Fiery McEnroe is now a mellow 50

Last week on February 16, in an event that went unnoticed by the Indian media, one of the most talented tennis players ever-John Patrick McEnroe turned 50. It was a bit difficult to believe that the enfant terrible had turned 50.

During his heyday McEnroe, was famed for his clashes with authority and once described the Wimbledon umpire\referee as “the pits of the world”. The man who used the racquet to play a rare soliloquy confounded everyone by chucking the same racquet in rage on the court. If he was poetry in motion, his language on court at times could have had nothing in common with verse.

Yet it was this rare combination of genius and a combustible temper that appealed to the teenager in me. While my friends hated McEnroe for this trait I idolized him precisely for this. Many is the argument that I have had with people about McEnroe with me often being his sole supporter. The other trait I liked about McEnroe was his ability to announce his intention to do something and then precisely execute it. After he lost the epic 1980 Wimbledon final to Bjorn Borg he said “ No man can keep winning forever. Not even Borg can do that. When that happens I intend to be there at the other side of the net.” Sure enough in the 1981 Wimbledon final he beat Borg 4-6, 7-6, 7-6 & 6-4. Another example is his comment after the 1984 US open semi final when he was told that Ivan Lendl was to be his opponent. “Tomorrow, I am going to come out as fast as I can. I am going to get it over as quickly as I can and I know that I am the favourite.” Sure enough next day he despatched Lendl 6-3, 6-4, & 6-1.

McEnroe’s career was topsy turvy. He won seven grand slam titles between 1979 & 1984 and then none till his retirement in 1993. On his retirement an Indian newspaper summed up his legacy saying that he was a “flawed genius”. It is hard to disagree with that view. The Bach with the racquet could metamorphose into a Mr Hyde on court. McEnroe may have been my teenage idol but despite all his talent and achievements he would be the wrong kind of idol for anyone as far as behaviour went.

The 50 year old McEnroe has today metamorphosed into an exceptional and incisive tennis commentator post retirement. He has also handled his affairs much better than his most famous rival Borg who has been saddled with financial and personal problems. His place in the history of the game as one of its greatest artistes is assured. More importantly, the left handed genius from New York has really grown up. 50 years is just a signpost in that metamorphosis.