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“What is genius?! It is creativity, a keen eye, and ease of execution.”
The nobles from “My Friends” seemed to be describing the Mac.
John McEnroe is someone you can't help but love. Those who are like him understand his demeanor and see the positive side, and those who are not like him probably wish they were. Only the “right-minded”, the old fogeys of those times, could hate him.
As often happens to me, books or records bring back memories of life. Those childhood memories almost entirely obscured, unconsciously but deliberately. The period of being 13/14 years old is the first to have some clear traces. The year of “growing up”, of eighth grade, the first outings with older people, the jerk of a bully (a strange bully though, too good). The tennis period. We played on a piece of concrete behind the schools with a net and lines that were incredibly almost perfect. It was my sport, with natural forehand and backhand, excellent serve, determination to spare. I could vent my anger, one-on-one... the opponent was probably always and still was my familial psychodramas to overcome. But there was already soccer with friends and the first guitar and microphone that attracted me more.
But damn if I vented on that concrete! Until someone convinced me to go play on real courts to “learn properly,” to not waste energy, time, and talent. A month, maybe two, no more; after various rackets thrown, curses, and insults to the opponent of the moment. Add to that soccer, friends, the little band, and the first older girls giving me attention, and the game was (un)made. I certainly didn't want to be told by a “loser” that I had to play the way he said... beautiful and genuine adolescence, dammit!
I also remember already loving Borg. I was fascinated. In eighth grade, I already had long hair and wore a headband like him. He was my first recognized rock star.
Because Borg really was the one who changed tennis in its relationship with the public and the mass media. Borg went beyond winning on the courts. John says so too if anyone ever needed to be reminded.
And indeed, it’s all nonsense that you can’t “love” both.
The Genius in this second book tells us about his life after closing with the professional circuit. Of course, flashbacks with his adolescence, his beginnings, some unforgettable moments in his matches are present but are not the determining part. The former bad boy of the circuit wants to let us know what life can be like for an ex-champion who still can't “stay still.”
The qualities I like about McEnroe are his sincerity and straightforwardness. A person always honest with everyone and himself. He cannot help but say what he thinks of someone or something; he almost never manages to dodge and refrain from saying his piece.
Becoming an adult, a father of six, a divorcee with a new partner has made him grow, think a moment longer before giving his opinion, but it certainly hasn’t changed him. Diplomacy has never been and will never be among his qualities, that’s for sure.
The thing you catch immediately is that John always needs to be active. In which sectors, situations or with which people become secondary factors. There are two reasons for his hyperactivity; John has always been, since he was a boy, competitive to the limits of compulsiveness, and in addition, he feels immense pleasure when he is remembered and/or filled with compliments. Feeling still adored almost becomes a necessity.
It will never happen that the Mac disappears from the scene to “calmly” mind his own business, away from the spotlight or any place where he can, in some way, still be the protagonist at the center of the stage. Too egocentric.
Egocentric but emotional and anxious when meeting someone greater than him or whom he admires a lot like Ali, Michael Jordan, or Keith Richard (whom he will become friends with).
And then so much television, an interest in art, love for music and Rock 'n' Roll (Stones, Zeppelin, Sabbath, Pink Floyd, not bad), sports and social events, and anything that can capture his attention of the moment even at the cost of unconsciously neglecting the family ties to which he is deeply attached.
Of course, at the center of his life remains the beloved Tennis. He never stopped playing. As soon as he finished his career, he started playing on the Senior circuit where joking around and prioritizing a show over victory is often preferred... others maybe, not him. And when he doesn’t play, for decades now, he's the voice of ESPN, NBC, and BBC for the main tournaments of the circuit.
Listening to him talk about Tennis is a symphony for anyone who loves sports in general because his comments and analyses, not only technical and physical but especially psychological, are impeccable (or I want to believe it because I almost always agree with him on the matter).
The most interesting parts of the book are when he talks about his colleagues/opponents/friends/enemies. Here Mac has changed. Life experiences, getting to know people outside the playing field, reflecting for a moment and not judging a person by how the sports challenges were experienced becomes fundamental. No yelling, zero swearing; now it’s no longer about who wins the match or the tournament. The man is judged before the athlete.
And so are recognized not only the sporting but especially the moral qualities of historic enemies like Connors (too similar, love and hate) and like Lendl (too different).
