Does John Mcenroe Still Play Tennis?
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John Mcenroe is considered to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Although he retired from playing professional tennis in 1992, he still competes in senior tennis tournaments.
Early Life and Career
John McEnroe was born on February 16, 1959, in Wiesbaden, Germany, the son of American parents, Kay Tresadern (née Cochran), a former opera singer and actress, and John Patrick McEnroe Sr., an advertising executive and former United States Marine Corps intelligence officer. McEnroe’s father was of Irish descent, while his mother was of English, Scottish, and German ancestry. He has an elder sister, Terri. When McEnroe was nine years old, his family moved to the Douglaston neighborhood of Queens, New York.
McEnroe’s early life
John Patrick McEnroe Jr. was born on February 16, 1959, in Wiesbaden, West Germany, the son of American parents, Katherine (Kerr), a journalist and businesswoman, and John Patrick McEnroe Sr., an advertising executive and amateur painter. His father’s ancestors were Irish immigrants who had settled in New York City during the mid-19th century; his maternal great-grandfather was real estate developer William Lawrence Kerr, who was married to Florence “Flossie” Briggs, daughter of Mayflower descendant Cornelius Wickersham Briggs and Eleanor Stoutt. John is the youngest of three children, with two older sisters: fraternal twins Tatum O’Neal (an Academy Award-winning actress) and Terri. When he was two years old, the family moved back to New York City after his father’s promotion. He has stated that growing up he regularly played tennis with his father against guys like Tony Roche and Vijay Amritraj and that this gave him an early opportunity to learn from some of the best players.
McEnroe’s tennis career
John McEnroe’s professional tennis career began in 1978. He won his first top-level singles title that year at Newport. He reached the Wimbledon semifinals in 1980, where he lost to Björn Borg in one of the most famous matches of all time. McEnroe also won the men’s doubles titles at Wimbledon (with Peter Fleming) and the US Open (with Peter Rennert) that year. In 1981, McEnroe claimed his first Grand Slam singles title at the Wimbledon Championships, defeating Borg in the process. He also won the ATP Player of the Year Award and helped the United States win the Davis Cup that year.
McEnroe won both Wimbledon and the US Open singles titles in 1982. In 1983, he reached a then-record 13 consecutive finals at all four Grand Slam tournaments, winning seven of them. Among his wins were Wimbledon (for a second time) and the US Open (for a third time). He also helped the United States win another Davis Cup title that year. 1984 saw McEnroe claim his fourth consecutive Wimbledon singles title, as well as his fourth consecutive US Open singles crown. He also won a second French Open doubles title (with Peter Fleming). 1985 was another hugely successful year for McEnroe, as he won both Wimbledon and the US Open singles titles for a third time each. He also reached his sixth consecutive Wimbledon doubles final (again with Fleming), winning it for a second time. 1986 was not quite as successful as previous years, but McEnroe still managed to reach two Grand Slam singles finals, losing both of them to Boris Becker.
In 1987, McEnroe became only the second man in history (after Fred Perry) to win both Wimbledon and the US Open singles titles three times each. That year, he also helped the United States win its 32nd Davis Cup title. 1988 was another good year for McEnroe, as he won two more Grand Slam doubles titles (at Wimbledon with Michael Stich and at the US Open with Jim Courier). His final major tournament victory came at 1989 Kemmel Luxilon cup held in Belgium. After that event, McEnroe’s ranking steadily declined; he announced his retirement from professional tennis in 1992 after finishing ranked No. 59 in world rankings list having slipped outside of top 100 for first time since turning pro 11 years earlier – in February 1991 he was ranked World No. 1 for 64th and final week of career thus ending 286 weeks atop ATP rankings list which is fourth most all-time behind Ivan Lendl , Pete Sampras and Roger Federer .
Later Career
When John McEnroe turned professional in 1978, he was joining an era of tennis giants. His contemporaries included Björn Borg, Jimmy Connors, and Ivan Lendl. These men were all legends in the sport, and McEnroe quickly rose to meet their level of play.
McEnroe’s post-tennis career
John McEnroe – who turns 60 today – has had a successful post-tennis career, appearing in numerous television commercials, working as a commentator, and writing books.
He has also been involved in philanthropy, setting up the John McEnroe Foundation which supports underprivileged children through tennis.
In recent years, he has made a comeback to competitive tennis, playing on the senior circuit. In 2018, he won the seniors doubles title at Wimbledon.
McEnroe’s current career
John McEnroe is currently a television commentator, an author, and an occasional professional tennis player. He is one of the most famous tennis players of all time and has won numerous titles and awards throughout his career. In recent years, he has mostly focused on his work as a commentator and author, although he does still play tennis occasionally.
