John McEnroe is one of the all-time greats of tennis. The American was famous for his on-field antics in his playing days; similar to Nick Kyrgios, in modern days. However, the 63-year-old is one of the best tennis analysts and commentators today.

The 7 time Grand Slam champion loves the game of tennis and has jumped in defense whenever questioned. Back in 2013, in an interview, he explained the health and fitness advantages that tennis gives over other games.

Tennis is a great sport: McEnroe

In 2013, McEnroe discussed various aspects of his career in an interview. When asked about the chances of golf eclipsing the popularity of tennis in the United States, he said,“Clearly, there are a lot of elder statesmen that it’s a lot easier for them to go on a golf course than the tennis court. I happened to be one of those guys who doesn’t play much golf.”

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Further, he spoke about the advantages of playing tennis,“I know it’s an extremely difficult game, but in terms of keeping your health and in terms of what tennis has got to offer, I think it’s a great sport, so I’m perplexed by the people who make that decision,” he added.

John McEnroe wants to meet Emma Raducanu

Known for his honesty, the 63-year-old was critical of Emma Raducanu‘s poor performance in Wimbledon. Notably, the Briton crashed out of the Wimbledon Championship 2022 after losing in her first-round match.

Unlike her last year’s performance, the 19-year-old has had a rather off year by far. She burst into the tennis stage after making it to the fourth round of Wimbledon. Later she went on to clinch the US Open 2021. Criticizing the Briton, McEnroe said, she needs to “back up the hype”

However, the 63-year-old has now clarified that his criticism resulted from high expectations from the 19-year-old. Also, he expressed his desire to meet the British prodigy. “I hope to have the opportunity soon because she is obviously a breath of fresh air. She is a very sweet girl, a beautiful girl, and plays great tennis. What’s not to like,” he said.

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The 19-year-old will hope to be back in form before starting her campaign to defend the US Open title.