Biography
A titanic figure on the world tennis scene in the 1970s and early 1980s, John McEnroe was also one of the game's most polarizing players, alienating as many fans with his on-court behavior as he won over with his storied roster of championship titles. A left-handed player with unerring accuracy and extraordinary skills at serve and volley, McEnroe was ranked first in the world by the Association of Tennis Professions (ATP) from 1981 to 1984. He won 77 career singles titles over the course of his 16-year career, ranking behind only longtime foes Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl. McEnroe also laid claim to 17 Grand Slam titles in men's and mixed doubles and five Davis Cups for the U.S. Team, which he briefly led in 1999. But his athletic prowess was frequently overshadowed by a volcanic temper that frequently erupted in gales of vitriol against court officials and umpires, resulting in thousands of dollars in fines and ceaseless criticism from the media and even fellow players. The relentless scrutiny had a dampening effect on McEnroe's career, forcing him into a self-imposed exile in 1986; after marrying actress Tatum O'Neal that same year, he resurfaced with his anger intact but his game lacking in its former power. He retired in 1992 but remained in demand as both a commentator for televised tennis matches and an advertising spokesman, where he gleefully skewered his own legacy as one of the most ferocious figures - in both talent and temperament - in professional sports history.
