John McEnroe: A Great Ambassador For Tennis

For years, many tennis fans saw John McEnroe as the sport's ultimate left-handed compliment.  Winning three Wimbledon and four US Open titles, he was undoubtedly a star of the wooden-racket game, a game which thrived before the enabling qualities of modern technology.  The tensions between him and Jimmy Connors grew more fruitful as time passed.  Tennis matches between the pair were tantamount to acts of war between two defenders of the game. 

For years, tennis criticiques saw him as the human form of a code violation.  He won many times, but loudly; often infuriating opponents, umpires, journalists, and spectators (while amusing a few of the latter, too) in the process. 

He was once sent packing from the Australian Open, but not by an opponent—from a chair umpire, who was tired of the barrage of lugubrious moans. 

Others saw him as the perfect ambassador for New York, his home city.  Perfect work, relentless hunger, immense energy.  The only solace from his unrelenting kinetics was sleep. 

Despite turning 50 on Feb. 16 this year, an age when many athletes would turn to repose in a beach front mansion or country club estate, McEnroe is as much as a star in the tennis world as the pair that currently dominate the world rankings, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. 

Not on the tennis court, mind.  Well, not often.  His trademark is still his larger-than-life personality and loud voice; but now, in broadcasting rather than on-court tussles. 

At a major event, one is sure to find him, proffering his talents and analysis to a multitude of channels and a truly worldwide audience.  For the French Open, he joined forces with NBC; for Wimbledon, as usual, he will be one of the prized, keynote commentators and presenters for the BBC, participating in television, radio, and online broadcasts of the prestigious event, dispensing pearls of wisdom and nostalgic anecdotes to amuse his viewers and listeners that hang on to his every word.

His previous appearances on the USA network during their coverage of the US Open have been superb.  Who can forget the match made in heaven of McEnroe and Andre Agassi commentating on the greatly—anticipated 2007 quarterfinal night match between Roger Federer and Andy Roddick? 

The dialogue was so eloquent and articulate, while humorous and light-hearted in its delivery, that only the likes of McEnroe and Agassi, experienced members of the real tennis elite, could have performed so magnificently and honestly. 

Warm September nights, 20,000 spectators in Arthur Ashe stadium, and millions of national viewers, with McEnroe as their tennis symbol in his New York backyard.  A perfect symbiosis. 

He is always there, demanding to be there, to capture the most emotive of moments.  At the 2008 French Open final, when Federer beaten by Nadal's clay-court magnificence, McEnroe sincerely commiserated with the brave loser. 

At Wimbledon, the scene was repeated. Federer, broken down by his misery and pain, exchanged few but wholly poignant and heartfelt words with the former Wimbledon champion.  Only McEnroe could have elicited such responses from a tennis great. 

At this year's French Open, McEnroe once again met up with Federer—this time him being the champion and expressing happier emotions.  The Swiss allowed him a touch of the prized championship trophy; McEnroe followed by proclaiming Federer the greatest tennis player ever.

McEnroe still enjoys a slower pace of life, however.  He relishes the fact that his commentary at the slams only takes up eight weeks a year. 

That leaves time for tennis of his own—including appearances on Champions Tour and exhibitions with other former players such as Bjorn Borg and Jim Courier, as well as an annual summer commitment to Billie Jean King's Team Tennis.  He still has the fire burning inside, aching to be unleashed in competitive arenas, but likes to maintain a sense of normality and peace nevertheless. 

McEnroe, a great ambassador for tennis? You cannot be serious.

Well yes, actually, I am.