Editors note: Here are some of John McEnroe’s quotes he gave to the British press while in London playing the senior event at Royal Albert Hall.
He told the Daily Telegraph ” Why we are even playing doubles at the point is a mystery to me ? “
Or this gem .. ” Most doubles players ,I hate to say ,are the slow guys who were not quick enough to play singles .”
His Bryan twins comments were vague and grumpy , but went something like this : ” Would they have made it as singles players ? No. So what do you think they are playing doubles for ? “
Back in the day of wooden rackets Johnny Mac was considered a great doubles player. So great that even though he mostly played with Peter Fleming he also played with a heap of other guys. So the old “joke ” was “who is the best doubles team ever ?” And the answer was “John McEnroe and anyone. “…
10sballs site says that is the reason that Mac and his ego don’t like the present game. Shame on him. Shame on anyone in the older generation that doesn’t respect today’s tennis players. Singles. Doubles. Mixed. You name it. To expect today’s singles guys to play dubs is an optional thing. The level of the singles is far more physical and causes major wear and tear on the body. Todays players may need that day of recovery instead of waiting around to play dubs. To say that today’s schedule and style of play isn’t as good as it was ? Forget it. Its in a whole new league. John is a grumpy tennis icon. Today’s dubs players are fit and fine tuned. No fat bellies out there ( some dubs players in the eighties looked like groundskeepers they were so flabby and heavy.) anyone remember ” Baby Huey ” Trevor you know who I mean. …
Chris Kermode the new ATP president is a brilliant man. At the 02 arena for the year end finals he schedules the doubles first every session. So for example your weekday matches all started at noon with doubles. Followed by the singles around two ish. The night session started with the dubs first too. Hello folks. It works. It was great. Full arenas almost the whole time for great singles and doubles.
Look at Leander Paes. He has the fastest hands ( eyes and reflexes too) I ever saw for a guy his age. He is so smart and tricky. All the eight dubs teams that made the Barclays year end finals were awesome ! The foolish ATP directors maybe MARK someone had Paul Haarhuis all upset that the doubles was played separately from the singles and the CEO didn’t even show up. It’s all a matter of scheduling and marketing. The sport of doubles is as strong or healthy as the powers that be nurture it.
Guardians of the game are all laughing at the old joke …..
PS. / FYI. Trashing the Bryan brothers is the lowest blow of all.
Topics: 10sballs.com, Atp, Chris Kermode, John Mcenroe, Leander Paes, Peter Fleming, Tennis, Tennis News