John McEnroe is still talking about Serena Williams, even though she specifically told him to take her name out of his mouth. To be fair to Johnny Mac, his NPR interview set off a firestorm and now he’s being asked about Serena almost exclusively during every interview for his book tour. It’s almost as if he planned it that way. Did he? I don’t know. I think if McEnroe was actively looking to play the sexist troll, he would be coming across as less confused?
To recap, in his interview with NPR several days back, McEnroe was asked about Serena and he praised her extensively, but he insisted on calling her “the best female player of all time” rather than “the best player of all time.” He also said that if she was on the men’s tour, she would be “ranked 700.” Which really bugs me – it’s one thing to say that one-on-one, Serena couldn’t beat Rafa Nadal or Novak Djokovic. I don’t think she could beat them either, although I would love to see that exhibition match. But it’s quite another to say that Peak Serena couldn’t beat a guy ranked #679. And why would she even need to beat #679? By literally every metric, she’s the greatest of all time. Even Roger Federer thinks so (but Serena still calls HIM the greatest). From the VF Oscar party last year:
That moment when Federer & Serena can't agree on who is the greatest….
(📽: Serenas Snapchat) pic.twitter.com/SNoUuknGAW— HappySlamTennis (@happyslamtennis) February 29, 2016
Anyway, I digress. McEnroe appeared on CBS This Morning on Tuesday and Gayle King, Norah O’Donnell and Charlie Rose lit into him as soon as he sat down, basically. McEnroe refused to apologize, but genuinely seemed bewildered by why his comments have become such a thing:
He says at the beginning: “She’s the greatest female player that ever lived, then the lady said to me, I don’t remember which one, but she said, ‘Why did you say woman, why don’t you just say the greatest, you know, tennis player that ever lived?’ And so then I felt the need, however unfortunately probably, to defend myself. I don’t know, just say what I really felt, which is about what I think she would be…[my comment] was not necessary. I didn’t know it would create controversy.” Then it turns into another dumb thing. As commenter Jenns wrote succintly yesterday: “What McEnroe is saying that women can never be the best because they are women. And that is f**king bullsh-t.” So, enough Johnny Mac. ENOUGH.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Yea he’s an @$$. His daughters were also apparently pissed at him for the comments
His daughters need to help him get woke. His confusion only makes it worse.
It doesn’t matter what his daughters do, he will never be woke. He is the type to decide he is always right no matter what.
His confusion really does make it worse. That’s the point, dude. The problem is that you can’t even understand why women would be pissed about what you said. That’s how ignorant you are.
But when was he ever not a douchebag? This is self promotion, and Serena (I hope) is shrugging her shoulders and basically ignoring it,
Okay is this a true statement ? Why is there a woman and men’s tennis league.
Because they’re different – why are they separate in athletics?
yes they are different . same reason there is a mens and womens basketball, track etc. it would be unfair….i am a woman and i played tennis and serena is the female goat but she would neverrr have won her grand slams if she played in the mens league. she tried to come in with venus before and got shut down bc she couldnt even beat a guy who was 200 in the world as he beat both of them back to back.
Exactly what he said is absolutely true. However, what is most important in this drama is that they both have the same book promoters, so I am almost certain this is a faux drama created for the sake of publicity.
I honestly know nothing about tennis, to me it looks like a sport that men and women would have equal footing on. I don’t understand what would make a man better at tennis than a woman. Is upper body strength that much of a factor?
He is an assh*le and he always has been. Insufferably arrogant and up his own ass. I don’t follow tennis at all and even I’ve known this for years.
Once again women are expected to follow some biased metric to “prove” themselves in a way that men are not.
Ok, little man. Still a jerk, and now clinging to Serena’s coattails for relevancy.
Yeah its very obvious that its always those tiny men who are so angry, specifically at women. Short Man syndrome is a real thing.
