McEnroe (2022) Movie Script
1
(dramaticmusicplaying)
McEnroe: Greatness...
It'sacombinationofthings.
Youlookback
andyousay,"Well...
someonegavemeanability
todosomething
betterthanothers."
Youhavetorecognizethat...
and put yourself
on the line...
Shutup!
...especiallywhenyou're
outtherebyyourself...
andIdidn'tdo
agoodenoughjobofthat.
Infact,
Ididashittyjobofit.
I'mthegreatestplayer
that'severplayed.
At this point,
whydoesitnotfeel
thatamazing?
ItfeltlikeIwasdoomed.
(rock music playing)
(man) He's supposed
to be John McEnroe.
Andifthatonoccasion
isgoingtorilesomebody
orhimorme,
well, that's the way it is.
McEnroe: I'malwaysgonnafight
forwhatIthink'sright.
That's the way
I was brought up.
(man) I think John
is the sort of boy
who can speak up for himself
and I like this.
You doing your job umpire?
(man) And I don't think
the docile
kidisevergonnabe
thechampion.
Bud: Nice guys
don't win at this game.
It'sasportforkillers.
(man) He's on the court
playing to win.
McEnroe: Answer my question!
Thequestion,jerk!
You're pathetic,
do you know that?
Improved by Sailor420
Hope you enjoy the show
Improved by Sailor420
Hope you enjoy the show
Idon'teverremembernot
beingabletoplaytennis.
Ionlyremember
knowinghowtoplay.
(car revving)
McEnroe: You'realwaysthinking
what'stheotherguythinking?
'Cause you wanna get
in his head
and sort of blow it all up.
Get him doubting himself
then you're trying
to find a way in
to find his weaknesses
and he's trying to find
that same thing with you and...
you're probing
and you're looking for an edge.
And you sort of do that
in life also.
I mean, I think tennis...
it's a pretty true
microcosm of life,
ultimately,
ifyoucanhandleit.
Patty: People think
they know him
andtheydon'tknowhim.
Onetime,hismom
handedmeapieceofpaper
anditwasJohn'sreportcard
fromfirstorsecondgrade.
"Johnistoohardonhimself."
Johnwasn'tsatisfied
withhisAminus...
andshesaid,"Look...
thisishowhe'salwaysbeen."
McEnroe: If you believe
in things happening
for a reason...
I was meant to play tennis.
When I first started to play
at my local club,
which was a block
from my house,
Ididn'twanttobe
atennisplayer.
Itdidn'tseemtobethatcool
untilallofasudden
there was a big,
abrupt change.
(upbeatmusicplaying)
(man) Tennis is the country's
fastest growing sport,
indoorsorout,nightorday,
Americanshaveadoptedtennis
asanationalpastime.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: It seemed like
a phenomenal time.
This thing is exploding
and we got these characters.
My name is Vitas Gerulaitis.
Thatwasagoddamnfoot
overthefuckingline!
McEnroe: Personality...
(man) Ille Nastase,
the least loved
tennis player in the world.
Thefactisthat
you'reavulgarman...
(man) Jimmy Connors,
the King of tennis.
(man) Typical arrogant,
petulant...
(man) When a player masturbates
a racquet on the court,
that'snotsitting
inachurchonSunday.
(man) Bjorn Borg
has the electric appeal
ofamodernrockstar.
(engine revving)
McEnroe: These are borderline idols.
Ithoughtitwasawesome.
(screams)
What do you want
with these guys?
Imean,youfuckingguys
aregrabbingtheshit
outofpeople.
(man) Why is this behavior
allowed to go on?
It'sbecausetennis
hasbecomebigbusiness.
- (crowd cheering)
- Dan: And that's it.
Sweden'snationalhero,
BjornBorg,
has won Wimbledon
attheageof20years
and27days.
(camera shutter clicking)
McEnroe: Bjorn Borg...
Ithoughthewasamazing.
Justtheauraofhim.
The way he played,
the way he looked,
the way he acted.
Oh, yeah.
McEnroe: He was like a Viking God.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: When I saw
these girls screaming
outsidethelockerroom...
Itwasliketheclosestthing
I'deverseento
when The Beatles
came to the States.
ItwaslikeBorg-mania.
And I'm thinking, in tennis?
This guy is the coolest guy
in the world to me.
Oh, my God!
I wanna be a tennis player.
IthoughtDouglaston
wasterrible.
Itgotwaybetter,waybetter,
afterIwenttoWimbledon.
Thatchangedmylife.
One of the biggest
and more pleasant surprises
ofthefirstweekofWimbledon
hasbeentheperformance
of 18-year-old John McEnroe
from New York City.
John, how does it feel
being in the quarter finals
at Wimbledon?
Well, I wasn't even thinking
about winning any rounds here.
Iwasjust--Iplayed
thequalifyinginRoehampton
andI,uh--Ijustwashoping
togetintothetournament
anddothebestIcan.
And now I'm in the quarters,
Idon'tknowwhattothink
atthispoint.
(applause)
Billie Jean: Greatness comes in potential
andthatisGodgiven.
In'77,
MaryCarilloatWimbledon
ranuptomeandshesays,
"I want you to come and see
this guy, John McEnroe.
Whatdoyouthink?
Whatdoyouthink?"
Ilookedathisbody
andIthought,
"God,hedoesn'thave
alotofmuscle.
Buthistiming
andhisvarietyofshots,
whoa!"
(commentator) Oh, my word!
(cheersandapplause)
Billie Jean: Who is this kid?
- (man)Fault!
- Oh,no!Oh,comeon!
McEnroe: My patience was
very thin
especially when I was
younger.
You're quite sure?
- Seven all.
- Oh!
Theballwassofarin.
- You see it in?
- (umpire) Mister McEnroe...
McEnroe: The culture shock
was the way everyone acted.
Theyweresoproper.
(commentator) Whetherhehasaright
to make such a fuss
is debatable.
McEnroe: It was like
an alien country to me.
- Yeah!
- (commentator) He's done it!
(reporter) England's
Wimbledon tennis tournament
hasanupsethero
initshundredthyear.
He's18-year-old,
JohnMcEnroeofNewYork
whobecame
Wimbledon'sfirstplayer
tocomethrough
thequalifyingcompetition
toreach
theMen'sSemifinals.
(rock music playing)
McEnroe: I'm in the semis
and all of a sudden
I'mwithGerulaitis,Borg,
andConnors.
I'm like, "What?
Areyoukiddingme,I'mgonna
bearoundtheseguys?
Howdidthishappen?"
(cheersandapplause)
McEnroe: I was petrified
when I played Connors.
Mylegswereshaking.
"No, sir, like Mr. Connors,
nice to meet you."
Andhejust
blewmeoffcompletely.
