"Umpiring in tennis is so much worse than other sports, it's ridiculous" - When John McEnroe openly proclaimed he had no 'respect' for officials
John McEnroe once expressed his strong dissatisfaction with tennis umpiring, calling it "ridiculous" compared to other sports. He was vocal about the need for improvements in officiating.
McEnroe is one of the most iconic figures in tennis, especially in American tennis history. A seven-time Grand Slam champion, he amassed 77 career titles and held the top spot in the ATP rankings for 170 weeks.
Beyond his accomplishments, the 65-year-old was also infamous for his frequent on-court outbursts. His fiery temperament often resulted in clashes with chair umpires, leading him to advocate for a better umpiring system in tennis.
John McEnroe told Sports Illustrated in 1984:
"Umpiring in tennis is so much worse than other sports, it's ridiculous. You go to the Open, you get the same people who were working the Easter Bowl for me when I was 12. Or who work for my brother in the juniors right now. I'm serious. It'd be like refs in the NBA doing a CYO game in Great Neck. How can you respect them?"
The American added:
"Now, I know I'm wrong sometimes. Yeah, because I can't take no for an answer [eyes drop], and I keep rubbing it in and nail them to the wall. I know I'm wrong there."
"But I know I can see the ball so much better than they can. As many balls as I hit, I can feel it when I hit a serve out. But they don't understand that. I have zero percent doubt that I see balls better than they do," he continued.
John McEnroe on his on-court outbursts: "I have no control...I just go into the zone"
In the same interview, John McEnroe reflected on his on-court outbursts, admitting that he never planned them. He mentioned that even if he promised himself not to lose his temper during a match, he would somehow still end up losing control.
"I wish I were that smart to plan those things," McEnroe said. "Look, even my friends know I have no control. I just go into the zone. There've been times, I swear to you, five minutes before the match, five minutes, I've said to myself, 'Now John, don't do anything today. Just go out and play,' and two games into the match—two bloody games—I've lost complete control."
The American continued:
"People think I plan all this stuff? I've gone nuts in exhibitions. I've lost it completely, 10 times or more, and nobody even hears about that. Then my friends say, 'John, there was no money involved, no title, no nothing. Who cares?'"
"Well, at the time, I cared. I'd like to tell you, 'I promise you there won't be any more outbursts.' I would. But I can't say that because I don't know. I'm sorry, I don't," he added.