John Paul McEnroe turned professional in 1978 after making an appearance as an amateur at Wimbledon aged 18. Signing his first-ever endorsement with Sergio Tacchini, John went on to win five titles in his debut year. Such was his dominance that year, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) recognized him with a Newcomer of the Year Award 1978. As a tennis speaker, John tells the story of his illustrious success and how he managed to maintain an outstanding sporting record throughout his entire career.
John recorded his best season in 1984, with 82 wins and just 3 losses (a 96.5% win rate); this longstanding record has only come close to being beaten by Roger Federer in 2005. The 1980s is seen as a golden era in tennis, with rivalries between McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Lendl and Björn Borg creating a fascinating climax to the Grand Slams of each season.
After losing at Wimbledon, McEnroe won the US Open for the first time in 1979, becoming the youngest player to win the tournament since 1948. He went on to win the event a total of 4 times and Wimbledon 3 times, in 1981, 1983 and 1984. In all, McEnroe won a staggering 17 Grand Slam titles and a total of 77 career titles making him one of the greatest and most successful tennis players of all time. He also contributed to five Davis Cup titles for the US and later was the team captain. During his after-dinner tennis speeches, John delivers invaluable advice concerning the drive and determination needed to perform in the highly pressurised environment that professional tennis provides.
McEnroe was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame by the end of the 1990s. He retired from the ATP tour in 1992, and since then, apart from playing very successfully on the Champions tour, John has established himself as a highly desirable tennis pundit and analyst. He has commentated many times for BBC and since then has taken on roles ESPN. McEnroe’s straight-talking American style makes him one of the nation’s favourite tennis speakers and TV presenters.
