Career Timeline of John McEnroe: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how John McEnroe made an impact.

John McEnroe is a retired American professional tennis player, renowned for his exceptional shot-making and volleying abilities. He achieved the world No. 1 ranking in both singles (for 170 weeks) and doubles (for 269 weeks), uniquely holding both simultaneously. His career was marked by intense rivalries with Björn Borg and Jimmy Connors. McEnroe's confrontational behavior on the court often led to disputes with umpires and tennis authorities, contributing to his controversial yet captivating image.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1948: Youngest US Open Winner Since Gonzales

In 1979, John McEnroe became the youngest male winner of the singles title at the US Open since Pancho Gonzales in 1948.

1972: Davis Cup Win Since 1972

In 1978, McEnroe helped the U.S. capture the Davis Cup for the first time since 1972.

1977: First Grand Slam Doubles Title

In 1977, John McEnroe won his first Grand Slam doubles title, the French Open mixed doubles, with Mary Carillo.

1977: Success at the French Open and Wimbledon

In 1977, John McEnroe won the Junior singles and mixed doubles titles at the French Open and reached the Wimbledon semifinals as a qualifier.

1977: Earliest US Open Exit Since 1977

In 1983, John McEnroe was defeated in the fourth round of the US Open, his earliest exit since 1977.

1978: NCAA Title and ATP Tour Debut

In 1978, John McEnroe won the NCAA singles title and led Stanford to an NCAA championship. Later in 1978, he joined the ATP tour and signed his first professional endorsement deal with Sergio Tacchini.

1978: Davis Cup Victory

In 1978, John McEnroe won two singles rubbers in the Davis Cup final as the U.S. captured the Cup for the first time since 1972.

1979: Wimbledon and US Open Victories

In 1979, John McEnroe and Peter Fleming won the Wimbledon men's doubles title, followed by the US Open doubles title. McEnroe also won the singles US Open title, his first major singles title.

1979: Davis Cup Title

In 1979, John McEnroe was part of the title-winning Davis Cup team.

March 3, 1980: Became Top Ranked Player

On March 3, 1980, John McEnroe became the top-ranked singles player in the world.

1980: US Open Victory Over Borg

In 1980, John McEnroe defeated Björn Borg in the five-set final of the US Open.

1980: Wimbledon Final Against Borg

In 1980, John McEnroe reached his first Wimbledon singles final, facing Björn Borg and losing in a closely contested five-set match, with an epic fourth-set tiebreaker.

1981: Finished as Top Ranked Player

In 1981, John McEnroe finished the year ranked No. 1.

1981: ATP Player of the Year and ITF World Champion

In 1981, John McEnroe was named the ATP Player of the Year and the ITF World Champion

1981: Davis Cup Title

In 1981, John McEnroe was part of the title-winning Davis Cup team.

1981: US Open Win and Year-End Ranking

In 1981, John McEnroe won the US Open against Björn Borg, securing his third consecutive US Open title. He finished the year as the number one ranked player and was named the Associated Press Athlete of the Year.

1982: Victory Over Wilander

In 1982, John McEnroe achieved a 6-hour, 22-minute victory over Mats Wilander in the Davis Cup.

1982: Wimbledon Loss to Connors

In 1982, John McEnroe lost to Jimmy Connors in the Wimbledon final. Despite retaining the ATP's world No. 1 ranking based on points, Connors was named the Player of the Year by the ATP.

1982: Davis Cup Title

In 1982, John McEnroe was part of the title-winning Davis Cup team.

1983: ATP Player of the Year and ITF World Champion

In 1983, John McEnroe was named the ATP Player of the Year and the ITF World Champion

1983: Second Wimbledon Crown

In 1983, John McEnroe won his second Wimbledon title, defeating Chris Lewis in straight sets. He also took the Masters Grand Prix title and finished the year-end as No. 1 ranking once again.

1984: Record-Breaking Season

In 1984, John McEnroe achieved a record of 82–3, marking the highest single-season win rate of the Open Era. He also was named the ATP Player of the Year and the ITF World Champion.

