Tennis player, born in Wiesbaden, WC Germany. He trained at Port Washington Tennis Academy in New York State, and at 18 became the youngest man to reach the Wimbledon semifinals (1977). He won four US Open singles titles (197981, 1984) and three Wimbledon singles titles (1981, 1983-4), and was an invaluable member of the US Davis Cup team between 1978 and 1985. He was also Grand Prix winner in 1979 and 19845, and World Championship Tennis champion in 1979, 1981, and 19834. His skill as a player was often overshadowed by his fierce emotional outbursts on court and frequent wrangling with umpires, which always attracted the attention of the media, and which led to professional censure on several occasions. He married film actress Tatum O'Neill (1963 ) in 1986, but they separated in 1993. Since 1995 he has been a TV commentator at major tennis tournaments, and more recently host of the TV quiz show The Chair (2002). An autobiography, Serious, appeared in 2002.
John Patrick McEnroe, Jr. (born February 16, 1959 in Wiesbaden, Germany) is a former World No.
Playing style
McEnroe's game combined shot-making artistry, deft volleys, and a fast, attacking style of play.
McEnroe took the tennis world by storm as an 18-year-old in 1977, when he made it through the qualifying tournament into the main draw at Wimbledon, where he lost in four sets to Jimmy Connors in the semifinals.
Shortly after, McEnroe entered Stanford University and won the NCAA singles and team titles in 1978.
McEnroe won his first Grand Slam singles title at the 1979 US Open. (Pete Sampras eventually became the youngest US Open Champion at 19 years old.) McEnroe won 10 singles and 17 doubles titles that year (for a total of 27 titles, which marked an open-era record).
Famous battles with Björn Borg (1980-81)
In 1980, McEnroe reached the men's singles final at Wimbledon for the first time, where he faced Björn Borg, who was gunning for his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title. The phrase "you cannot be serious," which years later would become the title of McEnroe's autobiography, was also made famous during the 1981 Wimbledon campaign as a retort McEnroe frequently made in response to umpires' calls during his matches. In response to McEnroe's on-court outbursts during the championships the All England Club did not accord McEnroe honorary membership of the club, an honour normally given to first time singles champions immediately after their victory.
Continued success (1982-85)
McEnroe lost to Jimmy Connors in the 1982 Wimbledon final.
At the 1984 French Open, McEnroe lost a close final match to Ivan Lendl.
In the 1984 Wimbledon final, McEnroe played a virtually flawless match to defeat Connors in just 80 minutes, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2.
McEnroe won his fourth U.S. Open title in 1984 by defeating Lendl in straight sets in the final.
1984 was arguably McEnroe's best year on the tennis tour, as he compiled an 82-3 record and won a career-high 13 singles tournaments, including Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
In 1985, McEnroe reached his last Grand Slam singles final at the U.S. Open.
Taking time out
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.
Success in doubles
McEnroe was also ranked the World No. (Fleming was always very modest about his own contribution to the partnership—he once said "the best doubles partnership in the world is John McEnroe and anybody else.") McEnroe won a fourth US Open men's doubles title in 1989 with Mark Woodforde, and a fifth Wimbledon men's doubles title in 1992 with Michael Stich.
Representing his country
More than any other player in his era, McEnroe was responsible for reviving American interest in the Davis Cup, which had been shunned by Connors and other leading US players.
Final years on the tour
McEnroe recovered his form somewhat by the end of his career.
A brighter spot in 1990 was when McEnroe reached the semifinals of the U.S. Open where he was defeated by Pete Sampras, who went on to win the championship.
After retirement
Although McEnroe officially retired from the pro tour, he still plays tennis competitively in the Delta Tour of Champions, where he finished the year 2005 ranked #2.
Career statistics
McEnroe won a total of 156 top-level titles (a record for a male professional) during his career — 77 in singles, 78 in men's doubles, and one in mixed doubles.
Quotes
When asked to name the top 5 greatest tennis players of all time, Mats Wilander put Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, and Björn Borg in the top 4 with Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl, and McEnroe tying at 5th. Had he worked on his game and fitness like normal top pros, sky was the limit.”
