in men’s doubles that McEnroe found success. He also showed his prowess in mixed doubles when he teamed up with Mary Carrillo to win the mixed doubles championship at the 1977 French Open.
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Now John’s talent was crystal clear. But what was even more glaring were his famous tantrums.
An entire career of tantrums that began back in 1981, during his match against Tom Gullikson at Wimbledon after an umpire called an out for what the American believed to have been unfair.
He started his tantrum by calling the Umpire the pit of the world
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But where he completely crossed the line was when he said this.
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You know how much of a douchebag you have to be to call an umpire an incompetent fool?
That was exactly what mcenroe was in his prime.
He finished his tirade with what would become his catchphrase “You cannot be serious!”
And that particular outburst gave him the nickname “Superbrat”, a label that stuck to him like glue during his tennis career.
But here’s the incredible part.
Despite the points he lost for his emotional outbursts and the hefty six thousand dollar fine he received, McEnroe still managed to win the Wimbledon trophy that year.
Now if that doesn’t tell you how good this guy was, I don’t know what will.
Throwing tantrums wasn’t the only thing that got McEnroe in trouble. This dude also had crazy anger issues and they often got the better of him.
In fact, his anger issues became so bad that he was asked to resign his membership at the prestigious Queen’s Club in London after he swore at them.
According to sources, McEnroe ignored the club’s court booking rules and barged into an open court to practice.
Not too long after, the members who had reserved the court rightfully showed up, and asked him to leave. And rather than act like a gentleman, apologize, and leave, McEnroe exploded like an atomic bomb.
The American unleashed a torrent of unprintable words; these insults were so wild that even the reporter couldn’t repeat them.
It was one of those moments that showed just how out of control his temper could get.
And if we’re being honest, it’s almost impossible to understand how someone could be so nasty and talented at the same time.
It was like he was on a quest to set records with his attitude more than with his skills on court.
And he actually did set quite a few. And some of these records are not the kind that you’d hang over your head in your bedroom.
I mean, no one in their right senses would want to set a record for being the first player to be disqualified from the Australian Open for misconduct?
But how did that even happen?
Well, it all started with McEnroe receiving two conduct code violations. The first was for staring down a line judge, clearly showing his frustration with a call. The second came when he smashed his racket in a fit of anger, a sight all too familiar to tennis fans who had witnessed his outbursts before.
But even after those violations, he crossed the line again by hurling abuse at the umpire. And by now, you already know that McEnroe was quite the expert when it comes to crossing lines.
As a result of his outburst, the officials had no choice but to disqualify him from the competition.
And if you ever thought for a slight second that the American would get over it with age, then you’ve never been more wrong.
Because even after his retirement, he was thrown out of the Hall of Fame Champions Cup in Rhode Island back in 2008 for swearing at the umpire and making an obscene gesture at fans.
McEnroe may have thrown the worst tantrums during competitive days, but beneath that bad boy exterior, he had a soft spot for tennis that was as big as his ego.
That was probably why he eventually picked up a job as a tennis commentator after he retired.
And if we’re being honest, you can practically see the love in his eyes when he gushes about the game behind the mic.
As we speak, McEnroe is arguably one of the most respected commentators in the tennis world. So much that he earned a little over 205,000 pounds for his coverage of the 2023 Wimbledon, for just two weeks of work!!
And the craziest part is that he didn’t even comment on the men’s finals of Djokovic against Alcaraz…
Now, like you would expect, Wimbledon fans took to social media to express their anger about how outrageous the amount is. Especially after the American commentator made a snide remark about a player in the third round of the tournament.
But hey!
There’s not so much we can do about it. Because reported that McEnroe did a good job every single day during the tournament, as both an in-studio analyst and a commentator.
So there you have it folks. I guess this leopard changed its spots in the end.
What’s your take on McEnroe though?
We’d like to know in the comments.
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