1984: Finished as Top Ranked Player

In 1984, John McEnroe finished the year ranked No. 1 for the fourth straight year.

1984: Best Season of Career

In 1984, John McEnroe had his best season, compiling an 82–3 match record, winning 13 singles tournaments including Wimbledon and the US Open, and capturing the year-end No. 1 ranking.

1984: World Team Cup Win

In 1984, John McEnroe helped the U.S. win the World Team Cup, defeating Czechoslovakia in the final.

1985: World Team Cup Win

In 1985, John McEnroe helped the U.S. win the World Team Cup, defeating Czechoslovakia in the final for the second year in a row.

1985: Loss at US Open Final

In 1985, John McEnroe reached his last major singles final at the US Open, where he was defeated by Ivan Lendl in straight sets.

1985: Last Year as Top Ranked Player

John McEnroe's time as the top-ranked player ended in 1985.

1987: Quarterfinal Loss at US Open

In 1987, John McEnroe faced Ivan Lendl in the quarterfinals of the US Open, where he lost in straight sets. This was part of McEnroe's struggle to regain his form after his 1986 sabbatical.

1987: Title Drought

In 1987, John McEnroe failed to win a title for the first time since turning professional.

1988: Fourth Round Loss at French Open

In 1988, John McEnroe played a long four-set match over two days against Ivan Lendl in the fourth round of the French Open, ultimately resulting in a loss. This occurred during McEnroe's attempt to regain his form after his sabbatical.

1988: Victory over Michael Chang at French Open

In the 1988 French Open, John McEnroe defeated 16-year-old Michael Chang in the third round with a score of 6–0, 6–3, 6–1. Chang went on to win the title the following year.

1989: Quarterfinal Loss at Australian Open

In 1989, John McEnroe lost in straight sets to Ivan Lendl in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, as he struggled to regain his form after his 1986 sabbatical.

1989: US Open Men's Doubles Title

In 1989, John McEnroe won a fourth US Open men's doubles title with Mark Woodforde.

1989: Fifth Title at World Championship Tennis Finals

In 1989, John McEnroe won a record fifth title at the World Championship Tennis Finals, defeating top-ranked Ivan Lendl in the semifinals. The WCT tour was being staged for the last time.

1989: End of WCT Finals

The World Championship Tennis (WCT) Finals, where McEnroe won five titles, ended in 1989.

October 22, 1990: Last Time in Top Ten Ranking

October 22, 1990, marked the last time John McEnroe was ranked in the world's top ten. His end-of-year singles ranking was 13th.

1991: Victory at Volvo Tennis-Chicago Tournament

In 1991, John McEnroe won the last edition of the Volvo Tennis-Chicago tournament, defeating his brother Patrick in the final. He also won both of his singles rubbers in the quarterfinal Davis Cup tie with Spain.

November 1992: Paris Indoor Doubles Title

In November 1992, John McEnroe captured the Paris Indoor doubles title with his brother Patrick.

1992: Retirement from Professional Tour

At the end of 1992, John McEnroe retired from the professional tour. He ended his singles career ranked world No. 20.

1992: Wimbledon Men's Doubles Title

In 1992, John McEnroe and Michael Stich won the Wimbledon men's doubles title in a record-length 5-hour-1-minute final. Additionally, he reached the Wimbledon singles semi-finals. At the end of the year, he teamed with Pete Sampras to win the doubles rubber in the Davis Cup final, where the U.S. defeated Switzerland 3–1.

1992: Davis Cup Title

In 1992, John McEnroe was part of the title-winning Davis Cup team.

1993: Opening of Art Gallery in Manhattan

In 1993, John McEnroe, a collector of American contemporary art, opened a gallery in Manhattan.

1994: Last Singles Match on ATP Tour

In 1994, John McEnroe played in one tournament as a wildcard at the Rotterdam Open, losing in the first round. This was his last singles match on the ATP Tour.