Pardon? John is around 5’11”. His “shortness” is hardly an issue. These GOAT debates are in any case sterile nonsense in every sport.
Serena is more focused on having a baby and getting married to really care what John has to say. But we all know she will make John eat his words when she comes back. Actions speak louder than words.
Has-been.
That’s what happens to sportspeople if they live long enough. Whatever you think of him, he’s hardly at the bottom for name recognition.
Much Ado about nothing.
Yes, maybe serena would beat 699 and higher up, even someone in top 10. But it will be difficult for her or any female player to defeat the male counterpart in any game.
even with same amount of training and stamina, males tend to have a slight raw muscle strength edge over women.
It doesn’t make women inferior or second class. Simply our strength lies in something else. A man makes a drama if they catch flue. Women nurture and deliver another life form. Their strength falls far far far behind when it comes to long term endurance.
Tan I completely agree, men and women in sports are different. He was drawn into this by the interviewer and I can’t see how he disrespected Serena.
There is a difference between saying men and women are different and implying that women are less than men. That is what McEnroe was doing. He was flat out saying that women in sports are less than men in sports.
This attitude carries across the sports world. That is why the US women’s soccer team got so angry. They win Olympic medals and win at the World cup. But they were making far less than the US men, who don’t win much at all.
Well it’s true there’s sexism in sports but that comes more from the viewers than anybody, the people who organize these events just care about money, they don’t care who does it. So for example you gave the example of the World Cup, you do know that male players don’t get paid by their own countries for representing them. If they win a tournament they divide that money. Now it’s true that FIFA’s prize money for the female World Cup is way less than men & that should be fixed, but I feel that has to do more with who brings more viewership than anything. Just to give you another example I’m Peruvian & my country volleyball is a massive sport & the female volleyball players bring more ratings than the male team & they definitely win more money, they have sponsors, better salaries, everything. Again this has to do more with viewership, if we gave the rating to male volleyball the same we do with women they will win more. But the truth with tennis is that no one but Serena brings good ratings in the girl’s side.
As a male and avid sports fan, I can tell you McEnroe was not doing anything but being honest. Williams is a great player in her sport but the sexes are separated for a reason. She would not beat any top-10 players ever and even she knows it. That’s nothing to be ashamed about. Males and females are very different physiologically. There was no reason for the interviewer to complain about his answer and make it into an issue.
And the above comment about the women’s national soccer team is more telling than the commenter realizes. That team plays practice games against teenage boys squads and routinely gets routed.
Not because we are women but because we are usually smaller, less strong, and not as fast. Serena is amazing. An outlier among women for her size and strength. Mentally, as a competitor she is as good as it gets. And I bet she’d be ranked higher than 700 among the men. But the jist of his comment is correct. And I don’t think saying she is the best female tennis player of all time is an insult. It is incredible.
But she is lauded for her total victories yes? I don’t follow tennis but if she won 50 titles and the top man won 49 titles then she is the best in the sport, yes?
The man who has won most singles titles is Jimmy Connors. Over a hundred. A great player but not the best ever. I don’t think there is any metric that works over time. There are too many variables.
Interesting, thanks. I have trouble even following how the game is scored.
The problem would be if McEnroe distinguishes between “best players” with the implication that the norm for tennis stars is men, and “best women players” are a sideshow, as in any field — “best surgeon” vs “best female surgeon” etc. I once was told, “You’re the smartest woman I know.” So, you know…women are often parcelled off in a separate category. And this was the norm in McEnroe’s heyday.
If he’s putting her off to the side and not seeing her category as equal to that of the men in tennis, that’s the problem.
@Who ARE these people?
Yes! It’s also why I get so mad when I see comments like: “Joni Mitchell is the female Bob Dylan.” She stands on her own merit and she is the best because she’s Joni, not a female Dylan. Stuff like that, it pisses me off.
Like the male experience is the norm and we are supporting characters. They think we can have a little bit but not TOO much because they feel threatened.
