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An on-court rivalry has been something common in tennis for ages. However, what’s not so common is the on-court rivalry between two brothers. Doing the uncommon is the brotherly pair of John McEnroe and Patrick McEnroe. Going back in time, the brothers gave the tennis world some highly engaging matches before announcing their respective retirements.

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After being out of the game for years, the two are set to revisit their rivalry in a never seen before setup. After being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, John McEnroe and Patrick McEnroe are set to play each other in the 7th continent of the world, Antarctica.

John McEnroe to take on his brother in Antarctica

Labeled as the ‘Antarctica Open’, the once-in-a-lifetime expedition is set to take place in February next year. The expedition will be an 11-day cruise to the coldest continent in the world. Having the McEnroe brothers on board, it will be the first meeting between the two since 1991.

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John recently finished the 2022 Wimbledon as one of its official presenters. Days after the Championships, the American legend recently opened up about the Antarctica Open.

“I’m excited to travel to Antarctica and play my brother, Patrick, in the first-ever professional tennis match on the seventh continent and to help raise awareness of the challenges facing one of the most remote and amazing places on the planet,” he said. “This will be an epic adventure and a one-of-a-kind expedition,” he further added.

Unlike his brother John, Patrick is a podcast host. He is regularly spotted inviting prominent tennis entities in his podcast titled, ‘Holding Court with Patrick McEnroe’. Taking time off from his schedule, similar to his brother, Patrick also expressed his excitement at playing the Antarctica Open.

“I am thrilled to continue our sibling rivalry with my brother, John, playing an exhibition tennis match in Antarctica this coming February,” he admitted. “I have always wanted to explore the amazing landscapes of Antarctica, and how could I miss out on playing the first-ever pro tennis match there against my own brother? I can only promise one thing, a McEnroe will win,” he further said.

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As per the announcement, the 11-day expedition will commence from 17th February and will go up till 28th February. Being organized by ‘Legends Abroad‘, the fans on board will reportedly have the opportunity to play and dine with the McEnroe brothers. The ticket prices are set to range from $19,990 to $69,990.

The rivalry of the McEnroe brothers

While John McEnroe had a number of rivalries, one of the most looked upon was with his brother, Patrick McEnroe. Looking at the records, the two played each other a total of three times in their careers. The first clash between the two took place in 1985 at Stratton Mountain, USA.

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After having a gap of six years, the two next played in the finals of the 1991 Chicago Open. The same year, John and Patrick also played in the Round of 16 at the Basel Indoors. While Patrick had an impressive game, it was John who clinched victories in all three clashes. Putting it in simpler words, John leads the h2h race 3-0 against Patrick.