‘If She Thought I Was Going to Lose..’ – John McEnroe Once Detailed How His Mother Stood Behind Him Like a Rock

John McEnroe, the 7-time Grand Slam champion, had a glorious tennis career. Like many athletes, he had the backing of several people throughout his time on the ATP tour. He once talked about the role of one such person in making him the best player in the world, his mother.

In an interview back in 2016, McEnroe talked about his childhood and his mom’s contribution to the family. According to the tennis player, his mom was very strict, which in turn made him tougher.

John McEnroe talked about an interesting story about his mom

In that same interview, McEnroe also told an interesting story about his mom turning up to his games, thinking he will lose. “I pushed myself towards perfection. I used to cry when I didn’t get an A on my tests in middle school. Mum was always there for me, no matter what. She only came to my tennis matches if she thought I was going to lose,” McEnroe said. 

“She wanted to be there for me if I was going to be upset, but it made me think, “Uh oh!” She looked out for me – she really didn’t like it if she thought someone was taking advantage of me and, in her mind, that would be the end of the friendship,” the former American tennis player further said.

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John’s brother, Patrick McEnroe, also became a pro tennis player. Safe to say, their mom’s contribution was immense to their successful tennis careers. Notably, McEnroe’s mother’s name was Katherine Tresham, who passed away at 81 because of cancer.

McEnroe’s tennis career

Along with 7 Grand Slam singles titles, McEnroe also won 77 singles titles and achieved the no.1 ranking on the ATP tour back in 1980. Apart from singles, he was also a terrific doubles player, as he won 77 doubles titles as well. Moreover, he achieved the no.1 ranking in the doubles in 1979.

After turning pro in 1978, he immediately grabbed attention on the tour, winning 49 matches in his first 6 months. His rivalry against the Swedish player Bjorn Borg was one of the best, as they had many memorable matches on the tour. Particularly, his 1980 Wimbledon final against the Swede is considered one of the best finals in the history of tennis.

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Currently, the champion tennis player is working as an analyst and commentator for broadcasters, giving his unbiased and often unfiltered views during the major events.