Why is this guy
such an asshole?
Hewon'tevenacknowledge
myexistence.
Treatingme
likeabsoluteshit.
He probably saw
thatIwasgonnabe
anobstacleforhim.
But he's one of the greatest
competitors ever.
(applause)
McEnroe: No question.
(commentator) Game, set,
match to Connors.
McEnroe: Theeffortthathegave,
the intensity...
I wanna try to get to that.
(man) Mr. McEnroe, you started
your son playing tennis.
Didyouexpectit
toendupthisway?
Patrick: Well, we joined
this little club
just a few minutes
from where we live at home.
I beat John consistently
from eight until he was ten.
- And that was the end of it?
- That was the end of it.
Patrick: My dad and John
were very similar...
in a lot of ways.
Very intense,
very driven.
Bothofthemlashout.
He was ambitious, you know,
he came from nothing, um,
so he was incredibly smart
and graduated from college
and from law school early.
We weren't poor, obviously,
but we weren't, you know,
living in a mansion
and taking trips in the summer.
Wecameheretotheclub
andplayedtennis.
There'snodoubt
thatJohnbeingthefirst
gotdisciplinedthemost.
Mymomusedtolove
totellthestorythat
whenmydadcamehome
fromLawSchoolandsaid,
"Look,Kay.Ifinishedsecond.
Whofinishedfirst?"
Johnhadalittlebitofthat.
Thatsingulardrive
ispartlywhatmadeJohngreat
and also part of what--
you know, maybe got in the way.
McEnroe: If you liked
being around perfectionists,
this was the perfect family
to be around.
(chuckles)
When I was 12
and my dad was--
I felt like sort
all over me about, you know,
"Youcanbethebest
inthe12andunders!"
I'm like, "Dad, listen.
Let's take it easy."
"You gotta be number one
in your class, in your grades.
Whatever it is
we want you to excel at it."
(upbeatmusicplaying)
(crowd cheering)
Phil: When you get
a colorful personality
andagreatplayer,
itchangeseverything.
(camerashutterclicks)
Phil: When you talk
to one of the officials
and he says, "Stay away
from that hot head McEnroe."
(spectator) Say what
are you gonna do about it?
Aren'tyoutheumpire?
Phil: We understood
those outbursts
andwedidn'tthink
theywerebad.
You ask this guy!
That ball was a foot out man!
Phil: We said keep it up.
(announcer)
FromnearbyDouglaston,
NewYork,JohnMcEnroe.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: It was incredible
to go around the world
andmakemoneyandmeetgirls.
AndIwasworking
mywayuptherankings.
(BBC commentator) Six singles
and fourteen doubles titles
wonhim
anastonishing$803,000
injusttwelvemonths.
(interviewer)
Whatwasitliketosee
yourfirstborngooutthere?
He'sstillakid,
ateenagerafterall
andtheysayhere's
fortheUnitedStates,
John McEnroe.
What happens?
McEnroe Sr.: There's something
special about this,
to us at least.
It's the Davis Cup
and representing United States.
McEnroe: I know
my parents supported me,
butatthesametime,
nomatterwhatyoudo,
you gotta do more.
That'stheharshthing.
(cheersandapplause)
Mark: He was opinionated
and my father was opinionated
so there was some
high decibel conversations.
My father was also
extremely smart
andthoughthekneweverything
abouteverything.
And John certainly thought he
knew everything about everything.
Congratulations. Good.
- How did it go?
- Nice going.
- McEnroe: Thanks for coming.
- McEnroe Sr.: Yeah.
- Nicegoing!
- Mrs.McEnroe:Oh,boy.
I hope the other ones
goes as well.
McEnroe: He was certainly
a character.
- Yeah.
- Mrs. McEnroe: That's right.
And we're hoping. Enjoy...
McEnroe: And then at the stage
that I turned pro
became my manager.
McEnroeSr.:Well,
that'sright,Sunday.
Well, what'll I do?
Like, will I move it
to two out of three?
He had my back! (chuckles)
I mean, he was charging me
by the hour!
- This is Stacey...
- Oh, Stacey, how are you?
Hello, how are you?
And you?
It took 24 hours
to do her hair do--
she's on the Today Show or...
Stacey: It took me
an hour to do this.
(interviewer) You're handling
his business affairs,
I understand.
McEnroe Sr.: Well, so far.
And I expect to remain that
but, uh, talking
to the other agents
whotellme
thatit'samistake
that I'm trying
to do it myself.
(interviewer) Uh-huh.
(reporter) It was the King
against the kid.
McEnroefacedtheman
many consider the
World Champion of his game,
Jimmy Connors.
Mark: I always thought Connors
had a pretty big mouth
for a little guy.
Butthefirsttime
Johneverbeathim,
he just quit.
Hehadawayof
playingtothecrowd
thatalotofpeople
don'tappreciate
howfullofithewas.
McEnroe: He's not even
gonna give me the satisfaction
oflettingmewinthismatch?
Yeah,everybody,
getdowninfront,shit.
McEnroe: This son of a bitch
is gonna do this?
(all moan)
McEnroe: I did learn from him.
(cheersandapplause)
McEnroe: You gotta be
a bit of a prick out there.
Patty: There is no one else
on this planet like John.
Heisastrangebird.
He is slightly,
might be on the spectrum.
There's something in there.
Helikeshisroutine,
he'ssupergoodinmath,
veryheightenedsenses.
Hedoesn'tnoticesomethings
that I would think
would be obvious to notice.
But he has an incredible eye
for art.
Iwouldthinkthat
he'snotthatvisual,
buthe'sveryvisual.
Billie Jean: What makes a person great,
whatever they do,
iswhentheirhead,
heartandguts
aretotallyintegrated
andinthemoment.
John'sanaturaltalent.
He's so intense,
and he's a perfectionist.
In his head,
it's never good enough
and I feel exactly
the same way!
It's never good enough!
He's different.
Iwannagetinhishead.
Howhethinks.
Youhavetotake
whatyourhardwiringis
and use it.
John is hyper,
he's antsy,
hewasbornwiththatDNA
that'sgottheextra.
McEnroe: My style of play
worked with my personality.
Putpressureonguys.
See if they fold.
Maneuver the ball
not bludgeon it.
Finesseit
andslingshotitback.
(man) He can take
the most powerful shot
andtakethestingoutofit,
likeashockabsorber.
Billie Jean: He would always
try to go forward.
That's what great
net players do.
We'realwayslooking
forthelight.
(man) What set John apart
was his hand/eye coordination.
Hisabilitytojust
hittheballsoearly
and with very little swing.
McEnroe: I used to play
a lot of chess
when I was young
anditmakesyouthink
strategically.
I see the court,
there's a hundred
different squares
andeachtimeImove
laysoutpercentages.