Career titles
McEnroe won 77 singles titles in his career:
1978 – Masters, Hartford, London, San Francisco, Stockholm, Wembley 1979 – US Open, Dallas WCT, London/Queen's Club, Milan, New Orleans, San Francisco, San Jose, South Orange, Stockholm, Wembley 1980 – US Open, Brisbane, London/Queen's Club, Memphis, Milan, Richmond WCT, Sydney Indoor, Wembley 1981 – Wimbledon, US Open, Cincinnati, Dallas WCT, Frankfurt, London/Queen's Club, Los Angeles, Milan, Pepsi Grand Slam, Sydney Indoor 1982 – Philadelphia, San Francisco, Sydney Indoor, Tokyo Indoor, Wembley 1983 – Wimbledon, Masters, Dallas WCT, Forest Hills WCT, Philadelphia, Sydney Indoor, Wembley 1984 – Wimbledon, US Open, Masters, Montreal/Toronto, Brussels, Dallas WCT, Forest Hills WCT, London/Queen's Club, Madrid, Philadelphia, Richmond WCT, San Francisco, Stockholm 1985 – Montreal/Toronto, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Milan, Philadelphia, Stockholm, Stratton Mountain 1986 – Los Angeles, San Francisco, Scottsdale 1988 – Detroit, Tokyo Outdoor 1989 – Dallas WCT, Indianapolis, Lyon 1990 – Basel 1991 – ChicagoHe also reached 31 finals:
1978 – Basel, London/Queen's Club 1979 – Montreal/Toronto, Los Angeles, Rotterdam 1980 – Wimbledon, Dallas WCT, Forest Hills WCT, Philadelphia, South Orange, Stockholm 1981 – Wembley 1982 – Wimbledon, Masters, Dallas WCT, London/Queen's Club, Memphis 1983 – Montreal/Toronto, London/Queen's Club, San Francisco 1984 – French Open 1985 – Forest Hills, US Open; 1987 – Brussels, Dallas WCT, Philadelphia, Rotterdam 1988 – Indianapolis 1989 – Montreal/Toronto, Toulouse 1991 – BaselIn doubles, McEnroe won 70 titles:
1978 – Basel, Bologna, Cologne, London, San Francisco, South Orange, Hartford 1979 – Wimbledon, US Open, Montreal/Toronto, Bologna, Milan, New Orleans, Rotterdam, San Francisco, San Jose, South Orange, Stockholm, Wembley, World Doubles WCT, Richmond WCT, Indianapolis 1980 – Forest Hills WCT, Maui, Milan, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Sydney Indoor, Wembley, Memphis, Brisbane, South Orange; 1981 – Wimbledon, US Open, Cincinnati, Forest Hills WCT, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Sydney Indoor 1982 – Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Wembley, London/Queen's Club, Sydney Indoor 1983 – Wimbledon, US Open, Los Angeles, Wembley 1984 – Wimbledon, Masters, Montreal/Toronto, Madrid, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Richmond WCT 1985 – Dallas, Houston 1986 – Pairs Indoor, San Francisco, Stratton Mountain, Wembley 1988 – Los Angeles, San Francisco 1989 – US Open, Milan, Wembley 1992 – Wimbledon, Pairs Indoor, Brussels 2006 – San JoseAnd was a finalist 22 times:
1978 – Wimbledon, Washington Indoor, Maui 1979 – Philadelphia 1980 – US Open, Monte Carlo 1981 – Montreal/Toronto, Wembley, Frankfurt, Milan, Los Angeles 1982 – Wimbledon, Montreal/Toronto, Memphis, Tokyo Indoor 1983 – Philadelphia, Sydney Indoor 1986 – Los Angeles 1989 – Lyon 1991 – Basel 1992 – Montreal/Toronto, RosmalenAfter retirement from the tour
McEnroe was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1999.
Grand Slam singles finals
Wins (7)
| Year | Championship | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
| 1979 | U.S. Open | Vitas Gerulaitis | 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 |
| 1980 | U.S. Open (2) | Björn Borg | 7-6, 6-1, 6-7, 6-7, 6-4 |
| 1981 | Wimbledon | Björn Borg | 4-6, 7-6, 7-6, 6-4 |
| 1981 | U.S. Open (3) | Björn Borg | 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 1983 | Wimbledon (2) | Chris Lewis | 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 |
| 1984 | Wimbledon (3) | Jimmy Connors | 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 |
| 1984 | U.S. Open (4) | Ivan Lendl | 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 |
Runner-ups (4)
| Year | Championship | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
| 1980 | Wimbledon | Björn Borg | 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 8-6 |
| 1982 | Wimbledon | Jimmy Connors | 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 |
| 1984 | French Open | Ivan Lendl | 3-6, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5, 7-5 |
| 1985 | U.S. Open | Ivan Lendl | 7-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
Grand Slam singles tournament timeline
| Tournament | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | Career SR | Career Win-Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | A | A | A | A | A | A | SF | A | QF | NH | A | A | QF | 4R | A | QF | 0 / 5 | 18-5 |
| French Open | 2R | A | A | 3R | QF | A | QF | F | SF | A | 1R | 4R | A | A | 1R | 1R | 0 / 10 | 25-10 |
| Wimbledon | SF | 1R | 4R | F | W | F | W | W | QF | A | A | 2R | SF | 1R | 4R | SF | 3 / 14 | 58-11 |
| U.S. Open | 4R | SF | W | W | W | SF | 4R | W | F | 1R | QF | 2R | 2R | SF | 3R | 4R | 4 / 16 | 66-12 |
| SR | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 1 / 2 | 1 / 3 | 2 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 1 / 4 | 2 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 7 / 45 | N/A |
| Annual Win-Loss | 9-3 | 5-2 | 9-1 | 15-2 | 18-1 | 11-2 | 18-3 | 20-1 | 18-4 | 0-1 | 4-2 | 5-3 | 10-3 | 8-3 | 5-3 | 12-4 | N/A | 167-38 |
NH = tournament not held.
In the House of Pain's 1992 hit single "Jump Around," lead rapper Everlast mentions John McEnroe in the second verse: I'll serve your ass like John McEnroe, if your girl steps up I'm smackin' the ho.
In the 2003 Halloween cartoon for Homestar Runner, 3 Times Halloween Funjob, Homestar dresses as John McEnroe.
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