The US Open is always packed with intense battles on the courts, but this year, the drama isn’t coming just from the players. The spotlight has also been shining brightly on the commentators, and let’s just say, it hasn’t all been positive. Once again, the ever-controversial John McEnroe has found himself at the center of a storm, stirring up tennis enthusiasts with his latest remarks.

McEnroe is one of the commentators for the match between Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz. But more than the thrilling encounter that took place on the court, what caught the attention of the fans was the pronunciation of Zverev’s name from the former pro. The name – specifically ‘Zverev’ – may look tough to pronounce, but it’s just two syllables. Zve-rev. But, every time McEnroe pronounces the German’s name, he makes some mistake here and there, which is not going well with the spectators.

Several fans took to X and complained about McEnroe’s pronunciation. They even tagged ESPN on their posts, hoping that they would take some measure. Interestingly, what further fueled the debate was the fact that the 65-year-old tended to support Zverev in the match. But despite the support, he failed to pronounce his name correctly.

For fans, this is utterly shocking as it comes from an experienced commentator like McEnroe. As the debate rages on, the former tennis player is surely amidst hot waters for his commentary yet again.

John McEnroe’s commentary infuriates tennis fans

Taking to X, one user wrote, “Someone please tell John McEnroe how to pronounce Zverev’s name.” This is not the first time when the commentator is facing backlash for mispronunciation. McEnroe made similar mistakes during the French Open this year when he added an extra ‘e’ every time he pronounced Zverev’s name. This took social media to storm back then as well, with many calling out McEnroe for his faulty commentary. One more user responded similarly. 

Taking a dig at the 65-year-old, the user wrote, “The way John McEnroe pronounces Zverev makes me actually want to off myself.” McEnroe has been amidst the centre of controversy for a long time. At the 2023 Australian Open, he was commentating alongside his brother, Patrick McEnroe, during the second-round match between Frances Tiafoe and Juncheng ‘Jerry’ Shang. 

On the live broadcast, John asked, “What is this Chinese guy’s name? Jerry?” Curious about his name, the legend inquired, “How did they come up with Jerry? Is he the only guy from China named Jerry? Did his parents watch Tom and Jerry?” Such instances have often made the fans lash out at McEnroe and the current scenario is no different. 

“I’m convinced that John McEnroe is pulling for Zverev. There is almost nothing coming out of his mouth other than Zverev, Zverev, Zverev….. #USOpen.” The ongoing US Open has also witnessed the commentator amidst a wave of backlashes. During the match between Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton, McEnroe made a blunder that quickly garnered the attention of the fans. 

During the first set of the match, when Shelton was leading against Tiafoe 4-2, McEnroe shed light on the pride that late tennis player Arthur Ashe would be experiencing, looking at the match from his heavenly abode. Speaking in the commentary box, McEnroe said, “He is looking down going, Two African Americans going at it on my court.” While McEnroe intended to make a positive remark, his statement did not depict complete facts. 

Ben Shelton hails from a ‘biracial background,’ as his father Bryan Shelton, and his mother Lisa Witsken Shelton are both of American nationality. Besides, Tiafoe also has American citizenship, which made fans question McEnroe’s remarks. The series of backlashes continued. 

Another user joined the fray and wrote “can john mcenroe not call tennis matches anymore plz.” McEnroe also found himself amidst controversy when he called out Iga Swiatek during the French Open. After Swiatek defeated Paolini, McEnroe questioned whether she would “throw on a little makeup” before the ceremony to receive her trophy. He even suggested that she might consider it if Lancome USA, her recent cosmetic partner, offered her the right price. This made many fans furious with a demand for a ban taking centre stage.  

One more user responded similarly and wrote, “I just do not like the way John McEnroe says Zverev. Idk it really grinds my gears 😭.” As McEnroe finds himself in yet another raging controversy, it would be interesting to see if he can work on his skills and woo the tennis fans going ahead.