That'sgonnagivemea90%
chanceofwinningthispoint.
It'slikeacomputer
goingthroughyourhead.
Click and boom!
(upbeatmusicplaying)
McEnroe: It's like a math equation.
I was good in math.
BillieJean: Thephysicalityofit,
thataddstothetension,
thataddstothestress,
puttingoutsomuchinamatch
bringsoutthebestinyou...
(commentator) Oh,
I say what a rally!
BillieJean: ...andtheworstinyou.
Pressure'sprivilege...
andchampionsadapt.
Patty: New York was a crazy
rough place...
but it was alive.
Therewerepainters
andartists
and music
and coffee houses.
I loved the grit.
I miss the grit.
(crowd cheering)
Patty: And you couldn't not
be aware of John McEnroe.
Theyalwaysshowaclip
onthenewsofhim
likethrowinghisracquet,
oryellingorsomething
so you'd see it
in the newsstand
andyoueitherlovedhim
orhatedhim.
McEnroe: New York,
it's where I'm from.
McEnroe: Butit'salsowhoIam.
(commentator) Wimbledon
is a tired old lady
givingyouhightea
andawell-manicuredlawn.
TheAmericanChampionship
isDollyParton
givingyouahotdogandsoda
outbytheplayground.
They'redifferent
andtheyshouldbe.
(crowd cheering)
Jimbo: The fans are crazy.
(umpire)
I'm telling you right now,
youplay,orit'sagame.
Youhave30seconds.
Jimbo: People were drunk and
throwing stuff on the court
andtheumpirecouldn't
makeitthroughthematch.
(umpire)
You're not talking to him,
you'resupposed
tobeplayingtennis.
Jimbo: It was just a zoo.
(crowd booing)
McEnroe: Everyone's screaming
and yelling.
Mydadsaid,
"Forgetabouttheumpires.
Youknow,
you'rebetterthanthem."
Game,set,match,McEnroe!
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: But he'd say like,
"Don't worry
about these people!
You're better than them!"
Sotome,
thatwastotallynormal.
I was ready.
- Yeah!
- (crowd cheering)
McEnroe: It was time
to win the US Open.
(reporter) September the 9th,
the concluding day
of the US Open.
JohnMcEnroe
andVitasGerulaitis
duelintheopeningset.
McEnroe: I was playing Vitas.
TwokidsfromQueens
playingintheFinals.
Thisisincredible!
(man) Even though Vitas was
an idol of his,
John didn't care.
Hewasgonnatakehimout
andhedid.
- Yeah!
- (commentator) That's it!
(commentator) Game.
Set to McEnroe!
McEnroe: Growing up,
Igottasomedaywin
theUSOpen.
And then somehow that happens.
(cheersandapplause)
McEnroe: Afterwards he said to me,
"What are you doing later?"
AndIknewthat
whateverhewasdoing
wasalotbetterthan
whatIwasgonnabedoing.
Let'sgooutandparty!
(upbeatmusicplaying)
(woman)
John wanted to be like Vitas.
He was peppy, he was social.
EverybodylovedVitas.
McEnroe: They rolled out
the red carpet for him
wherever he went.
Studio 54, there'd be lines
of hundreds of people.
He'djustwalkrightin.
Hewasfouryearsolder
thanme.
Had the long hair.
Charismatic.Girlslovedhim.
Wasagreatplayer.
(interviewer) How can you play
the kind of tennis you play
anddoallthehighliving
nightlifetheyclaimyoudo?
Well, it wouldn't be easy.
McEnroe: I'm this boring,
shy, straight kid.
Slowlybutsurelybeingthrust
intothisotherworld
thatwas,like,beyondbelief.
Everythingabout
whathewasrepresenting,
you'd be crazy
not to want to be like him.
AbigreasonIstarted
toplayguitarwashim.
ThereasonIgotintoart
andcollecting
wasbecauseofhim.
Well, then, who does he become
best friends with?
(upbeatmusicplaying)
McEnroe: Bjorn Borg.
(singer) Letting all those
Things go
Three-time champ meets
the four-time champ.
How you doing?
Good to see you.
Borg: I don't like
to be that exclusive.
ButIdon'tliketogoout
tobuyboatsorcars.
I'mnotthatkindofguy.
Billie Jean: Borg is a really
private person.
He'sveryshyandhelikes
thingscalmaroundhim.
Buthewasnotcalm.
Hehadfireinthebelly
asmuchasanybody.
(commentator)That'sit!
(man) Even though
he is only 23 years old,
he has won four consecutive
Wimbledon tournaments.
Hehaswon
somanymajortournaments
allovertheworld.
Many people saying
that Bjorn Borg
maybethegreatest
tennisplayerever.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: Off the court,
weweremoresimilar
thanpeoplerealize.
Butonthecourt,
weweretotalopposites.
(commentator) Oh, Borg is out.
That's as much emotion
as you'll ever see from Borg.
McEnroe: It's unheard
of to see a person
say absolutely nothing zero
on the court.
(commentator) Oh, you gotta
respect a guy like that.
How in God's name
is he doing that?
(indistinct chatter)
McEnroe: He was unstoppable.
IfIwantedtobethebest
intheworld,
IgottabeatBjornBorg.
(reporter) With Wimbledon
starting on Monday,
Britishtennisfans
willagainhavethechance
to see the player
they love to hate.
John McEnroe earned himself
the title of "SuperBrat"
in previous visits
to this country.
(man) I don't like him myself
as it goes,
uh, 'cause just he's American.
He doesn't represent, uh,
America.
He is a disgrace to everyone.
(interviewer) Are you worried
at all about the reputation
you'vegainedoverhere?
Peoplearewriting
moreaboutyourbehavior
than your tennis
perhaps sometimes.
Well, you're
certainly asking me
more about my behavior
than my tennis.
- But, uh--
- (interviewer) Do you think
it is justified
over this weekend?
Do I think it's justified?
(interviewer) The criticism.
No, I don't.
(indistinct chatter)
McEnroe: I felt like
I was being myself.
Ididn'twannabebooed.
I wanted everyone
to clap for me.
(applause)
McEnroe: All right, just
keep yourself under control.
Just go play.
And then boom,
everythingwouldgo
outthewindow.
(grunts)
Don't do that.
Do not do that.
Whatareyou,
astupidfuckingmoron?
What... I aced him.
(umpire) No, no, no.
The call came before
theballwasplayed.
Heneverevencalledit.
(umpire) Well, no.
- Yes, he called--
- No, he never said anything.
(umpire) Play a let, please.
McEnroe:CouldIhave
thereferee,please?
(umpire) No, no. Play on.
Can I have the referee?
I'd like to have the referee.
I was crazed...
