Known as the ‘superbrat’, John McEnroe had a pretty eventful tennis career. The former American tennis player had some explosive moments on the tennis court, particularly his outbursts are still fresh in the memory of many fans. Besides tennis, McEnroe’s personal life was also eventful as he married the Oscar-winning Hollywood actress, Tatum O’Neal. Together, they had three kids. Unfortunately, their eldest son, Kevin, had to go through rehab after a drug arrest. 

Later, he talked about the horrid time he had to go through during that phase of his life. 

The eldest son of John McEnroe opened up about his time in rehab

In an interview with the People back in 2015, Kevin McEnroe, the eldest son of John McEnroe, opened up about growing up under both his father and mother’s shadow. “I wanted to not always be Tatum O’Neal’s or John McEnroe’s son. It changed the way people viewed you and I was always dying to be my own person,” Kevin said. 

Read More: ‘They Want Attention’ – When Billie Jean King Slammed ‘Superbrat’ John McEnroe Over His Controversial Serena Williams Statement

Later in the drug case, the police arrested him, and he had to go through rehab. Speaking about that incident, he said, “Once I got arrested, I was just McEnroe’s son, McEnroe’s dopey son essentially… It was such a bad reflection on my family. I was very ashamed because I never wanted to do anything to him or my mom. I was too stupid to realize how big of a deal it really was.”

However, according to reports, McEnroe had a really good relationship with his son Kevin even after his divorce from Tatum O’Neal. Notably, the former tennis player praised his son for writing a novel called ‘Our Town’. 

A look at McEnroe’s tennis career 

Since turning professional in 1978, McEnroe had a fantastic start in the ATP tour. In his first six months, he had 49 wins and only 7 losses. The very next year, he won his first US Open title. 

Watch This Story: When John McEnroe criticized former United States President Donald Trump for his controversy with the NFL players

1980 was really a great year for the American tennis star, as he reached both the Wimbledon and US Open final, where he faced Bjorn Borg. At Wimbledon, he lost to Borg after an epic battle. However, he got his revenge at the US Open later that year. 

In terms of Grand Slam titles, McEnroe won 7 Grand Slam singles titles along with 77 singles titles and achieved no.1 in the ATP rankings. Moreover, he won 72 doubles titles as well. 

Currently, the former American player is working as a commentator and mainly covers the Grand Slam tournaments.