John Mcenroe

John Mcenroe is an enormously talented tennis player who plays every game competitively.

Regarding his playing style, John also has been compared with famous artists like Pablo Picasso. Why? Well, John figured out the next step for his biggest rivals and changes his playing style depending on the opponent.

Despite being a talented player, he was also known for his aggressive behavior while playing on the court.

John McEnroe | Early Life, Family & Education

John Patrick McEnroe Jr. opened his eyes on 16th February 1956 in Wiesbaden, Germany.

John’s father McEnroe Sr. granted his service in the United States Air Force, and his mother, Kay McEnroe, was a surgical nurse.

Likewise, his parents raised John in Queens, New York, alongside his two younger brothers.

John’s father influenced him with a knack for striking a ball with a plastic bat and covering a considerable distance.

So, at the early age of eight, McEnroe showed interest in tennis. Meanwhile, John was also showing his skills in basketball and soccer.

But he got playing tennis with his brothers by joining ‘Douglaston Club.’

Besides sports, John studied at the well-known ‘Trinity School’ of New York.

Later, at the age of nine, John joined ‘The Eastern Lawn Tennis Association’ in order to participate in regional tournaments. Earlier, during school days, John was known for being witty, funny, and rowdy.

John McEnroe | Career

Early Career

John showed his more kind of natural ability on the tennis court despite playing other sports.

During his early age, John won many junior tournaments ranking steadily upward. But John never ranked number one on the National Junior Circuit.

Similarly, John joined Ivy League preparatory school in Manhattan after Trinity School. Maybe because of John’s involvement in sports, he could not invest his time in studying.

At the age of 16, John received six months of suspension from the Port Washington Tennis Academy for doing a teen prank.

Therefore, John’s parents switched him to the Cove Racquet Club. Starting from 1977, his life started to uplift just after he graduated high school.

Likewise, there he got an opportunity to play in Europe and eventually won the French Juniors Tournament.

Later on, targeting Junior’s title at Wimbledon, John had to pull out of the event. McEnroe even got qualified for the men’s competition.

At the time, John was popular for being the youngest man to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals. In fact, John earned a reputation as tennis’ “bad boy.”

Later on, McEnroe was the Tennis magazine’s Rookie of the year for 1977.

Becoming Pro

In the fall of 1977, John entered Sandford University in Palo Alto, California, with a tennis scholarship.

Later, in 1978, John led his school’s tennis team to the NCAA Championship. Adding more and more experiences to his report, he turned into a pro tennis player.

Shockingly in 1978, John got eliminated from the first round at Wimbledon but ended in the semi-finals of the U.S. Open.

Moreover, John ended the year by archiving the sixth position in the world in singles and fifth in doubles. Additionally, John also committed to Davis Cup play.

In just four months, John made four singles championships, including a victory over Bjorn Borg on his home turf in Stockholm, Sweden.

Similarly, in 1978, ATP honored him with a Newcomer of the Year Award. Also, just in his early twenties, McEnroe ranked number four in the world.

In the same way, people recognize John for his interesting contrast to the machine-gun-like attacks of pro players like Connors and Borg.

Finally, John was playing pretty mature as he didn’t serve to overpower in 1979. As a pro player, John had rapid reflexes and exceptional game sense.

John McEnroe | Wimbledon and Grand Slams

In the entire history of tennis rivalry, the fiercest one is between John McEnroe and the calm Swede, Bjorn Borg. All this started at the Wimbledon final in July of 1980. The remarkable match between these two players lasted for four and half hours long and finally ended with a 34-point tiebreaker.

Later, Bjorn Borg became successful in the game by 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7,8-6. Thus, McEnroe enhanced the match as one of the most epic ones in tennis history. Back again, they faced each other as opponents at the U.S. Open. This time, John became the victor of the championship by 7-6, 6-1, 6-7, 5-7, 6-4.

Hence, again in 1981, they faced each other in the Wimbledon final. Similarly, John defeated Borg, pulling off a win in four sets. However, in the U.S. Open, John again got the better of Borg.