(suspenseful music playing)
McEnroe: Nervous energy
flying all over the place.
Intensity, anger.
(umpire)Mr.McEnroe,
you are getting
a public warning.
Now please, play on.
McEnroe: Mentally,
I became really good
atbeingableto
compartmentalizetoadegree.
Ifyouwatchotherplayers
inmostsports,
iftheygoofftherails,
it'sverydifficult
topullitbackin.
- How was that?
- (umpire) Game to McEnroe.
McEnroe: That was one
of the things
thatIdidbetter
thanalmostanyoneelse.
Fleming: I'm 99% certain
that John
hadnoideawhen
anoutburstwascoming.
Connors: Keep your mouth
shut out here.
McEnroe: Referee, please.
Fleming: But maybe
it had been a part of him
forsolong,thatheknew
howtodealwithit.
(commentator) Yeah!
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: Myfatherhasgivenme
someofmytemperso
he'stoblametosomeextent.
(interviewer) So now that's
your reflection of your dad?
McEnroe: There's no way
you can avoid it.
(interviewer)
What have you done to cope
with John's temper on court?
(laughs) Oh, everything
you can possibly think of.
EssentiallyJohnisJohnand,
uh,tennispersonalities
arejustliketherestofus.
Theyrunagreat,widegamut.
Johnhappenstobe
ononesideofthecoin...
and a fellow like
Bjorn Borg is on the other.
McEnroe: Finally got
to where I think
I should be and I'm playing
the guy I wanna play.
Like an idol.
You'reabouttowalkout
onthegreatestcourt
in tennis history.
(tensemusicplaying)
Here I come.
(crowd cheering)
(commentator) Amidst
those cheers, some boos.
McEnroenotthe
mostpopularofplayers.
McEnroe: The difference
was pretty much everything.
Hewasmorelaidback.
Hewouldcounterattack.
Withme,I'mcomingin.
You know,
hell or high water, I'm coming.
All in.
First point.
I started great.
(commentator) That's it.
That's the first set.
(crowd cheering)
(commentator) We really do have
the classic confrontation here.
The best server in the world
against the best returner.
(crowd cheering)
(commentator) The best volleyer
in the world
against the best
passing shots.
And the most volatile player
in the world
againstthecalmest.
(commentator) Yes!
Second set to Borg.
(commentator) He's terribly
intimidating to play
becauseheshows
noemotionwhatsoever.
(commentator) That winner
gives Borg the set of 6-3
andalead
oftwosetstoone.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: I just was furious at myself.
You can't go out like this.
(umpire) Quiet, please.
McEnroe: That fear
of failure is in everybody.
- Come on!
- (BBC commentator) Yes!
(US commentator) John McEnroe has
snatched
theChampionshipaway
fromBorg.
Just like that!
(crowd cheering)
(umpire) Quiet, please.
Thetiebreaknow
comesintooperation.
(BBCcommentator) NoFinalhas
everended
on a tie break,
but it might now.
(US commentator) This is the
lingering death tiebreaker.
First to seven.
McEnroe serves
the first point.
(McEnroe grunts)
(US commentator) Oh, shot McEnroe!
May have pulled the shoulder
out of the socket
stretchingforthatone!
John Patrick McEnroe Junior!
(BBC commentator) And
that pass gives him set point.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: You're getting
bludgeoned emotionally.
(BBCcommentator) Nineall,thentenall.
John is close to tears,
his father can hardly look.
Thecalmestmanintheplace.
McEnroe: I gotta figure
out a way to win this thing.
(crowd cheering)
(BBCcommentator) Whatguts
thisyoungster
has from New York.
Neitheronewillrelent.
Aseventhsetpoint.
(crowd cheering)
(tensemusicplaying)
(BBCcommentator) Theregoes...
thismatch
isdeadeven,
inlingeringdeath!
Therewill
beafifthsettocome!
McEnroe: I was on
such unbelievable high.
Andhehadtobeonthislull.
Thisguy'sgonnafold.
I got him.
(BBC commentator) Yes!
McEnroe: Within a couple of games.
Oh, no, I don't have him.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: He acted
like nothing happened.
ThesegreatChampions
hadthisothergear
that I was unaware
even existed.
(BBC commentator) Two more
championship points.
McEnroe: He showed
willingness to suffer
andbeabletoget
throughthattypeofpain.
(cheersandapplause)
McEnroe: Itwasaharshlesson.
Whatareyouwillingtodo
inordertowinit?
(dramaticmusicplaying)
(kettle whistles)
(birds chirping)
Borg: The Champion should
handle the pressure very well.
The Champion should be able
to be strong mentally.
You'rebyyourselfoutthere.
Tennisisaverylonelysport.
It's always been and
it's always gonna be.
You have to like that. I mean,
when you walk on that court
it's only you.
And,uh,
ifyoudon'tlikethat,
you're never
gonna be successful.
I loved it.
John loved it.
And we connected.
After the match,
he became a different person
inthemedia'seyes.
I mean, they respected John
so much more
from that particular moment.
He deserved that.
Number one is number one.
(chuckles)
Simple as that.
Tobethebestplayer
intheworld.
That'swhattennisplayer
wantstodo.
That'syourgoalsinlife.
McEnroe: He took me under his wing.
Itevolvedinto
arealfriendshipaswell
asagreatrivalry.
Bjorn inspired me
to get better,
workharder,digdeeper,
there'snoway
Icanbreakthisguydown.
Igottaoutplaytheguy.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
Billie Jean: Tennis is an art.
We are artists.
We're performers.
That is our stage, like
an actor going to a theater.
(US commentator) You're looking down
onthesoldoutstadiumcourt
onthisthefinaldayofplay
ofthe1980UnitedStates
OpenChampionship.
McEnroe: Okay,
this is what you've just been
claimingyou'regonna
learnfrom.
Andhere'syourchance.
(crowd cheering)
Billie Jean: The artist
wants to connect with people.
(grunting)
You lazy bum!
Billie Jean: I wanna connect
with you as a performer,
as a competitor.
(crowd cheers)
(US commentator) First set then goes
to McEnroe.
Billie Jean: As an artist,
we shape time.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
Billie Jean: Also a real true
artist makes others feel.
(UScommentator) McEnroehas
brokenserve
andheleadstwosetstolove.
Billie Jean: He grabs
the hearts of people,
he just does.
You might not even like him.
Buthemakesyoufeel.
(crowd cheers)
(umpire) Game and third set,
Borg 7-6.
Billie Jean: To have Borg
as a counterpoint...
not only does
it elevate tennis,
theybothgotbetter.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
(umpire) Game and fourth set
Borg 7-5.
(crowd cheering)
Newcombe: I'd hate to go
against Borg at this stage.
Hehasn'tlostafive
settersince1974.
