This article is for John McEnroe fans!!!! I'm sure most here does not know who Johnny Mac is?

Question

Is there a bigger draw in tennis than legendary John McEnroe? When Johnny Mac comes to town, will you be at the Player's Club to see him?

Tennis great John McEnroe has had such a colorful career - peppered with equally colorful language - that his path is lined with innumerable entertaining stories. I'm not sure where to begin.


Perhaps one of my personal favorites occurred about 10 years ago, when Mac was starting his Senior's career at the Kensington Country Club in Naples. I will try to set the stage so you can appreciate what really happened on court against local favorite Johan Kriek. At this time, Kriek was on top of his game, but McEnroe was not quite so sharp.

As the match wore on, one fan - apparently a New Yorker - kept yelling, "John... you can do it!"

As Kriek won the first set and continued to lead in the second set, McEnroe grew more impatient and began to display his legendary temper.
"Come on," McEnroe yelled at himself as he slammed the ball down into the court.

Finally, as McEnroe trailed a set and a break, the New York fan again yelled, "You can do it, Mac!"

McEnroe lost his serve and sensed the match was slipping away. In the second set, he finally lost more than the game and yelled back at the fan, "Shut the **** up!"

For some strange reason, I was totally shocked when Mac blurted out those fateful words. On numerous occasions, I had seen McEnroe play at Flushing Meadows and he often created quite a stir. Most likely, I was surprised because I knew there was a enormous difference between a Grand Slam event and the Senior's Tour in Naples, Florida.

If we examine all of the great players in the game over the last 50 years, I do not believe there is any more compelling figure than John McEnroe. Whether it was his amazing skill on the court or his infamous temper, fans were glued to their seats to watch the show.

To me, John McEnroe is a magician with a tennis racket - his imagination draws in the audience. Ironically, in a losing effort during the French Open final against Ivan Lendl, McEnroe displayed his immense skills over and over again and I was truly riveted to the television set.

Had he not had a hiccup in that match, John McEnroe not only would have been a rare American French Open Champion, but he might have catapulted to the position of best player of our generation. As McEnroe mentioned in his autobiography, the Ivan Lendl/French Open comeback altered his rise to the top of the game. In other words, the French Open final had great significance in both McEnroe's and Lendl's careers.

Another fascinating aspect of McEnroe's tennis genius is that he was truly a fast court star as he continually served and volleyed his way to seven Grand Slam titles. Not only was he aggressive as a server, but he also was aggressive as a returner as he moved in quickly to dominate the net. But when we watched him over the last decade in Naples, he exhibited remarkable skill on our slow clay courts.

In a day where the modern player utilizes the looping semi-western forehand drive, McEnroe flashes the antithesis as with his compact continental forehand pokes and he jabbed his way to victory.

As current American star Andy Roddick stands 10 feet beyond the baseline and slings one topspin forehand drive after another, McEnroe stands on top of the baseline and leans forward to move into the net. As Roddick moves his opponent off the court with dashing power, McEnroe takes the short ball and comes into the net to volley a winner. Even though McEnroe shows off his magnificent physical talent, it is his intensity that attracts me. In a day where overpaid athletes often "mail-in" their efforts, John McEnroe grinds to the end. His passion to give his best effort truly separates him from the pack.

In the beginning of my journalistic career, I was apprehensive about interviewing this tennis icon. But to my delight, John McEnroe has been one of the most accommodating athletes that I have ever interviewed.

Once, when doing my old show, "Center Court Live," the public relations person - Steve Griffith - told me I had only a few minutes with McEnroe. However, once we began shooting the interview, John put no limits on his time. We spent more time talking about one of his great infatuations - music (his wife, Patty Smythe, has one of the great voices in music) - and he was more than gracious. He was playful and entertaining the entire time.

