‘Women Have It Better in Tennis’ – Way Before Making a Ridiculous Serena Williams Statement, John McEnroe Went Brutal on the WTA Schedule in 2010

John McEnroe, legendary American tennis player, is one of the sport’s most antagonistic figures. The controversial comments McEnroe made about Serena Williams  in 2017 caused him to face immense criticism from fans and the media.

McEnroe had drawn a lot of criticism for his flippant dismissal of Williams’ career. He had responded by restating his claims and even raising the possibility of combining the men’s and women’s tours to establish who was truly the best.

John McEnroe came up with a bold take on WTA schedule in 2010

It is an unspoken fact that Serena Williams has established herself as the most dominant tennis player. But in 2010, John McEnroe, retired by then, spoke his mind about the hectic scheduling of the women’s tour.

McEnroe said,  ” They shouldn’t be playing as many events as the men. Women have it better in tennis than in any other sport, thanks to Billie Jean King. But you shouldn’t push them to play more than they’re capable of.”

The legendary American also got called out for his comments on Serena Williams back in 2017.

“Maybe at some point, a women’s tennis player can be better than anybody. I just haven’t seen it in any other sport, and I haven’t seen it in tennis. … Perhaps [Serena Williams ‘ ranking] would be a little higher, perhaps it’d be a little lower. And on a given day Serena could beat some players, ” McEnroe said.

He added how he believes Williams to be so incredibly strong mentally that she could overcome some situations where players would choke. The main reason behind it is because she’s been in it so many times, so many situations at the Wimbledon, the US Open etc.

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McEnroe’s rant on Serena Williams

The seven-time Grand Slam champion remained confident that he could take down Serena Williams in a tennis battle.

“But if she had to just play the circuit — the men’s circuit — that would be an entirely different story. (His kids) They think I’d probably lose to Serena. I believe that I could still take her.”

While his remarks were quickly dismissed and McEnroe issued a clarification later on about the whole fiasco, it did leave fans generating a negative impression on John McEnroe. Alongside his outbursts on the tennis court, McEnroe ensures that he stays in the limelight with bold takes every now and then as an analyst.

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