McEnroe: I'm actually finally
playing the way
I want to play.
(crowd cheers)
McEnroe: This isn't normal.
Thisisextraordinary.
Borg: I felt connection.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
Wasaspecialfeeling.
(US commentator) Fantastic play
by John McEnroe!
McEnroe: It doesn't have to be
that you have win everything...
(US commentator) Double match point.
McEnroe:... to be part
of something that's magical.
(crowd cheers)
McEnroe: That's what you dream about.
(interviewer) How much
did you win in the US Open?
Whatwastheprizemoney?
McEnroe: About $46,000.
(interviewer) Did that give
you enough to go out and buy
- that expensive--
- (chuckles)
Thisiseightdollars!
I got a sale on it
so I figured I'd dress up
for the Today Show.
(interviewer) We're really
appreciative of that.
Wealsowanttotellyou
theguycomingonright
after you, is Bjorn Borg.
Do you have anything you want
to say to him this morning?
Well, I'd first like
to say thanks
for letting me win and second
I'd like to say thanks
soIdon'thavetogo
toAustralia
and I'd third like to say...
(chuckles)
McEnroe Sr.: People have been
telling us for years
thatJohnwas
amarveloustalent.
I don't know
that we ever really conjured
that it would be
anything like it is.
McEnroe: He was always there,
believing I could do it.
HewasintheAirForce.
Heworkedacoupleofjobs
andhewent
toLawSchoolatnight.
Hewassomeone,
youknow,likedtohave
acoupleofdrinks,
butthegoodnews
wasthat
whenhestarteddrinking
he was not the angry drunk.
Hewasahappyone.
Which was great
because then there's more
affection
because there wasn't like
an overwhelming
amount of affection.
It wasn't like I was
constantly being hugged
and told how wonderful
a person I was.
McEnroe Sr.: We were raising
what we thought
ofasasolidcitizen.
From early on
in John's career,
itwasdifferentthan
justplainfatherandson.
Itwaslegaladvisor
andclient.
McEnroe: He was
a great agent for me.
ButIfeltlikethere
wassomethingmissing.
I'mnotveryempathetic.
That'smybiggestflaw.
I'mgonnablameit
onpeoplewhenIgrewup.
They said that you
have to keep that intensity,
youhavetobelike
neverletinforasecond.
Andyou'vejustgot
tostompontheirhead.
(man) Hey, John!
McEnroe: And you
can't enjoy the moment.
And I hated that.
(applause)
McEnroe: A lot of times
when I was in the midst
of some meltdown,
it felt like I was thinking
afunnythingatfirst.
Excuse me?
(umpire)
Thatwasagoodbut...
You can't be serious, man.
You cannot be serious!
That ball was on the line!
Chalk flew up!
It was clearly in!
How can you possibly
call that out?
Howmanyyougonnamiss?
And I'd end up
saying the asshole thing.
You guys are the absolute pits
of the world, do you know that?
Whichwasreallystupid.
(umpire)
I'm going to award a point
against you, Mr. McEnroe.
(crowd cheers)
McEnroe: You just made
the whole thing blow up.
Andtheycanforget
aboutlastyear.
We're not going to have a point
taken away because this guy
isanincompetentfool,
doyouknowthat?
That's what he is.
That's what he is, right?
I'mbacktosquareone.
(umpire) Game,
set and match to McEnroe.
(interviewer)
Who's the player that you least
like umpiring?
McEnroe.
Fleming: He didn't get along
with the British mentality,
theestablishment,ifyou
willandhewentberserk.
McEnroe:Oh,no!No!
Hynde: In the UK, there's
an unpleasant obsession
with class.
Thatcher:Wherethere
isdiscord,
maywebringharmony.
Hynde: He appealed to people
because he was a badass
andpeoplelikedtosee
somethingkickoff.
Borg: He was going
through a tough time.
Themediawasafterhim.
(reporter) The Solicitor
General for Scotland
wasreportedtohave
calledMcEnroe'sbehavior
selfish, arrogant, vulgar,
self-interested, and cheap.
ThosewereMcEnroe's
goodpoints.
(reporter)
TheWimbledonpressgot
intoafracasintoquestions
overMcEnroe'spersonallife.
Don't point
your finger at me, mister.
McEnroe: Iwaschangingtennis.
Thissport'snotgonna
betheupperclasssport,man.
Uselessfuckingumpires
inthisplace!
(crowd booing)
IfIeverwin
thisfuckingtournament
I am never coming back.
What did I say, umpire? Tell me.
Please tell me. Please tell me!
(reporter) McEnroe is two
victories away from a possible
replayoflastyear's
WimbledonfinalagainstBorg.
(reporter) The management of
Wimbledon fine McEnroe $1,500
and threaten him
with suspension
fromthetournament.
(woman)Hey,McEnroe.
McEnroe: The way
that they're putting me
throughthewringer,
youfeellike
you'reapieceofmeat.
(reporter) If you believe
what you read
inthemoreenthusiastic
Britishdailies,
JohnMcEnroe
isthemainthreattodecency
on this island.
McEnroe: The only way
that it could get better
was if I won.
(umpire) Game set and match
to McEnroe.
(interviewer) You've used words
like, "incompetent fool,
lousylinejudges,"
doyoustickwiththat?
The ones that were
on the court today?
- (interviewer) Hmm.
- Yeah.
(interviewer) You stay with it?
(scoffs) What do you want me
to do, retract my statement?
(phone ringing)
McEnroe Sr.: John created
a lot of controversy.
Itwastroublingtous,
but the idea
that you could raise someone
andmakethem
intoaJohnMcEnroe
is just nonsense.
Thathastobethere.
Billie Jean: If you want
to be number one,
youhavetowinWimbledon,
it'sverysimple.
Ifyousay,okay,
youcanonlywinonemajor...
that's the one.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: It is the
ultimate for a tennis player.
Istillhadtoprove
Icanwinit.
AndthenIcanreallytell
themtofuckthemselves.
Bud: John McEnroe
always thinks he can win.
Niceguysdon'twin
inthisgame.
It'sasportforkillers.
Thisiskillorbekilled.
(umpire) Game to McEnroe.
Bud: Formillionsofdollars.
(crowd cheers)
(singer)
Welcome to the machine
(crowd cheering)
(man speaking indistinctly)
(singer)
Where have you been?
It's all right...
Bud: That's what McEnroe
is showing you.
I want it.
I'm grabbing it.
It's mine.
Try and stop me.
(crowd cheering)
(singer)
Welcome to the machine
(crowd cheering)
Bud: Is he violence personified
onthetenniscourt?
He's a genius
who worries people
becausehe'sareflection
ofthetimeswelivein.
(crowd cheers)
Bud: Harsh, violent times.