Despite being unable to achieve Grand Slam, John continued to win his second Wimbledon defeating Chris Lewis in 1982. Further, John won 82 out of 85 matches up until 1984.

At last, John claimed his third Wimbledon title and the fourth U.S. Open title. And for the fourth consecutive year, McEnroe finished up ranking No.1 position.

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John McEnroe | Retirement

With the record of owning some Wimbledon, John could not win a single number of Grand Slam events in 1985.

Similarly, John was absent for six months in 1986. Also, in 1987, John stepped back for several months drawing suspension.

Later in 1989, McEnroe remained a highly competitive doubles player and won U.S. Open and Wimbledon later in the year 1992.

To conclude, John announced his retirement in 1992. Altogether, McEnroe owes seven career Grand Slam singles championships, a Davis Cup host, nine double titles, and one in mixed doubles. Finally, in 1999, John McEnroe was inducted into the international tennis hall of fame.

John McEnroe vs. Serena Williams

Serena Williams, The King of WTA, is without a doubt one of the best tennis players in the world.

However, there are few who still criticize the legacy that William has left in the sports world.

During an interview with NPR, John McEnroe was quick to talk against William’s legacy. He stated,” If she played the men’s circuit, she’d be like 700 in the world.”

However, John did state and gave credit where it’s due. “That doesn’t mean I don’t think Serena is an Incredible Player.”

John McEnroe | Married Life

Accordingly, John married Tatum O Neal, an Academy Award winner in 1986. But in 1994, the couple got divorced despite having three children together.

And just three years after their divorce, McEnroe married rock singer/songwriter, Patty Smyth. McEnroe has two more daughters named Anna and Ava with Smyth.

John McEnroe | Net Worth

John started to make wealth when he started to play like a pro; immediately, McEnroe earned half a million dollars.

Moreover, John also has been ranked once as the No.1 professional tennis player in the world. Thus, McEnroe’s net worth is estimated to be $100 million.

Some FAQs

Did John McEnroe graduate from Sandford?

After high school, John McEnroe joined Sandford, but he didn’t complete his graduation.

At what age did John McEnroe retire?

John McEnroe announced his retirement at the age of 36 in 1992. But he played tennis now and then for charity.

Why’s John McEnroe famous?

Truly, John is most famous for being a top-ranked tennis player. He is also well known for being a broadcaster and actor, and for his quotes.

How tall is John?

He has accumulated a height of 5 feet 11 inches.

Quick Facts

Full Name	John Patrick McEnroe Jr.
Known as	John McEnroe
Nickname	Johnny, McBrat, Johnny Mac, SuperBrat
Birth Date	16th February 1956
Birth Place	Wiesbaden, Germany
Residence	Queens, UK
Religion	Christian
Nationality	American
Ethnicity	White
Education	Trinity School, Ivy preparatory school in Manhattan
Horoscope	Aquarius
Father’s Name	John McEnroe Sr.
Mother’s Name	Kay McEnroe
Siblings	2 (Patrick McEnroe and Mark McEnroe)
Age	66 years old
Height	5’11” (180 cm)
Weight	75 kg (165 lb)
Eye Color	Brown
Hair Color	Blonde
Body type	Athletic
Profession	Tennis Player
Marital Status	Married
Spouse	Tatum O’Neal (divorced) and Patty Smyth (present)
Children	5
Name of Children	Anna McEnroe, Ava McEnroe, Emily McEnroe, Sean McEnroe
Beginning of Professional Career	1977
Retirement	1992
Playing style	Left-handed net-rusher (one-handed backhand)
Sports team	N/A
Coach	Antonio Palafox
Honors	7 Grand Slam Title, 155 ATP titles, No.1ranked professional (1980, 1981-84)
Victory	Wimbledon singles, Wimbledon doubles, Davis cup, U.S. Open Champions (for multiple times)
Net Worth	$100 million
Prize Money	N/A
Merch	John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection, But Seriously(Book), Funko Pop
Last Update	April 2022