1997: Formation and End of The Johnny Smyth Band

In 1997, John McEnroe was playing in cities on a senior tour with his band, The Johnny Smyth Band. He then suddenly quit before finishing his first album. His wife, Patty Smyth, told him that only one of them would be working away from home on a music tour, and it would not be him.

September 1999: Appointment as U.S. Davis Cup Captain

In September 1999, John McEnroe became the U.S. Davis Cup captain.

1999: Mixed Doubles at Wimbledon with Steffi Graf

After Steffi Graf won the 1999 French Open, John McEnroe suggested they play mixed doubles at Wimbledon. They reached the semifinals but withdrew because Graf preferred to focus on the singles final.

1999: Induction into International Tennis Hall of Fame

In 1999, John McEnroe was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. He also became a sports commentator for American television networks such as ESPN, CBS, NBC, and USA at major tournaments.

Loading Video...

November 2000: Resignation as U.S. Davis Cup Captain

In November 2000, John McEnroe resigned as the U.S. Davis Cup captain after 14 months, citing frustration with the Davis Cup schedule and format. His brother Patrick took over the job.

2002: Appearance in Mr. Deeds and Hosting The Chair

In 2002, John McEnroe played himself in the movie Mr. Deeds and hosted the American game show The Chair on ABC, as well as the British version on BBC One; however, this venture was unsuccessful.

Loading Video...

July 2004: CNBC Talk Show "McEnroe"

In July 2004, John McEnroe began hosting a CNBC talk show titled McEnroe. The show was unsuccessful, twice earning a 0.0 Nielsen rating, and was canceled within five months.

Loading Video...

2006: SAP Open Doubles Title

In 2006, John McEnroe returned to the ATP Tour and teamed with Jonas Björkman to win the doubles title at the SAP Open in San Jose. This was McEnroe's 78th doubles title and his first title since November 1992.

2008: Appearance in You Don't Mess with the Zohan

In 2008, John McEnroe played himself in the movie You Don't Mess with the Zohan.

Loading Video...

2010: Founding of John McEnroe Tennis Academy

In 2010, John McEnroe founded the John McEnroe Tennis Academy on Randall's Island in New York City.

2010: Victory at Jean-Luc Lagardere Trophy

In 2010, John McEnroe won the Jean-Luc Lagardere Trophy in Paris, defeating Guy Forget in the final, on the ATP Champions Tour.

2012: French Open Legends Doubles Title

In 2012, John McEnroe and his brother Patrick won the over-45 legends doubles competition at the French Open, defeating Guy Forget and Henri Leconte 7–6, 6–3.

2012: Criticism of Bernard Tomic at US Open

In 2012, John McEnroe, while commentating for ESPN, heavily criticized Australian tennis player Bernard Tomic for "tanking" against Andy Roddick at the US Open. Tomic was later cleared of wrongdoing.

2014: Another French Open Legends Doubles Title

In 2014, John McEnroe and his brother Patrick again won the over-45 legends doubles competition at the French Open, beating Andres Gomez and Mark Woodforde 4–6, 7–5, 1–0 (10–7).

August 2016: Part of Milos Raonic's Coaching Team

From May to August 2016, John McEnroe was part of Milos Raonic's coaching team.

2016: 26th Win at Stockholm

In 2016, John McEnroe achieved his 26th win (a record since 2001 when the ATP acquired the Champions Tour) at Stockholm against Thomas Muster.

2019: Coverage of Australian Open for Nine

In 2019, John McEnroe was a central figure for Australian television network Nine's coverage of the 2019/2020 Australian Open.

2020: Narrator for Never Have I Ever

In 2020, John McEnroe began as the off-camera narrator for Never Have I Ever.

Loading Video...

2020: Coverage of Australian Open for Nine

In 2020, John McEnroe was a central figure for Australian television network Nine's coverage of the 2019/2020 Australian Open.

April 2, 2023: Participation in Million dollar Pickleball Slam

On April 2, 2023, John McEnroe participated in the Million dollar Pickleball Slam at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida. He played with Michael Chang, Andre Agassi, and Andy Roddick in the first live airing of Pickleball on ESPN.