How Many Children Does John McEnroe Have? Everything to Know About His Marriage and Family

With seven singles Grand Slam titles under his belt, John McEnroe has etched his name in the realms of the racket sport. During his heyday on the men’s tour, the American tennis legend’s confrontational on-court personality often made headlines. Apart from that, the Hall of Famer’s private life has also garnered significant public attention.

The former tennis ace has been married twice, and his disastrous relationship with actress Tatum O’Neal was the stuff of tabloids. Though their turbulent marriage was marred by her struggles with addiction, his infamous anger, and their protracted custody dispute, the former pair remain loving parents to their children, who have now grown into successful adults. So here’s what you need to know about McEnroe’s children from his first and second marriages.

How many children do John McEnroe and his former wife have?

Back in 1986, the 7-time singles Grand Slam champion tied the knot with his first wife, Tatum O’Neal, who was a household name in Hollywood. The American actress made history by becoming the youngest person ever to win an Academy Award, doing so at the age of 10. Together, McEnroe and O’Neal had three children: Kevin, Sean, and Emily, during their brief six-year romantic relationship.

However, McEnroe and O’Neal hit a rough patch within a few years of their marriage, and eventually, they decided to part ways in 1992 before being officially divorced in 1994.  The Hollywood actress’s issues with substance abuse led to her former husband being granted sole custody of their children in 1998, although they had initially shared custody.

McEnroe also shares two children with his second wife

Three years after his divorce from his first wife, the American tennis legend married the Irish-American singer and songwriter Patty Smyth in 1997. The couple first met at a Christmas party in 1993 and got involved in a romantic relationship eight months later. At the time, the former tennis ace was separated from O’Neal, while the legendary rockstar was a single mother raising her daughter Ruby.

Before tying the knot in 1997, McEnroe and Smyth welcomed their first daughter, named Anna, in 1995. Later, the Irish-American singer also gave birth to their second daughter, Ava McEnroe, who is the youngest child of the legendary tennis player.

What are McEnroe’s kids doing now?

The American tennis icon’s son, Kevin, is a reputed author, and he has released his debut novel, “Our Town,” which got a lot of positive reviews in 2015. However, McEnroe’s eldest son was in hot water when he was charged with criminal possession of prescription pills. After Kevin completed a drug rehabilitation program, the charges were dropped.

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McEnroe’s second son, Sean, is an artist who lives in Arizona, US, and he secretly married his girlfriend Niamh in 2020. The 36-year-old and his partner kept the nuptials private for a while before making it public. While making it official, Sean previously opened up about how they suffered a devastating loss as his wife suffered a miscarriage.

In a conversation with People magazine, Sean said, “We went through a lot of challenges and difficulties this past year,” McEnroe said. “Niamh was pregnant in the fall but lost the baby at the end of her first trimester. It was devastating but in the end, it’s made us closer and stronger. And our bond is better than it’s ever been.”

The former tennis player’s daughter, Emily, is his third child, whom he shares with the American actress O’Neal. And it looks like the 32-year-old is following in the footsteps of her mother, as she is an actor and voice actor who made her acting debut in the 2022 film “Futra Days,” also starring Rosanna Arquette and Tania Raymonde.

Emily, who is based out of Los Angeles and is also a singer, also made an appearance in a documentary about her father. Anna McEnroe is a regulation alumnus, while her sister Ava is still pursuing her studies.

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