For tennis players, personal life and on court performance are inextricably connected. Showtime recently released a new documentary about John McEnroe that perfectly illustrates that point. The story of the tennis legend’s career is told within the context of his relationships both on and off the court. There is no better example of how tennis brings out the best in people— and also the worst — than John McEnroe.
When Bjorn Borg won his first Wimbledon as a teen, he instantly became McEnroe’s idol and arguably inspired his eventual tennis ascension. The documentary silently used Borg’s Fila jacket to underscore that point. There was a lot of video footage of McEnroe wearing Borg’s iconic jacket before he won the NCAA championship and turned professional.
From Jimmy Connors, McEnroe claims that he learned to be “a prick.” From Vitas Gerulaitis, he learned how to live like a rock star and the two partied together after McEnroe defeated him in the finals of the 1979 US Open.
As was the case in his autobiography “You cannot be Serious,” McEnroe was up front about his history of substance abuse when he was playing. The documentary also explored his complicated family relationships with both his parents and his own children. McEnroe felt that his parents fully supported him, but at the same time always felt pressured to do more.
The film captures McEnroe’s intensity on the court that frequently caused him to go off the rails during his matches. It was suggested that not even McEnroe knew when he was going to explode. However, there is no player in the history of tennis with a better ability to rein himself back in once emotions have boiled over.
Perhaps one of the most insightful observations on the arc of McEnroe’s career was provided by Billie Jean King. She theorizes that Borg retired from tennis because McEnroe broke his spirit. In turn, that denied McEnroe an eagerly anticipated long rivalry. It is possible that McEnroe would have achieved even more in tennis had Borg stayed in the game.
McEnroe was a divisive force in tennis because he disrupted the societal norms of the sport. Some fans loved him, and some fans hated him. A clip from the late Bud Collins may have summed it up best: McEnroe scares people because he is a reflection of the times we live in.
John McEnroe forced the tennis world to take a long hard look at the mirror. The new Showtime documentary allows us to experience part of that tumultuous journey for ourselves.
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