I will ALWAYS stand up for Serena because she has dealt with so much bullshit. That’s the true mark of a champion and how I know she’s the best. Her fitness is undisputable, but I think it is her mental strength that completely sets her apart. She is made of steel. She continues to be strong, unapologetic and she will win tons of more trophies and make dumbass men cry.
I think it’s hilarious how, whenever she does something amazing of wins a trophy, men come out and say “well, actually it wasn’t that good because such and such…” Bullsh*t.
McEnroe in an a$$. Always has been.
He’s of the same cloth as that Natasse (spelling?) guy. Obnoxious and up his own a$$. Only John is slightly more polished due to his broadcasting but that’s like putting lipstick on a pig. Still a pig.
I don’t even know why he keeps bringing Serena up in comparison to the ATP. It only feeds that idea that she is “different” from other WTA players. Bunch of crap.
But he’s beloved because well, I think it’s obvious why his antics have always been tolerated – even cheered – while others get pilloried for similar behavior.
Whatever, John just reminded everyone why he is an a$$. But I am sure he has his supporters.
Well that’s odd, because he was jerk when he was playing, but that was way back in the 80’s. When I got into tennis, he’d started as a commentator and I’ve always found him funny, insightful and respectful of women.
Current controversy aside?
He’s promoting a book. That’s what this is. How many people knew before this kerfuffle that JMc had some book coming out? I didn’t. I bet a lot of other people didn’t either.
Spelling is Nastase and yes, he was an a–hole.
He is a jackass. The truth is that in general the men’s league is streaks ahead of the women’s at current time. Why? Because all at once they had 3 or 4 “Serenas” come up all at the same time. When you play people who challenge you every game to be better, it makes you better. We have had a freak moment in tennis with some of the best players of all time playing at the same time. That makes for bloody fantastic tennis. In the womens’, on the other hand, Serena is just so far ahead of the pack. It’s a different thing. We have one superstar superwoman player, and lots of very very good players. There’s not the same dynamism at the top that the men’s league currently has, because she’s sitting up there by herself and everyone else is so far behind. It was like when Pete Sampras used to win everything. That doesn’t mean that she is less than those guys; it just means she stands alone. The men’s and women’s leagues are at different points right now. McEnroe wishes he could have a legacy like Serena!! The woman is simply fantastic.
Of course he won’t apologize, this is the most publicity he has had in years. He has always been a terrible person and this is just further proof.
If you want more proof of what an a-hole he is, just read both of Tatum O’Neal’s books. He was the most abusive husband and father. Probably still is.
I dont know what do people expect from an interview. Rightly or wrongly, the interviewee answered questions according to their ‘personal’ viewpoint. Would you like all answers modelled on a PC template?. Then what’s the point of interview?. Because I am of simple mind that I see nothing so outrageous about John McEncroe and Prince Harry’ comments.
The world of opinion is not usually divided between “PC” and “non-PC” and there’s no template, only evaluating the fairness and accuracy and freedom from stereotyping (bias) of the conclusions the opinionators draw from the facts.
I have no problem with him voicing his opinion, in all it’s asshattery.
I don’t either, and the only tennis player I watch is Rafa Nadal.
John said nothing wrong. Here’s a Quote from Serena in 2013….“Actually it’s funny, because Andy Murray, he’s been joking about myself and him playing a match. I’m like, ‘Andy, seriously, are you kidding me?’ For me, mens’ tennis and womens’ tennis are completely, almost, two separate sports. If I were to play Andy Murray, I would lose 6-0, 6-0 in five to six minutes, maybe 10 minutes. No, it’s true. It’s a completely different sport. The men are a lot faster and they serve harder, they hit harder, it’s just a different game. I love to play women’s tennis. I only want to play girls, because i don’t want to be embarrassed. I would not do the tour, I would not do Billie Jean [King] any disservice. So Andy, stop it. I’m not going to let you kill me.”
