- News>
- Tennis
Former bad boy of tennis grooms Brit youngsters
London, Nov 25: Tennis legend John McEnroe coaches young British players. Tennis legend and former bad boy of the sport John McEnroe is coaching young British tennis players and plans to use England`s rugby world cup triumph to inspire them.
London, Nov 25: Tennis legend John McEnroe coaches young British players. Tennis legend and former bad boy of the sport John McEnroe is coaching young British tennis players and plans to use England's rugby world cup triumph to inspire them.
McEnroe had his first coaching session in London on Monday (November 24) alongside Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) performance director David Felgate.
He has frequently offered to help British tennis and, although never a serious contender for a full-time job, the LTA have been keen to use his experience.
On Monday McEnroe was on an indoor court giving the aspiring stars the benefit of his considerable experience. "England just won the rugby (world cup) so all of a sudden you can say these miracle endings can happen and you can do it. It's perfect timing to inspire these guys and light a little fire under their you-know-whats," he said.
"The (rugby) final is like the epitome of why you play sports to me. You can feel like you're on the brink of victory and then all of a sudden it's 'Oh my God, it's going to slip away' and the heart rate doubles. I'm sure the heart rate doubled and tripled here for all those watching, but then all of a sudden it ends that way and you think it's all worth it," he said.
"It's worth it ultimately to put that work in. All that work that these guys put in for all those years, it's all worth it because of what happened there at the end of the match. And even if they had lost...but it's that much sweeter that they won."
"What's in it for me is that I've got a lot from tennis and the people here in England have been good to me, especially in the last 10 years. Even at the worst of times, supposedly, when I was playing and doing well there was an incredible groundswell of support I felt every time I came here from people when I walked down the street, so even when they were saying Superbrat should be suspended or whatever they were saying I felt encredible positive energy coming from the people so whatever I can do here will be worth it because the sports needs a boost. It's not just here it's in America too, because we have the same issue in New York we have in England, there hasn't been a real professional come out of New York in almost 20 years."
At the age of 18 he became the first qualifier and youngest player to ever reach the semi-finals. He went on to win three men's singles titles at Wimbledon (1981, 1983, 1984) and was both one of the most popular and one of the most controversial players to grace the Championships.
McEnroe won the US Open three years in succession (1979-81), and teamed up with Peter Fleming to win the Wimbledon men's doubles title in 1979, 1981, 1983 and 1984.
The pair also won the US Open four times, and McEnroe also took Grand Slam doubles titles with Mark Woodforde and Michael Stich.
Asked if McEnroe could inspire the players, Felgate said: "You'd be disappointed with any player if they didn't respond with the energy he (McEnroe) has got and the champion he is. What's important is that any knowlege he gives them, the guys take away and they work on it, because one morning isn't going to make or break you as a player."
McEnroe recalled when he was a nervous young player. "When I was young I had the chance to play with (Rod) Laver and (Ken) Rosewall and they knew I was shaking a little bit but just being out there pumped me up and made me realise how much I wanted it and if you can give these guys some better habits and pick up their effort level and energy level, that's half the battle. And believing, they see something happen that they didn't believe could happen, now there's no reason why it can't happen for them."
Referring to his reputation for on-court temper tantrums and bad language, he joked: "I could teach them well on that, I can teach them with or without four letter words. I could save them some money or lose what's in their pockets faster, I could help them with that too, but if nothing else they'll be trying harder."
He said he wanted to help British tennis players to repay some of the goodwill he had from the British public, even in the days when some sections of the media had branded him Superbrat and were demanding his supension from tournaments for his behaviour.
Bureau Report
On Monday McEnroe was on an indoor court giving the aspiring stars the benefit of his considerable experience. "England just won the rugby (world cup) so all of a sudden you can say these miracle endings can happen and you can do it. It's perfect timing to inspire these guys and light a little fire under their you-know-whats," he said.
"The (rugby) final is like the epitome of why you play sports to me. You can feel like you're on the brink of victory and then all of a sudden it's 'Oh my God, it's going to slip away' and the heart rate doubles. I'm sure the heart rate doubled and tripled here for all those watching, but then all of a sudden it ends that way and you think it's all worth it," he said.
"It's worth it ultimately to put that work in. All that work that these guys put in for all those years, it's all worth it because of what happened there at the end of the match. And even if they had lost...but it's that much sweeter that they won."
"What's in it for me is that I've got a lot from tennis and the people here in England have been good to me, especially in the last 10 years. Even at the worst of times, supposedly, when I was playing and doing well there was an incredible groundswell of support I felt every time I came here from people when I walked down the street, so even when they were saying Superbrat should be suspended or whatever they were saying I felt encredible positive energy coming from the people so whatever I can do here will be worth it because the sports needs a boost. It's not just here it's in America too, because we have the same issue in New York we have in England, there hasn't been a real professional come out of New York in almost 20 years."
At the age of 18 he became the first qualifier and youngest player to ever reach the semi-finals. He went on to win three men's singles titles at Wimbledon (1981, 1983, 1984) and was both one of the most popular and one of the most controversial players to grace the Championships.
McEnroe won the US Open three years in succession (1979-81), and teamed up with Peter Fleming to win the Wimbledon men's doubles title in 1979, 1981, 1983 and 1984.
The pair also won the US Open four times, and McEnroe also took Grand Slam doubles titles with Mark Woodforde and Michael Stich.
Asked if McEnroe could inspire the players, Felgate said: "You'd be disappointed with any player if they didn't respond with the energy he (McEnroe) has got and the champion he is. What's important is that any knowlege he gives them, the guys take away and they work on it, because one morning isn't going to make or break you as a player."
McEnroe recalled when he was a nervous young player. "When I was young I had the chance to play with (Rod) Laver and (Ken) Rosewall and they knew I was shaking a little bit but just being out there pumped me up and made me realise how much I wanted it and if you can give these guys some better habits and pick up their effort level and energy level, that's half the battle. And believing, they see something happen that they didn't believe could happen, now there's no reason why it can't happen for them."
Referring to his reputation for on-court temper tantrums and bad language, he joked: "I could teach them well on that, I can teach them with or without four letter words. I could save them some money or lose what's in their pockets faster, I could help them with that too, but if nothing else they'll be trying harder."
He said he wanted to help British tennis players to repay some of the goodwill he had from the British public, even in the days when some sections of the media had branded him Superbrat and were demanding his supension from tournaments for his behaviour.
Bureau Report