John McEnroe makes his feelings crystal clear on Davis Cup's current sorry state
John McEnroe has come clean about what he thinks of the Davis Cup in its current avatar. The legendary American recently revisited the times when the international team tennis event was held in the highest of regards. However, he indirectly suggested that the tournament is a mere shadow of what it once was.
McEnroe was a pivotal part of five Davis Cup-winning USA teams (1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, and 1992) and went on to assume the role of captain as well. During a recent conversation with Andy Roddick, which was released as a separate episode of the Served With Andy Roddick podcast, the former World No. 1 said:
"When I was a kid, I asked my parents what do they want from me in the sport of tennis and it was to get a college scholarship and to play Davis Cup. In my days growing up, there was no tennis at the Olympics. There was not nearly as many team events. It wasn't until 1988 the Olympics tennis came back. I like to be part of a team. I played other sports, I thought that was awesome. To put that USA on your back as well. It's one of the greatest feelings that I ever had as a tennis player." [34:15 onwards]
John McEnroe went on to claim that over the last two decades, no one has asked him about his Davis Cup achievements.
"Andy was one of my practice players in my second round as a captain and he was, what? 16, 17? So it meant a lot to me, Davis Cup. Needless to say, I was fortunate enough to be part of five Davis Cup teams and won. I'm going to ask you a question. How many people do you think come up to me and ask me how many Davis Cups I've won in the last 20 years? You know how many? None."
The American further lambasted the tennis authorities for the reduced significance of the Davis Cup.
"Not one person has come up to me about my Davis Cup experience. So that to me is seriously sad. So that opened the door because obviously, they're just butchering this beyond belief, the tennis authorities. They're unwilling to make changes that had to be made. Listen, I lost a bunch of matches going to other countries, Argentina and these other places, but it was also a new experience there and what it meant for those countries," McEnroe concluded.
McEnroe's stint as the captain of the USA's Davis Cup team though, was ill-fated. He resigned after 14 months, citing his disagreement with the international team tennis event's format and scheduling. The American isn't the only one to have voiced his criticism of the Davis Cup. Lleyton Hewitt, another former World No. 1 and Australia's Davis Cup team captain has also aired his frustrations.
John McEnroe would later be named the captain of Team World for the Laver Cup, the team tennis tournament ideated and brought to life by Roger Federer and TEAM8, the sports management agency that represents the Swiss.
The now-65-year-old led Team World to the Laver Cup title in 2022 and 2023. The 2024 Laver Cup marked McEnroe's final outing as Team World's captain. He is set to be replaced by another former World No. 1 in Andre Agassi from the 2025 Laver Cup onwards.
John McEnroe offered Andre Agassi prudent captaincy advice ahead of Laver Cup 2024
At a pre-tournament press conference in the buildup to the 2024 Laver Cup, John McEnroe playfully recommended Andre Agassi to not "pay attention" to players representing Team World if he wants to succeed as their captain.
"Well, don't pay attention to these guys," John McEnroe said.
He proceeded to reminisce about his experiences at the Laver Cup, which is still regarded as an exhibition event. However, the results at the tournament matter in players' respective ATP Tour head-to-head records.
"First of all, you know me well enough to know that Rod Laver was my idol. Roger Federer to me is the most beautiful player I have every seen play on a tennis court. To be able to look on the other side and see my greatest rival and great friend, Bjorn Borg, and have my brother as my right-hand man, it's pretty hard to top that for me personally," John McEnroe added.
McEnroe was replaced by brother Patrick as the USA's Davis Cup captain. Patrick also served as the vice-captain for Team Europe at the Laver Cup. The 2024 Laver Cup went Team Europe's way after inspired displays from reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz.