THEY LIVED HERE – JOHN MCENROE

As a professional tennis player, John McEnroe was one of the greatest of all time. A former number one ranked player in the world, McEnroe won seventeen major titles with seven grand slam singles championships. His tenacity however, was second to none. The flair he displayed in matches was a tactic he used to not only berate umpires and rattle his opponents, but to also fuel his competitive spirit.
John Patrick McEnroe, Jr. was born on February 16, 1959 in Wiesbaden, West Germany. His father was stationed at a U.S. military base in Wiesbaden with the Air Force. Months after McEnroe's birth, the family moved to New York City and eventually settled into Douglas Manor on 255th Street and 39th Avenue.
McEnroe was introduced to tennis at a young age. He learned the game from tennis legend Harry Hopman at the Port Washington Tennis Academy. Tennis was everything to Hopman; he had no children and few hobbies so he dedicated his time to coaching when his playing career was over. In addition to tuning McEnroe's game, Hopman instilled intensity, anger and fierce determination in him.
With Hopman's wisdom and McEnroe's natural athletic ability, McEnroe played a fast aggressive game. The combination of his strong serve, creative accurate shots and skillful volleying proved to be too much for the competition. His sharp reflexes also allowed him to wear down his opponents. Be it returning a big serve or making a passing shot, McEnroe's variety, touch, and quickness showed the crowds something they had never seen before.
In 1977, at the age of 18, McEnroe won the first of his seventeen major titles in mixed doubles at the French Open. Qualifying for Wimbledon that same year, McEnroe immediately made a name for himself on the tennis scene. He advanced to the semifinals, where he would eventually lose to Jimmy Connors in four sets. McEnroe's performance was one of the best ever seen by a qualifier at a grand slam tournament.
As a student at Stanford University the following year, McEnroe won the NCAA singles title and led his team to the National Championship. He then made the decision to join the professional tour. With high expectations placed on him, McEnroe signed one of the first endorsements for tennis with Nike. In 1979, McEnroe won the U.S. Open for his first grand slam singles title. He defeated friend and fellow Hopman pupil, Vitas Gerulaitis in straight sets, becoming the youngest man to win the U.S. Open at the age of 20.
The following year, McEnroe played in one of the most dramatic matches in professional tennis history. He advanced to the singles final at Wimbledon where he would run into Bjorn Borg, the four-time defending champion. The match lasted five sets, including a dramatic 20-minute fourth-set tiebreaker, in which McEnroe fought off five match points. Borg eventually won the match; McEnroe got his revenge as he defeated Borg two months later at the U.S. Open and the following year when he defeated Borg to win Wimbledon.
Success aside, McEnroe also became known for his competitive fire and volatile temper. The verbal outbursts motivated him to battle through matches, but he often got himself into trouble. During the 1981 Wimbledon tournament, McEnroe was fined $10,000 for numerous encounters with umpires. After being warned about smashing his racquet, McEnroe responded by saying, &#8220Man, you can not be serious!” one of his most infamous phrases. He later called the chair umpire &#8220the pits of the world,” and &#8220an incompetent fool.”
McEnroe now offers his insight in the game of tennis as broadcaster at tournaments. His fiery yet colorful personality is unique to his commentary. Though once known as the bad boy of tennis, he is today respected as an elder statesman who dramatically changed the face of the game.