We can see in him,
what society has done to us.
Life,asintennistoday,
you'reeitherawinner,
oraloser.
(crowd cheering)
(commentator) He got it!
It's all over at 5.29!
McEnroe has taken
the King's throne!
McEnroe: This incredible
pressure I put on myself.
This burden.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
That moment was worth it.
(reporter) The glory of his
singles victory at Wimbledon
is intertwined with the fuss
over the Champions Dinner
at the end
of the Wimbledon tournament.
OneWimbledonofficial
isquotedassaying,
a place was saved
through the meal for McEnroe
who never showed.
(classical music playing)
McEnroe: Gotta admit perhaps
that I wasn't aware
of the tradition
of the dinner that night.
Youknow,Ithought
likeifactualfriends
are gonna come over
and we're gonna party, man,
and we're gonna have
a great time...
or I'm gonna sit with a bunch
of stuffed shirts
and sit there and dance
with Martina Navratilova.
I think I'm gonna vote
for the other one.
Getupnextmorning,
walkoutthedoor,
I'mlikebleary-eyed,
like,hungover.
Whoa! There's, like,
ten paparazzi or God knows
how many people outside,
I'm like, "What?"
Uh-oh. (chuckles)
This may have been
a bigger deal than I thought.
My father said I'd be happy
to say a few words.
Andtheysaid
thatifIdidn'tcome
forthewholedinner,
thattheyrespectfully
rescinded
myinvitationtocome.
Aweeklater,theycalled
myparentstotellme
thatIwasnotgonnabe
grantedmembership
at the club.
Big fucking deal.
(crowd cheering)
Hynde: You can't be a badass
and not be rock 'n roll.
Watchinghimplaytennis
musthavebeenlike
watchingarockband.
Youneverknew
whatwasgonnahappen.
Santana: We wanna play the
rock 'n roll national anthem
dedicatedtoChuckBerry
whowroteit,
thisis"JohnnyBGoode"
toJohnMcEnroe.
(rock music playing)
Hynde: He would always
come over to see me in London
becauseIalwayshadpot
andhewasapothead.
And I'd say, "Hey,
what are you doing in town?"
andhe'dsay,
"Uh,it'salittlething
called Wimbledon,
you might have heard of it."
McEnroe: I was having
the time of my life.
Idon'trememberalot
abouttheevenings
thatIspentwithVitas.
Youjustspenttimeinaroom
withKeithRichards
and Ronnie Wood.
Youwanttohaveahit
onajoint?
Sure!
Meatloaf: I'm tellin' you,
man, that was unbelievable.
Howmanytennisplayers
outtherebeenlike,
step out on court
with John McEnroe
andVitasGerulaitis?
Richards: I was backstage
with John somewhere.
I threw out the idea to him
that if you're used
to working crowds,
you seem to have
something in common,
eventhoughyou'redoing
actuallysomething
totally different
for that crowd.
You're giving
and also receiving
onadifferentlevel.
Exchangeofenergy.
I'll tell you again, McEnroe!
(laughter)
Richards: JohnknowswhatImean.
Hecansenseacrowd.
Andalsohediditwithflair.
Whodoesn'tmindyelling
atanumpire,man?
It's like, you know, yeah.
(rock music playing)
(MTV interviewer) Tennis stars
on the set. Yes.
Vitas Gerulaitis
and John McEnroe,
we'regonnabetalkingwith
themafterthisshortbreak.
McEnroe: These days,
athletes are doing
performance enhancing drugs.
Weweredoing
performancedetractingdrugs.
That's to me the difference.
(MTVinterviewer) Youbothplay
guitar,right?
Uh, yeah, that's right.
- Yeah he plays solid rhythm.
- Solid rhythm.
Does it make sense? No.
If you're trying to be the
best player that ever lived,
Imean,puttingsmoke
inyourmouths
- probably not the best thing.
- (man) Okay.
(man) Rolling tape...
(chuckles)
Hi,I'mJohnMcEnroe.
You're watching MTV.
Music television.
Thechannel
I'vebeenwaitingfor.
Criticizemeifyouwant
fordoingthat
and saying he fucked up
but don't sit there
and go, hey,
he did cocaine or marijuana
therefore he won, bullshit!
More energy?
Hi!
I'm John McEnroe!
(man) Here we go.
Stay quiet please, folks!
McEnroe: You know,
it's hardly like, yeah, man,
if you smoke some marijuana,
it's good for you.
Butmaybeit'sgood
soyoucouldappreciate
yourlifealittlemore
foraperiodoftime.
(man) Right,
that was real nice, one more.
One more?
I, you know, I'll try it.
I mean, I'd rather just do
the other, you know,
leave it with the other one.
(man)Oh,
wecandoanotherone,
you want to do another one?
Well, I don't really want
to do another one either.
Ithinkthefirstone
looksgood.
so I don't see any reason
to do another one.
(man) There is none.
That's fine.
(man)That'sit.Okay.
Thankyou.That'sit.
(narrator) In all of sport,
there is no greater pressure
on an athlete than that
on the number one competitor
inanindividualsport.
In men's tennis,
the last decade,
thatpressurehasbeenfocused
onBjornBorg.
Borg: The cost is enormous.
(man)Youdon'tworkout
asatennisplayer,
you know, you could become
a male model, huh?
Borg: Everybody wants
a piece of you,
you have to live with that.
Sometimesyoujustwant
tolockyourselfinaroom
and don't go out.
(reporter) With all
his past accomplishments
and domination,
there is one crown
that has eluded Bjorn Borg.
TheUnitedStatesOpen.
Hisdesireforthattitle
bordersonobsession.
Borg: I'm in the Final again.
Playing John.
Goingintothatmatch,
Ihavedeaththreats.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
Borg: It'saterriblefeeling.
That'sallofthefame.
Everybody'safteryou.
I felt...
- I'm done.
- (crowd cheering)
(commentator) The prospect
of another match
between the two top players
on the world
generatesexcitement
unmatchedintennis.
(crowd cheering)
(commentator) Got it.
Borg: Then I miss an easy point.
I'msteaminginside.
(crowd cheers)
Borg: But I don't want
to show that.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
(commentator) Oh, what a shot!
Borg: I've been playing
for so many years.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
Borg: I had enough of this game.
(umpire)
Game, set and match McEnroe!
(crowd cheering)
(official) Runner-up Bjorn Borg
is truly a great champion,
wearesorry
heisunabletobehere
toreceive
hisrunnerupawardbut--
(crowd booing)
McEnroe: You can't express
the feelings you have
whensomeone
whoyou'refriendswith
andisyourgreatestrival
hasjustwalkedout
ofthestadium.
That'sthelastmajor
heeverplayed.
It was an absolute
fucking tragedy.
