Tennis legend John McEnroe is set to lend his voice to Wimbledon coverage once again. Widely described as the “defining boys within the BBC’s coverage,” the 65-year-old former tennis pro is all set to give his expert opinion this year as players hit the balls on-court. As newcomers like Nick Kyrgios, and Ashleigh Barty join with him in the journey this year, questions about the former Wimbledon Champion, Roger Federer doing commentary in his favorite tournament are inevitable. While tennis world wants to see that happen at least once in their lifetime, McEnroe is skeptical about the subject.

During an interview, the seven-time Grand Slam champion, John McEnroe, raised doubts about the eight-time Wimbledon champion’s participation in the commentary section ever. “But I don’t anticipate Roger doing tennis commentary. He’s got a lot of other things going on,” he said. People who are known for being good, honest, and reliable are often sought after in many ways. This could mean being invited to participate in positive events, being asked for advice or help, or simply having people enjoy their company. Further adding on the same, the American former tennis pro said, “That of course is one of the advantages of being the good guy; everyone wants a piece of you.” 

Known for his candid opinions and confrontational behavior, John McEnroe’s reputation in the tennis world is inclined towards being a “bad boy.” After all, his historic Wimbledon controversy of the “You can’t be serious,” phrase, and verbally attacking the umpire for calling out his serve in a match against Bjorn Borg in 1981, is something that no tennis fan can ever forget. However, putting all this behind, the hotheaded tennis player has now won the hearts of his fans with his commentary, which he began in 1992, two years before retiring from singles tennis. “The mike turned out to be a blessing in disguise for me because I was able to show a side of my personality that I was pretty miserable at showing on the court,” he said.

Unlike him, Federer, who retired back in 2022, has taken on different roles after stepping away from the sport. With his interest in investing in various business ventures, like On (Sneaker brand), Federer has found his passion in a different field. However, apart from the occasional glimpses from his vacation in different parts of the world, like Thailand and Vietnam, the 20 Grand Slam champion has also graced the Met Gala event with grace. 

On top of that, his documentary called “Federer: Twelve Final Days,” is also there, which showcases the last twelve days of his career. Therefore, Federer, who once said, “I am happy to have retired,” is enjoying his time away from the sport. McEnroe hinted at Federer’s busy schedule outside of tennis and cited it as a reason for him to not be interested in participating in commentating. However, when it came to welcoming them if they wanted to do commentary, McEnroe has no objection.

McEnroe says he will “welcome” Roger Federer, Andy Murray if they choose to do commentary

As tennis legends like Roger Federer, Andy Murray, and Rafael Nadal bid adieu to tennis, a new panel of pundits in the field is going to be born. However, the two-time Wimbledon champion, Murray, is the only one showing interest in commentating. In a glimpse of his potential life beyond tennis, Andy Murray impressed viewers with his BBC commentary debut in 2018.

His deep understanding of the game and his rivals shone through during the Rafael Nadal vs. Juan Martin del Potro clash, earning him the nickname “Statto” and widespread acclaim. However, McEnroe wants more of such incidents in the tennis commentary box. Sharing his thoughts on the matter, he said, “I’d welcome it. I wouldn’t mind working with them if they were doing it. I’d love to, it’d be fun.”

As more and more players begin to take an interest in commentating, hopefully, one day fans will see Federer in the commentary box!