Analyses of the Tennis protagonists after him are detailed and thorough, nothing is left to chance. Without effort, I think. Mac is a flood of words when he talks about tennis and manages to unravel even the less evident sides of players. His admiration for Federer, Nadal (especially), Djokovic, and Murray is immense. He recognizes, without expressing it clearly, the first three mentioned and Sampras as surely superior to him as strong and complete tennis players and another five or six at his level (of the modern era, of course). His idol he always looked up to was Laver. And his historical partner in the greatest doubles team ever, Fleming, a great friend of his.
How much tennis has changed! John was the last exponent of that tennis coming from the seventies. I didn’t experience it. I could see the Mac, Connors as “old” (but what old, damn it!) while Borg retired, and I didn’t have time to enjoy him.
Today's champions are very strong. Incredible. But I miss those laid-back times when a tennis player didn’t have coaches and trainers, wasn’t a professional all about diet and training but was first and foremost a boy with raging hormones who wanted to have fun...playing tennis. And if there was a party the night before the match, you’d go, drink and smoke, and if it happened, sleep around... and the next day you’d show up on court with the remaining energy. More human, more free, more joyful and playful. More Noble.
Borg and Gerulaitis deserve a specific chapter, too important in the life and heart of the Genius.
“Vitas my friend and companion, four years older. I owed him a lot: he had taken me under his protective wing and became my friend and mentor.”
And for Bjorn:
“Did you tell him that you love him too?!” Patty, his second and current wife, says to John. Borg says it in their documentary dedicated to the two of them, “Fire and Ice.”
“My rivalry with Borg was different from that with Connors and Lendl for a simple reason: Bjorn and I liked each other.”
“He was decisive for my career, and when he left, he left an unfillable void. I don’t want to exaggerate, but it was something similar to mourning, a sense of deprivation like the one you feel when someone important in your life is no longer there.”
“I had never seen a player like that. Not only for how he played and was on the court but also for how he was outside. And I ardently desired to have some of his fame and the girls surrounding him. Suddenly, thanks to Borg, being a tennis player had become cool... Bjorn had the same spontaneous ease as Vitas, my idol since the Academy days.”
A specific book would be needed on their relationship of infinite esteem and friendship (now more than ever), the most famous and intense rivalry in tennis even if it lasted very little (only three years and fourteen direct confrontations). Very different characters and opposing playing styles fueled it beyond any logic. You either rooted for the Ice Man or for the Brat.
Nonsense - even though it was really like that - I, as a kid, loved them both! (2)
In reality, Bjorn had created a character, had put on a mask. As a child, he shouted and broke rackets; then they taught him not to show emotions, to control himself, to keep everything inside... to be someone else. And believe me, it can work in the short term, but then these impositions crush you inside forever. I tried to fight my insecurities and vulnerabilities with an aesthetic appearance devoted to perfection to feel adored and loved, and the result was multiplying over time those negativities of mine (or virtues?!). Let's try to always be ourselves, not imprison ourselves in seemingly beautiful situations but will certainly make us feel so much pain.
In this, John has always been impeccable. Being himself in all situations is what has always set him apart.
“Both with long blonde hair, endowed with great charisma but also a deep work ethic. I never thought I could be at their level, but at the same time, I never gave up trying to be like them, and I was absolutely euphoric when I started hanging out with them, Bjorn and Vitas were able to live quite an intense social life without this affecting their physical shape. For me, however, it was impossible. If on the court I managed to reach Bjorn’s level and surpass Vitas', off the court they were always in another league.”
But now let me remember... “But how do you position yourself to hit?! No one’s ever seen it,” I tried right away, and even though I don't remember, the outcomes must have been definitely discouraging. And those quick yet slowed down passes?! Those anticipated returns?! Those insane lobs?! Those angles where only a genius left-handed could succeed?! About the volley... oh well, let's leave it to speak, let those images on the old noble VHS tapes.
I have lingered on tennis. Of course, he talks a lot about his beloved family; about his children and the loving and complicit relationship with Patty. The best thing that ever happened to him. I admire him, I think he is a great father (and a husband like no longer exist). He taught his children to earn everything, not to take shortcuts because of the name they bear. It’s nice but also hard to carry such a famous name; the first thing for everyone is the comparison with the father, a great tennis player and character. How many sad stories do we know about children of famous people.
Simply the most Genius among the greatest.
Thanks for the emotions, John, and happy birthday.
A five-star book when talking about sports and Tennis and everything around it, and a three-star for the rest without fanfare. “Open” by Agassi, which I recommend, is decidedly more intense, raw, and engaging in this sense. But it’s impossible not to give the highest marks to Mac.
Happy reading, Nobles.
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