Easily one of the most volatile players ever to grace the sport of tennis, and well known for his signature line, “you cannot be serious,” John McEnroe is forever etched into the minds of tennis fans throughout the world. His hot temper, raw natural talent and his penchant for disagreeing with the referees got him into trouble more than once, but he remains one of the best players the game has ever seen.
He was born in 1959 and got into tennis early in life. His early education in the sport paid off, and over the course of his career he landed eight grand slam titles. All told, McEnroe won 155 titles a feat that few players have been able to achieve. Considered to be one of the most talented, if not one of the loudest players in history, McEnroe inspired thousands of people to take up the sport and many have gone onto greatness since then.
His rivalries with other players in the 1980’s were a journalist’s dream, particularly the one with Bjorn Borg that played out over the course of many years. He also got into numerous verbal altercations Jimmy Connors and countless refs throughout his career. Never afraid to say what he thought, McEnroe channeled this into writing a book, which was an instant success on the New York Times Best Seller List.
Often the subject of parodies on comedy shows, McEnroe has also appeared in many different commercials. One of the most remembered was for Nike, where he took fellow tennis star Pete Sampras out on the court and showed him how to throw a tantrum.
What is he doing now? In 2006, McEnroe became one of the oldest players to return to the sport when he left retirement to play and win in competition. He is still active in the sport and plays in competitive games as well as exhibition matches.
His high profile marriage to Tatum O’Neill and their resulting breakup was the subject of many controversial books and it is clear that even in semi-retirement, McEnroe continues to be a pop culture icon, for better or for worse.
Championships:
Singles
Year Championship
1979 US Open
1980 US Open (2nd)
1981 Wimbledon
1981 US Open (3rd)
1983 Wimbledon (2nd)
1984 Wimbledon (3rd)
1984 US Open (4th)
Doubles
Year Championship
1979 Wimbledon
1979 US Open
1981 Wimbledon (2nd)
1981 US Open (2nd)
1983 Wimbledon (3rd)
1983 US Open (3rd)
1984 Wimbledon (4th)
1989 US Open (4th)
1992 Wimbledon (5th)
Interesting and Inspirational Quotes:
“What is the single most important quality in a tennis champion? I would have to say desire, staying in there and winning matches when you are not playing that well.”
Everybody loves success, but they hate successful people”
“You cannot be serious!”
“The important thing is to learn a lesson every time you lose. Life is a learning process and you have to try to learn what's best for you. Let me tell you, life is not fun when you're banging your head against a brick wall all the time.”
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The Dummies series has quite a following and these books specialize in breaking down everything complex about a subject until everyone can easily understand it. This latest Dummies book focuses on tennis and was written by John McEnroe’s son, and also features a forward from this well known player. This is the kind of teaching that many of us wish we had when we were first starting out and although at times it can be a bit simplistic, there is much to be learned here.
The first portion of the book goes into the absolute basics of the game, how scoring works and what to expect. This portion is actually useful for those that just like to watch tennis, but they’re not quite sure what exactly is going on. Once you get past the first section, you get into more actual tips and lessons and that is when it starts to get really good.
We thoroughly enjoyed the second part, which gets into learning the right techniques from the start and how to get the basics under control. After that, the third section will help you take the skills that you’ve already learned and walks you through how to apply them step by step. This kind of instruction is very valuable and makes the book a very useful training tool.
The fourth section is intended for those that are truly passionate about not only playing tennis but following the sport. It gets a little heady in there at times, but once again, the information is all very good. The book wraps up with some great tips and some top ten lists of the world’s greatest players. A bit on the filler side, but once again, those who truly love tennis will appreciate these final additions at the end of the book.
Don’t let the title fool you, there is still good stuff in this book for professional and advanced tennis players. It never hurts to keep on top of your game and to read all that you can about the sport. We learned quite a few things by reading this book and getting a different insight on something is always useful. It may not be the best instructional tennis book out there, but it does come pretty close.
The intended audience for the book is the absolute beginner and it does offer a strong foundation that will help these players get started on the right foot. We highly recommend the book to new players and to kids that are just getting started. Many of these lessons would cost quite a bit more if you got them in person from a pro, and while it is important to learn tennis with a coach, this book can pick up the slack and offer some interesting new techniques and drills that can be incorporated into your existing lessons. It’s a solid read that’s engaging and informative.
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Advanced players can sometimes find it difficult to get just the right racket. There is a dearth of rackets available for intermediate players, but when it comes to appealing to either beginners or advanced players, a lot of manufacturers fall short. The Dunlop Maxplay McEnroe racket is one that is designed specifically for advanced players and we were very surprised at just how good it was.
The racket was designed for John McEnroe and carries his signature both on the case and on the racket itself. That gives you a big clue as to the quality of the racket and the level of player that should be using it. This is not a racket for beginners and even intermediate players may find that it’s just not right for them either. However, there is a big, untapped market out there for advanced rackets and this is easily one of the best we have come across.
The grip for this racket is 4 3/8 and the overall weight is about 11 ounces, without strings. Adding strings really doesn’t change the overall weight much and we found that it was very light in the hand and easy to maneuver. The entire length of the racket is 27 inches long and the head is 98 square inch. For those seeking greater accuracy and the ability to get an unparalleled feel for the ball, this is one of the best rackets we’ve tested.
Wilson is a name that you can trust and when they design a racket for one of the highest profile players in the world, it’s a given that it is going to be good. We were surprised at the overall handling and noticed a difference right away in accuracy and power. If you’re looking for that little edge your game needs to get to the next level, you may just find it with this racket.
If you’re an advanced player, we can’t say enough nice things about this racket. The feel is just perfect and the first time you use and connect with the ball, you’ll agree that it’s one of the most outstanding rackets on the market. It may not be the flashiest one, or the one with the most hype, but it sure does get the job done and that is what really counts. When you need a racket you can count on that will perform at a level that you need to succeed, this is one of the best choices you can make. We highly recommend it and look forward to giving ours quite a workout in the near future.
The pricing for this model is quite reasonable, considering the way that it is made, the materials and the market. Many advanced rackets are priced too high for regular players that don’t happen to have sponsors or who aren’t on tour. This one can easily be afforded by most players and if you can’t get it right away, start saving up now. This is one racket that is more than worth the purchase price.
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