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Even though I am not a tennis fan , and usually do not watch Wimbledon and other such Tennis tournaments , I am from the generation which could not fail to have heard of tennis ace John McEnroe . Mr McEnroe was famous as much for his extreme bad behaviour on centre court as much as for his exceptional tennis skills . As a young man with an almost Afro-hairstyle he often seemed petulant and childish .

Catch phrases such as ' You can't be serious ' and ' The ball was in ' along with his heated arguments with umpires made for entertaining viewing in more ways than one . The sight of this Tennis champion throwing down his racket and hitting objects with it was hilarious . Sorry but that's my opinion . I know often people who are great or champions have a temperamental streak and he certainlt did.

So a little other history .

John McEnroe was born February 16th 1959, in Wiesbaden, Germany as his father was serving in the US air-force in Germany . He is a white American from Queens , New York , a Roman Catholic and a left handed tennis player . From a young age he enjoyed sports , excelling in Tennis and began winning top tournaments . By 1970 he was ranked number one on the National Junior Circuit .

After he graduated from high school in 1977 he was given the opportunity to play at Wimbledon . He became the youngest man ever to reach the semi-finals at Wimbledon .
The rest as they is history .

Over the span of his Tennis career he won the Wimbledon singles crown three times which ranks him high in their hall of fame .Throughout his career as a whole John McEnroe won 17 Grand Slam titles, 77 career single titles, and 77 doubles titles. That's some achievement .

One of his greatest rivals of the day was Boris Becker . Many fast and furious competitions of these two playing entertained everyone thoroughly and made for great Tennis.

John McEnroe married Tatum O'Neal but later divorced and has since remarried . Tatum is the daughter of actor Ryan O'Neal . Over the years John has had cameo roles in some films and participated in some light entertainment shows .

Much as the tantrums and tears were all part of the showman which was John McEnroe it is a shame that for many ,like me , it is the main thing we remember him for . As he was such a great tennis player it should have been for that .

Learn more about this author, Ethel Smith.
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