John McEnroe and Arthur Ashe are two of the finest tennis players ever produced by the United States.
The pair won 10 Grand Slam titles between them, and in the case of McEnroe, he proved to be one of the most outspoken characters that the game of tennis has ever seen.
These days, McEnroe is a respected tennis pundit and is often on hand for a number of television channels to give his views on the game, especially at the big tournaments.
McEnroe recently gave his opinion on the new Saudi Arabia 1000 event that will take place on the schedule from 2028, and when it comes to tennis, he knows his stuff.
When he was younger, McEnroe would have seen someone like Ashe as an inspiration to him and in 1981, the three-time Grand Slam champion made some intriguing claims about his compatriot.
What Arthur Ashe said about John McEnroe in 1981
McEnroe did things his own way when he was a player, and in the eighties, Ashe did an interview with the Washington Post where he admitted he was concerned about the controversy surrounding the American.
He confessed that he was worried that McEnroe would throw away his talent and admitted he wanted to see him calm down a little bit out on the court.
Ashe said: ” I like him. More like (I’m) his big brother. I just don’t want him screwing up his place in American Tennis history. And he’s on his way to royally doing that.
“First Wimbledon champion not to be granted an honorary membership; first to be fined. He’s really going to have to turn himself around. I want him to. And he’s only 22.”
John McEnroe career achievements
- Australian Open – SF – 1993
- French Open – F – 1984
- Wimbledon – W – 1981, 1983, 1984
- US Open – W – 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984
- Tour Finals – W – 1978, 1983, 1984
- Career titles – 77
- Grand Slam doubles titles – 9 – x5 at Wimbledon, x4 at the US Open
Why John McEnroe didn’t get a Wimbledon honorary membership
Every player who wins at Wimbledon receives an honorary membership to the All England Club, but McEnroe didn’t receive one after his win in 1981.
That is because instead of attending the Champions’ Dinner, which is mandatory for all winners, he chose to go out in London and celebrate his win with a rock band instead.
The powers that be felt that his actions called the game into disrepute and didn’t actually give him an honorary membership until he won the tournament for the second time.
McEnroe’s career was iconic, given that he always wore his heart on his sleeve, and although some traditionalists might not have appreciated his eccentricity, he was extremely watchable whenever he was on the tennis court.
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