(male reporter)
Bjorn Borg announced today
that at age 26,
he is retiring from tennis.
(femalereporter)
BjornBorghasplayed...
(male reporter) Bjorn Borg
is expected to announce
thathehasquit
becausehecannolongergive
his sport 100%.
(male reporter) Well, he just
doesn't want to face McEnroe
andthekid'scomingup.
(male reporter) The five-time
Wimbledon champion
nolongerhas
thefightingspirit.
Borg: I knew deep inside that...
thiswasmylastmatch.
Ileftthecourt
andwentthroughthekitchen.
Went to the car.
I was relieved.
I could have many more years
in tennis
but for myself, I felt, uh,
Ifeltrelief,
Ifeltcalm,Ifelt...
Ididsomethinggood.
McEnroe: Uh, I was like, what,
bytheway,
whatareyougonnado?
Exceptsitonyourass?
I'd say to him,
whythehelldidyouquit
whenyouwere25?
Evenifthereis
alotofshitgoingon?
"Someday you'll understand,"
he'd say.
Borg: John said,
you have to continue.
ThenIsaidtoJohn,
maybeoneday
youwillunderstand.
Tennis is not
everything in life.
(interviewer) I mean,
you've got all of this drive
andthisenergy
thatispartofyou,
where do you put that now?
BillieJean: Johnbrokehisspirit.
Johnwaslookingforward
toplaying
alotofmatchesagainstBorg.
What a letdown at the Open
to see the guy
gowheee,rightout,
that'sit.
McEnroe: When you're working
your way to the top,
it'seasierandmorefun
thanwhenyougetthere
and you're looking
over your shoulder
andtryingtostaythere.
Itfeltsortofempty.
(reporter) If you've never seen
John McEnroe in person
playagameoftennis,
doyourselfafavor.
Giveyourselfatreat.
Heisreallysomething
outthere.
(crowd cheering)
(reporter) John McEnroe
took the wheel
ofarunawaysteamroller
that is flattening
all opposition at Wimbledon.
I felt like
I could beat anybody.
- (crowd cheering)
- (reporter) All right.
Bothhandsintheair,
JohnMcEnroe.
1983Wimbledonchampion.
(man) He's the best player
in the world,
andthebestplayer
intheworldhasburdens
which no other player has.
(interviewer) Every week
I pick up the paper
you're in Tokyo
and then you're in Australia
andthenyou'reinFrance
andyou'reinItaly
andyou'replayingDavisCup.
Itisunbelievable
theamountoftravel.
Yeah, I've been on a plane
for 30 hours,
I figured, you know,
at least you guys
wouldleavemealone
atthispoint.
I just don't think
it was a very happy existence.
McEnroe Sr.: He's not out on the court
havingagoodtime,
he'soutonthecourt
playing to win.
- (BBC commentator) That's it!
- (crowd cheering)
McEnroe: I had the best year
in the history of tennis
themen'sside,in1984.
(interviewer)
Yes,youarenumberone!
Idon'tthinkanybody
candisputethat.
McEnroe: I was number one
in the world for four years.
I'mthegreatestplayer
that'severplayed.
Why does it not feel
that amazing?
Ayearwouldgoby,
whenyoucomingback?
I wanted him back.
I didn't even care if I went
to number two in the world.
I'dratherhavehimback.
Pressure helped me succeed,
but made things
tortuous at times.
Again, you've made
a clear mistake
on break point, for God sakes.
Is that not a big enough point
for you to screw up?
How much bigger a point
can you screw it up with?
Answer my question.
The question, jerk!
Well, that's two
different questions.
(laughter)
(dramaticmusicplaying)
McEnroe: People could see
that I was melting down
and losing it.
You're pathetic,
do you know that?
ButIdo.Makesmesick!
I'm like a ghost.
(siren blaring)
Fleming: In '84 he was invincible.
Hehadn'tlostamatch
thewholeyear.
Hebeateverybodylikeadrum.
HewinsParisthatyear,
people are starting
to talk about him
as the greatest of all time.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
Fleming: In the first 12 days
of the French...
rainy,cloudy.Justcold.
Until the Final.
Thedaybefore,Isaid,
allrightI'mcoming,
I'mcoming,um,let's--
we'regonna--I'mcoming
fortheparty,youknow?
Show up in Paris,
anhourortwo
beforethematchstarts,
90 degrees.
(car honking)
(indistinct chatter)
Fleming: It went from
arctic to jungle
in half a day.
Notacloudinthesky.
Hot.Hot.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: I don't like
to look back very much.
Thatjusttearsyouup.
(UScommentator) Gameandset
toMcEnroe.
He'suptwosets6-3,6-2.
McEnroe: Any time
I have a nightmare...
(indistinct chatter)
McEnroe: ...it's right back
to that match.
(indistinct chatter)
(grunts)
I'm hypersensitive
to everything.
(buzzing)
(indistinct radio chatter)
McEnroe: Especially on a tennis court.
(slurps)
(camera clicks)
(man) Hey...
(commentator) Lendl has
fought back to win
the last two sets 6-4, 7-5.
McEnroe: I've been around
the game long enough,
I can watch
and I can see other players
thathavetwoopponents.
Themselves
and whoever they're playing.
- Areyouafraidofhim?
- (umpire)No.
So,don'tdoeverything
inhisfavor,okay?
(dramaticmusicplaying)
(grunts)
(indistinct radio chatter)
Shutup!
- (grunts)
- (crowd cheers)
McEnroe: I get up.
I look back.
I see myself.
I have nothing.
(crowd cheers)
(dramaticmusicplaying)
McEnroe: It felt like I was doomed.
(crickets chirping)
McEnroe: My anxiety,
it hurt me.
There's something
clearly wrong.
I gotta get away.
(reporter)
TennisstarJohnMcEnroe
and the actress Tatum O'Neal
have finally made
theirlovematchofficial.
Theymarried
ataprivateceremony
in New York State last night
justnineweeks
afterthebirthoftheirson.
(indistinct chatter)
McEnroe: I didn't want
to turn into a person
thathadtojustspend
therestoftheirlife
like,winningatanycost.
I thought
this was absolutely perfect.
Youknow,someonethatgotit.
Thatunderstoodwhat
itwasliketogothrough
thismicroscopeinaway
atayoungage.
(thunder rumbling)
(dramaticmusicplaying)
Kevin: He had taken
that sabbatical from tennis.
Eventhehighestsuccess
wasn'treallyproviding
thekindofhappiness
thathewashopingfor.
Emily: She was used
to being in the spotlight.
Kevin being on the cover
of People
and it was like them two
and their new son
and, I think that--
That's crazy
to think of right now.
Isn't that wild?
Theyweresuperstarstogether.
(inaudible)
Kevin: He found true love.
