Watchin this McEnroe match against Jim courier is more exciting than most of the matches I've watched on the tour this year. Safin has shaken things up in his day but can't hold a candle to John. If the current players on tour had the passion about each match that he does there would be more competition for Fed even if their talent isn't as high of level.
John McEnroe the most fun player to watch ever!
- Thread starter yonex90
- Start date
superstition
Hall of Fame
Courier? I saw him play Martin and Brugera, but not Courier. Was it his first match? He played well against Martin and should have won in straight sets. He had four match points.yonex90 said:
I love watching him play, I think he's an excellent commentator. But I can't stand listening to him while he's playing. How well one can yell at an umpire, smash racquets, or smash whatever is on their table such as bottle of waters is not passion for the game in my book. To me it's more of the spoiled brat syndrome, but it does make him unique.
breakfast_of_champions
Banned
mcenroe bends the rules like noone else, and needs counseling for his temper. i really dont find someone throwing a racket into the scoreboard exciting, but more of a sideshow. i'd rather see good tennis instead. i do admire his desire to compete at 47 though.
Steve Huff
G.O.A.T.
In his playing days, he was the most irritating player to watch. A lot of you get so upset when the women fake injuries to stall a match and break their opponents momentum. McEnroe did the same thing, except that he would argue with the chair to stall a match to break his opponents momentum. I agree that his style of play, and his talent make exciting to watch, but his antics were the worst for a player of his calliber. As far as FUN to watch, you should watch Barhami(?), who often plays with McEnroe on the Seniors Tour. He's the clown of the show. And his trick shots are better than his normal shots. He's fun. I got to see a lot of them up close when my son was a ballboy 3-4 years ago. McEnroe, Willander, Pernfors, Noah, Lloyd, Wilkinson, Bahrami and 1 other who I can't think of. I have to admit, I like McEnroe a lot more as a commentator than I did when he played.
psamp14
Hall of Fame
lots of people on the boards here bash mcenroe as a commentator, and mary carillo and dick endberg as well....
well i dont because i enjoy their perspectives, opinions, and commenting...how carillo comments on federer's smooth game and mcenroe just knows the mental aspect of the game...he calls it before and we see it after...how one player isnt used to the pressure, ...how roddick finds himself stuck too close to the net, how when roddick shrugged his shoulders towards his box in his match against verdaso in rd 3 of the us open this yr, mcenroe said something along the lines that roddick's looking like if "its just not my day"...
and then mcenroe said roddick needs to dig deep because thats what the better players do and of how roddick's won a slam before....whatever the case, i look forward to listening to them in matches, even in 3rd rd matches at the open or 4th rd matches at wimbledon....
well i dont because i enjoy their perspectives, opinions, and commenting...how carillo comments on federer's smooth game and mcenroe just knows the mental aspect of the game...he calls it before and we see it after...how one player isnt used to the pressure, ...how roddick finds himself stuck too close to the net, how when roddick shrugged his shoulders towards his box in his match against verdaso in rd 3 of the us open this yr, mcenroe said something along the lines that roddick's looking like if "its just not my day"...
and then mcenroe said roddick needs to dig deep because thats what the better players do and of how roddick's won a slam before....whatever the case, i look forward to listening to them in matches, even in 3rd rd matches at the open or 4th rd matches at wimbledon....
West Coast Ace
G.O.A.T.
Tend to agree with Breakfast and Steve Huff - McEnroe's pathetic behavior should have been dealt with much earlier in his career - the AO default came way too late. John talked a good game about trying to right the wrongs of the linespeople and chair - but most of the time his tactics were cheesy attempts to ice an opponent on a roll. Sad for a player of his level to resort to such silliness.
While I loved his flair for the game, his childish pranks were an embarrassment.
While I loved his flair for the game, his childish pranks were an embarrassment.
Moose Malloy
G.O.A.T.
Mac beat Courier 6-4,6-3 in Memphis yesterday(not televised on the Tennis Channel, they have been showing matches from the event the previous week)
http://www.championsseriestennis.com/memphis/
callitout said:
While I do agree to an extent, it's not like Courier at his peak on clay wouldn't have given Mac all he can handle either.
It's like Mal said, Mac's game doesn't lose as much with age as others do, look at him compared to Borg for example. Borg relied on his athleticism much more and had fuller strokes. Mac more or less bunts everything, so there's not as much maintenance involved in my opinion. He basically relies on sticking his racket out there and using your power/shots against you by placing it where you ain't. He's a "hands"/touch/feel player, he's not going to lose as much with age, he doesn't rely on generating extreme racket head speed or athleticism, etc. In other the physical deterioration that will take virtually all other tour players out of commision by his age, don't apply to McEnroe nearly as much. All the other tour players have full swings for the most part, developed techniques/strokes, etc.; and these require more athleticism than Mac's "style." Mac gets away with it because his hand-eye coordination, fire in his belly, and responsive "hands." In other words, at his age, Mac's a lot closer to his level when he left the tour than say Connors was at the same age in my opinion.
