Funny how McEnroe didn't say this when Sharapova was the talk of the town. What exactly is the purpose in ranking and comparing the top female athletes to male counterparts? It's a useless debate. Obviously men have strength advantages etc. The fact that so many people in this thread are cosigning McEnroe is very telling.
Because he didn't bring it up just out of the blue.
He was asked a question in an interview & answered it.
He did absolutely nothing wrong...
It sure is. McEnroe has been very complimentary of Serena throughout her career, called her the GOAT of her game. When somebody tries to turn his comments into racism, it's very telling where their head is at.
McEnroe's comments to me have to do with a sports media that has survived on hot takes for too long now and people are just spent and running out of stuff to say.
A good male tennis player would beat the best women's tennis player? Wow that's some next level analysis right there. He should take up handicapping.
A good male tennis player would beat the best women's tennis player? Wow that's some next level analysis right there. He should take up handicapping.
This whole story is a great example of what our society has become. People becoming offended on social media & some celebrities playing right into it by responding. If anyone listened to the whole interview, they would have noticed how he praised her endlessly & only said what he did because he kept being asked.
As far as Serena goes, even she would now admit that he is probably accurate with his statement. Let us take a trip down memory lane shall we.....
During the 1998 Australian Open, the Williams sisters both boasted that they could beat ANY male player ranked 200 or lower. A German player named Karsten Braasch who was ranked 203rd at the time (highest ranking ever was 38) took them up on the offer. He agreed to play each of them 1 set. Now before his match, it is reported he played a round of golf, drank some beers & smoked some cigarettes all before playing them. The result: He beat Serena 6-1 & Venus 6-2. After the match this was Serena's quote: "I didn't know it would be that hard. I hit shots that would have been winners on the women's tour and he got to them easily."
Some other notable names, Kim Clijsters when ranked #1 admitted that she could barely win a point off her boyfriend during this time who happened to be Lleyton Hewitt much less a game.
In Chris Evert-Lloyd's biography she said her brother beat her & he was only a low level college player. She was at her peak.
Navatilova lost 7-5, 6-2 against Jimmy Connors even though she was allowed two serves to his one & played to the doubles court.
Yes, Billie Jean King did beat Bobby Riggs in 3 straight sets in 1973 but this was when he was 55 years old & 34 years after he won Wimbledon.
Really the only victory that you could say for women that came off as legitimate was when Helen Wills Moody beat Phil Neer who was ranked 8th at the time while she was the reigning Wimbledom champion. However she routinely practiced with men so it was not a big thing for her to play one in a match.
[h=2][/h]
As far as Serena goes, even she would now admit that he is probably accurate with his statement. Let us take a trip down memory lane shall we.....
During the 1998 Australian Open, the Williams sisters both boasted that they could beat ANY male player ranked 200 or lower. A German player named Karsten Braasch who was ranked 203rd at the time (highest ranking ever was 38) took them up on the offer. He agreed to play each of them 1 set. Now before his match, it is reported he played a round of golf, drank some beers & smoked some cigarettes all before playing them. The result: He beat Serena 6-1 & Venus 6-2. After the match this was Serena's quote: "I didn't know it would be that hard. I hit shots that would have been winners on the women's tour and he got to them easily."
Some other notable names, Kim Clijsters when ranked #1 admitted that she could barely win a point off her boyfriend during this time who happened to be Lleyton Hewitt much less a game.
In Chris Evert-Lloyd's biography she said her brother beat her & he was only a low level college player. She was at her peak.
Navatilova lost 7-5, 6-2 against Jimmy Connors even though she was allowed two serves to his one & played to the doubles court.
Yes, Billie Jean King did beat Bobby Riggs in 3 straight sets in 1973 but this was when he was 55 years old & 34 years after he won Wimbledon.
Really the only victory that you could say for women that came off as legitimate was when Helen Wills Moody beat Phil Neer who was ranked 8th at the time while she was the reigning Wimbledom champion. However she routinely practiced with men so it was not a big thing for her to play one in a match.
[h=2][/h]
Isn't there a lot of evidence out there that King/Riggs was rigged (no pun intended)
I don't follow tennis but I remember hearing about that a little while ago.
edit: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlin...gs-battle-of-the-sexes-win-reportedly-rigged/
Evidence is thin
I don't follow tennis but I remember hearing about that a little while ago.
edit: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlin...gs-battle-of-the-sexes-win-reportedly-rigged/
Evidence is thin
wow, didn't know that. Perhaps she became silly overconfident and was humbled as physical limitations take its toll. That was in 1998. Curious, do yo think you could beat her ? or would she smoke you? I'd bet the latter. You?
'This whole story is a great example of what our society has become. '
nonsense. Ego likely got the best of her
