John McEnroe Isn’t Apologizing For Where He Stands Politically originally appeared on The Spun.
John McEnroe is on the call of the men’s championship match at Wimbledon on Sunday.
The iconic American tennis player, who won seven Grand Slam titles during his playing career, has since become one of the leading voices in the sport. McEnroe has been on the call of dozens of Grand Slams over the years, working for ABC and ESPN. He’ll be on the call of the match between No. 1 Jannik Sinner and No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday.
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It should be a good one.
McEnroe, now 66, is mostly known for his sports takes, but over the years, he’s sounded off politically, too.
Mar 2, 2020; New York, New York, USA; Former professional tennis player John McEnroe attends the game between the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-Imagn Images© Andy Marlin-Imagn Images
While McEnroe leans left on many issues, he hasn’t shied away from talking about President Trump, either. McEnroe previously took heat for his President Trump reference during the French Open.
“Donald Trump got re-elected. You know why? He got in the head of his opponents,” McEnroe said on the air. His comment instantly went viral on social media, with some people bothered by it, sounding off on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Many of McEnroe’s followers were angered.
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“He could literally compare Novak to so many other accomplished athletes yet he choose Trump for obvious reasons to invoke negative feelings from people. If anyone needs to retire it’s John McEnroe,” one fan added.
“Starting way back, he was always thought he was entitled and I saw nothing more than a spoiled fool. Acted like a petulant child on and off the court,” one fan added.
Another fan wrote: “No one can convince me that John McEnroe comment comparing Novak’s mindset to Trump was not premeditated and intentional. Horrible.”
LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 12: John McEnroe during a practice session for Milos Raonic at the Aegon Championships at Queens Club on June 12, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Joel Ford/Getty Images)Joel Ford/Getty Images
While McEnroe isn’t afraid to mention President Trump, he’s made it clear he’s not much of a fan.
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“Donald has a box at the U.S. Open, right next to the broadcasters’ booth. At the 2015 tournament I went over to say hello, against the advice of my wife and daughter: ‘Don’t you dare go over there. He’s a misogynist and a blowhard—it could hurt your reputation.’ Sure enough, it was caught on TV, me hugging Donald like we were long-lost brothers,” McEnroe said.
“He did seem more pleased to see me than usual, and I only realized why when he said, ‘John, thank you so much for the letter. I’ve got it on the wall in my office!’ I hoped this was fake news. I didn’t want everyone who went into Trump’s office thinking I was his No. 1 fan.”
McEnroe did say something that just about everyone can agree on, though: politicians can get too involved.
“These politicians are getting in the way too much,” McEnroe said. “They did it in Australia. Let’s let the guy come in and play in the U.S. I mean, c’mon, this is ridiculous!”
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The final match at Wimbledon is set to get underway on Sunday morning.
It’s airing live on ESPN.
John McEnroe Isn’t Apologizing For Where He Stands Politically first appeared on The Spun on Jul 13, 2025
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.