Moose Malloy
G.O.A.T.
Don't agree, Connors did great on the senior tour(& he started playing on it right after he left the main tour, so there was no time to "decline") When he was 47(mac's age now), he won a lot of senior events in '97/'98 beating Mac several times.
Both Connors & Mac have really simple strokes, & great timing, they hit the ball so cleanly. They really didn't lose much with age, how else was it possible for Connors to reach a US Open SF at 39, at time when the game was so different than it was in his prime?
Its probably been a while since you've seen Connors play. Roddick & Querrey say he still hits the ball great & the sweetspot every time(they've been training with him)
RadekStepanekTheKing
Hall of Fame
quest01 said:
West Coast Ace said:
The only analogy I can think of to the conflict in wanting to see McEnroe play tennis and avoid watching his BS was how I enjoyed watching "Monday Night Football" with the sound off the sound so as to avoid Howard Cosell ruining the experience. Unfortunately the MNF fix was easier than avoiding the sight of John being John during almost any given match. His one run to the Wimbledon final where he put his "act" away for a fortnight was admirable but I couldn't help noticiing that in the few tight patches during that run to the title he looked as if his head was about to explode.
I think you are being very charitable using the words "silliness" and "pranks" and IMO showed more class in one post than McEnroe displayed in a career. Otherwise I totally agree with your assessment.
prostaff18
Semi-Pro
I wasn't alive to ever see Mac play but when I watch the old tapes all I can say is WOW!!! He must have made it so fun to watch because you never knew what he was going to do. I love to watch those old matches back when he had the huge hair and I would just laugh at the way he looked then when he went crazy, I just love it!!! It must have been so cool to be able to watch that play out. I mean that makes watching it from home so entertaining. With Mac you had to watch to see what was going to happen next! Also I love to listen to him announce for the same reason; you never know what he will say. It is a lot like what Brad Gilbert did when he announced for ESPN, with his weather predictions, wild match predictions, and just how he would make fun of the players and the other announcers.
Moose Malloy said:
Jimbo probably still trying to get a little back for his Wimbledon final smackdown at the hands of Mac! I always go to that match when I want to think how gifted Mac was and imagine how dominant he could have been if his head had been screwed on even just a little straighter. Talent and purpose combined in 84 to produce a dazziling display. Maybe you have the stats to hand Moose but it wasn't a question of Connors losing it, just fairy dust falling from Mac's racquet that day I recall. Both really really fine players - be great to have characters with such talent and commitment like that on tour now.
breakfast_of_champions
Banned
jings said:
connors was 32, and rarely played his best tennis at wimby. i don't disagree with macs talent, but connors was far from his best that day. they went 5 sets at the us open that year. i think connors was playing much better tennis in that match.
... and five sets in the W final a couple of years before that if I recall correctly. For sure not Jimbo's best but I'm not sure it would have mattered who was the other side that day, or maybe my rose tinted glasses need a clean? Would love to see stats if anyone has them.
For a not so favourite tournament Connors didn't fair so badly in SW19 ... proving again how much he left out on court every time he stepped out.
For a not so favourite tournament Connors didn't fair so badly in SW19 ... proving again how much he left out on court every time he stepped out.
LuckyIrish
New User
I really never got to see John McEnroe play in his early days, but in my time Andre Agassi was always a great player to watch. He always got the crowd involved.
I do agree the J-Mac is one of the best commentators out there.
I do agree the J-Mac is one of the best commentators out there.
yonex90 said:
Oh man, McEnroe is still amazing to watch.
He makes me feel like I can volley too (without bending my knees, with rousy footwork).
You probably should NOT watch this guys playing if you want to improve your technique.
This guy still shows, at his age, that he probably still has the most
gifted hand in tennis.
superstition
Hall of Fame
I think his recent tantrums may be made to order. One of the Tennis Channel's commentators said he said fans have complained when he plays matches and doesn't get upset. He said he feels like he's become a caricature of himself. Some of his behavior against Martin seemed forced, especially when he first started doing it, for the benefit of the crowd. I find him exciting to watch due to his on-court play, not anything to do with temper. His serve is interesting, and his ground strokes look like nothing else I've seen... very odd. I especially like how he comes in toward the service box on second serve returns.
People who think he doesn't have much of a game should keep in mind that he played his first regular tour tournament (doubles with Bjorkman) in a very long time and won the title.
People who think he doesn't have much of a game should keep in mind that he played his first regular tour tournament (doubles with Bjorkman) in a very long time and won the title.
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