If you want to be thoroughly entertained for several days, come out and support the Jim Courier Seniors Tour beginning March 10 at the new Player's Club in the Lely Resort area in Naples. The men's field boasts some of the greats in the game: Jim Courier, Michael Chang, Aaron Krickstein and more.
And, of course, Johnny Mac.

Doug Browne is the Hideaway Beach Director of Tennis and the Community Tennis Association President. Doug and his wife Leslie have enjoyed teaching players of all abilities at Hideaway Beach for over a decade. He can be reached by e-mail at [e-mail].



©Marco Island Sun Times 2006

Answer 1

Grew up playing against John McEnroe & it fueled my love for the game, and made me a very intense tennis player. I'm "only" about a 4.5 player, but I've gotten a reputation of someone who always gives it everything & never quits. Grew up in a situation where that just wasn't done. The amazing thing about John McEnroe is that unlike a lot of serve & volley players, he wasn't really overpowering. He had great footwork & great hands at the net as well as great shot placement. I always found it a great challenge to play him and a great pleasure to watch him play someone else. As intense as he is on the court, he's thoughtful & pleasant most of the time he's off the court. Wish I could go see him at Naples, but probably won't be able to make it.

Answer 2

People had clear cut favorites back then. Some hated Mac because they thought he was a baby and a primadana and loved Conner's. Some Hated Conners because they thought he was a nasty Jerk and liked Borg because he was so calm. Some Hated Borg because he was so strait and was doing coke before matches. It was a great era of tennis and created the interest and the money that has gotten it to where it is today. Mac was who I wanted to play like , although it was impossible because he was just such a natural athlete around the net . He was the greatest serve and vollier I have ever seen and that was a fun style that has now become almost extinct do to the new frames. You can't come in on an average approach shot today it has to be great or the ball just gets blown by you. Mac was entertaining , but I do not think he meant it. He truly would just lose his mind. That was part of his genius though. As he was going nuts for ten minutes his opponent would be sitting around and lose all of his momentum then Mac would be finished and start playing and the other guy would be standing around wondering what was going on. Thanks for the article.

Answer 3

1. It is real because many of his non 100 innings were a key to achievements for Local indian native. 2. Definitely bogus because it was a unforgettable go with and a first of its type. 3. Actual because he has performed above 450 suits and it would definitely impact his regular but it is still well above 48. 4. Actual. Indians depend on him a lot. 5. May be. It is complex to say. Relatively he has performed more suits so obviously he would have more benefits to his name. 6. Same solutions as the fifth. 7. Probably not. There are many more complicated players than him. 8. I don't think so. He has got many other chicken ans individual wide range ratings. 9. Until 2008. Then there was a lot of competitors. Sehwag, Gambhir, Yuvraj, Dhoni and now Kohli. But he is truly a tale. 10. Yes. Because until 1990s not many ODI mathces were performed. He and ODI have started together.

Answer 4

Tennis has somehow lost its finesse. It has become a power game. Wham, bam, thank you sir or mam.

That generation was a colorful generation. McEnroe, Lendl, Conners, Borg, Yannick Noah, etc. The volleys are gone, the net game is gone, it is not shot making anymore. Just power and more power.

Answer 5

Long question. John McEnroe is one of the greatest entertainers on a tennis court.

Answer 6

John McEnroe was a great entertainer and a pretty good tennis player as well.
I read your question but skipped the cut and pasted story.

Answer 7

I always liked Bjorg, Villas and Connors better than McEnroe, he was too much of a clown on the tennis court. I'll read the article later though.

Answer 8

Mac was my inspiration for starting the game, and I still have the lefty serve and volley game.

Answer 9

ENJOYED YOUR ARTICLE-BUT HONESTLY I GOT UPSET WITH HIS TANTRUMS-HIS PLOY TO STOP HIS OPPONENTS MOMENTUM, TO ME WAS NOT FAIR. I ENJOYED CONNORS GUT WRENCHING EFFORTS.

Answer 10

gOOd Question... Keep it up!!!