John McEnroe
American former tennis player (born 1959)
John McEnroe: from teenage qualifier to tennis double threat
An early Wimbledon breakthrough
McEnroe developed his tennis in New York and reached the Wimbledon semifinals as a qualifier in 1977. The International Tennis Hall of Fame also records his French Open mixed-doubles title with Mary Carillo that year. His brief period at Stanford preceded a move into the professional game in 1978.
Rivalries and singles titles
He captured his first US Open singles title in 1979. His contests with Björn Borg shaped the following seasons: Borg won their 1980 Wimbledon final, while McEnroe took the 1981 Wimbledon title. McEnroe eventually won seven major singles titles, including four US Opens and three Wimbledons.
An exceptional doubles record
McEnroe was more than a singles champion. His partnership with Peter Fleming produced major doubles titles, and he held the world No. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles. In 1984 he won Wimbledon and the US Open singles titles. He later represented the United States in Davis Cup play, making team competition another part of his career.