There, she said it herself.
This uproar is ridiculous. He states his opinion while saying she’s the greatest female of all time and people are freaking out?
I don’t think he was disrespectful, I think he got asked a question he didn’t expect and just got flustered. I don’t think Serena would be able to beat the top men, even though I think she is an amazing athlete. MY issue with what McEnroe said is that he is discounting her talent and power based on a biological fluke. Men have an advantage, but it isn’t something they earned or worked on, it’s just genetics. If you take the biology out of the equation and just rank her based on her skills, I think she would be in the top overall.
What does this site mean by best of all time? What do the commentators?
In 1998 Serena and Venus Williams claimed that they could beat any man ranked 200 or higher. They ended up playing Karsten Braasch who was ranked 203 in the world at the time. Karsten drank beer and smoked cigarettes between changeovers and beat Serena 6-1 in the first set and then immediately after beat Venus 6-2.
Now Venus is a better player now than she was in 1998 but if you think that she could rank in the top 100 of male players then you don’t know tennis.
McEnroe was a jerk when he played. So what? What does that have to do with his answer? Venus is the best female player of all time. She can’t by definition be the best player of all time because she couldn’t beat the top male players.
Are you getting your sisters mixed up? Venus has a terrific Wimbledon win record but her performance in other slams is not particularly outstanding, and she is rarely put forward as GOAT.
My bad – sorry. I did mixup the sisters. Inexcusable error but the point stands for either sister or any other woman on the WTA.
Soooo…still a douche. Got it.
Eh he’s a loudmouth and kind of a jackass but he did have a point during the interview that no other sport is put under this gendered GOAT microscope that tennis is. That’s how truly special Serena is for better or worse. I think a lot of this is made up noise by the media. Like Jordan v. LeBron, Brady v. Montana (and I’m sure Katie Ledecky will be compared to Michael Phelps at some point) nonsense.
Everyone asks him this question, sometimes on air during a match. I think that’s what ultimately surprised him. This isn’t a new opinion he’s throwing out there. He’s always said this. He positively gushes about her when she plays so I don’t think he meant to offend her. He just told the truth as he sees it. I mean how many people really think she’d best Roger Federer? I mean, he’s objectively the best male tennis player of all time but could beat him. Probably not.
ETA. Plus, his take down of Margaret Court and her terrifying rhetoric was priceless.
I’d be curious to hear what people think about classes in sports. In wrestling and boxing, for example – which have been traditionally male sports – there are weight classes – you know, to create fair playing fields – where strength, power and agility are more evenly matched based on the size/weight of the competitor. Are featherweights considered “less than” competitors? “Weaker” athletes? If one such competitor consistently dominated their class could they achieve GOAT status? Or would people expect him to also win against a heavyweight to achieve that status? Doubt it. Maybe it comes down to the criteria by which people judge these things. But I’d venture that most of the people (and McEnroe himself) who defend McEnroe are threatened by women athletes – and women in general. I was a college athlete, and now near 40, I’m in another sport, and I see this shit again and again. Boys with hurt egos who never grow up.
I’ll defend McEnroe till the cows come home. Far from being threatened by women, I was a huge Martina Hingis and Maria Sharapova fan, and have been a fanatic of the UConn women’s basketball team for 20 years.
What shit are you hearing? That professional male tennis players would routinely beat professional female tennis players? Why is that controversial? Why do you think the sexes play separately?
As for boxing, the weight classes are set to keep 140 pounders from getting sent to the ICU by 200 pounders.
Totally agree.
The greatest of all time means nobody was/is better or more successful than you. Serena would not win against Fed, Nadal or Novak so that alone negates the claim that she is the GOAT.
Greatest female player ever? Absolutely. And she has earned that respect.
But a woman at the top of her physical game simply cannot compete with a man at the top of his. It’s just the way it is, and there is nothing wrong with that.
I honestly don’t understand what the fuss is about.