Itwasboth
beautifulandpainful.
Tatum: It's a boy,
we know it's a boy. Sean.
Kevin: My mom was 23
or four with two kids.
Thatmusthavebeenalot.
McEnroe: We were kids.
Ithoughtwewereadults.
Yourjob,andobligation,
andabsolutelywhatIwanted,
was to be there for them
and to make them feel loved.
Ithought
Icouldhandleitall,
wasallgonnabebeautiful
andIwasgonnabenumberone
intheworldagain.
Fleming: His life had
been so compartmentalized,
he had everything
in the right order
andtherightpercentages.
My mouth hurts.
(crowd applause)
Fleming: And suddenly,
he has this relationship
thatenvelopedeverything.
McEnroe:Areweokay--
areweokayhere?
Fleming: Itwaslikeatsunami.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
McEnroe: The two of us
together seemingly
wasalotmoreinteresting
thanIrealized
thatweweregonnabe.
Thatledtowaymoreattention
onmypersonallife
than my tennis.
Hynde: The tabloids are rough.
Aretheygonnastand
outsideyourflat?
Yeah.
Yeah,that'sthedeal.
ButJohngotallirritated
andtheyjustthriveonthat.
(reporter) The reporter found
himself forced backwards
overasofaclaiming
he'dbeengrabbed
by the throat
resulting in a torn collar.
He went there with the
intention of starting something
soIyouknowmovedhim
tothesideandthen
suddenlyit'snow,
I'veassaultedtheguy.
He'sphysicallybeatup.
I'm gonna go take
a shit in there,
doyouwanna
takeapictureofthat?
Oh, no, no.
(reporter) McEnroe spat
at a photographer,
whopromptlyspatback.
McEnroe: It went from bad to worse.
Havingtocutadeal
withpaparazzi
sothatthere'snot
asmanyaround.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
(commentator) This would be
the earliest exit
forJohnMcEnroeever
intheUSOpen.
(interviewer)
How do you assess
ayearandahalf
onthecomebacktrail?
McEnroe: That it has been
a dismal failure.
A bad nightmare.
(reporter) Moaning John McEnroe
was blasted
outofWimbledonyesterday
andblamedeverybody
buthimself.
McEnroe: What have I done?
Ididn'tbringTatumwithme.
WhatdidIdotodeserve
whatIgotthisyear?
(man) You didn't even laugh
at that, John.
Kevin: As their
relationship became rockier,
hehadmoretroubles
onthecourt.
Billie: That Tatum period
was really rough.
He went through
some tough times.
I think he went
through drugs.
McEnroe: Cocaine,
let'sjustsay
thatitdidn'thelp.
I have myself
to blame for that,
I'm not gonna sit here
and blame her for that.
(reporter) A man
with a London accent
ranganewspaperwarning,
"Don'tletJohnMcEnroe
gooncourttoday
or he will be assassinated."
McEnroe: I can't get away from it.
(interviewer)
How's the press going too far
forJohnMcEnroe...
(reporter)
This morning's report were...
(indistinct chatter)
McEnroe: The plan was to get better.
Do you think for one second
I wanted to get worse?
Neverbethesameplayer?
It's safe to say that
wasn't a very good feeling.
(umpire) Code violation,
unsportsmanlike conduct,
warning,Mr.McEnroe.
I can't believe this!
ItwasabsurdwhatIdid
tosabotagemyself.
From the 37 psychologists
and psychiatrists I've seen,
through court orders
and my own free will,
never been able to figure
that one out.
Oh, obviously your parents
did something.
No.
That's not--I can't blame
them for, uh--
if you think
that's why I, like,
some lunatic on the court,
that's not the case.
I choked, how's that?
That's probably the top one.
That'sthebottomline.
Maybe I showed some human
frailty that people show
when times where you're like,
how did that guy melt down?
Kevin: One time he told me
about his anger.
It's a lot easier
to get angry
than it is to cry.
AndyWarholhadpainted
apaintingofthetwoofthem.
They were fighting
and so I drew a moustache
on the Andy Warhol painting!
- No!
- That's true, yeah.
And I remember
the uproar and me
like putting all my stuff
in a little backpack
and being like
I'm out of here.
I'm five years old,
I'm gonna hit it.
I'll catch you guys
down the road.
McEnroe: There's times
we could communicate,
butit'softentimes
whereascan'teventalk.
I don't think infidelity helps.
Ibelievethatwasbothofus.
Tome,that'slike
thebeginningoftheend.
Ortheendoftheend.
Couldn't you see anything?
That cost me the damn set,
because of that!
The set was over!
(bleep) you!
(bleep)
(bleep)
It'squiteembarrassing.
Youknow,
it'ssomethingthat,uh,
I hope I don't have to see
too many more times.
Emily: Seeing that growing up
was very confusing.
Asakid,itwasstrange
tofeellike
maybe you could be
celebrated for being angry
and then realizing
no, you can't.
Domeafavor,
shovethatmic(bleep)
(interviewer) When your sons
Sean and Kevin grow up
and see these scenes, what
are you going to tell them?
McEnroe: That's something that, uh,
I've thought about quite often.
Ihaven'tcomeupwith,
youknow,
exactlywhat
Iwilltalkaboutbut...
ifthey'reliketheirfather,
they'lllearn
fromtheirmistakes.
Can you say that?
Canyousayhello
GrandpaandGrandma?
(interviewer) Is it tough
to have your family
so involved in your career?
Sometimesdoyouwish
youjusthadafather?
(dramaticmusicplaying)
McEnroe: He put a great deal
of pressure and perfectionism
upon himself.
Andheexpected
thesameinreturn.
Andinhismindatleast,
hewasn'tgettingit.
Everytimewetalked,
itwastennis,tennis,tennis.
And I became a father
and I thought
wouldn't it be nice
if I had like
more of a father-son
relationship
with my father.
IcangetanyTom,Dick
orHarrytobemymanager.
Hey, listen, you know, I'd--
I'm gonna try these
other couple of people.
BecauseIwannahave
abetterrelationship
withyouoffthecourt.
Hedidn'tsayanything,
helookedatme
like he was
in a state of shock.
Like, what?
It's actually the opposite
of what you think, Dad,
it's actually because
I love you,
not because I don't love you.
Hedidn'ttakethattoowell.
Hetookthatterrible.
It was like
I stabbed him in the back.
Hedidn'twanttoretire.
Helosthisidentity.
And it affected my mom
and I was upset about that.
Iresentedthat
andmakesyouwonder
about knowing
when to let it go.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
McEnroe: I hadn't won a major
in seven years.
Seemed like I was
so close so often,
that'swhyIkept
goingbackformore.
Ijustcouldn'tgetitright.
You have to develop an edge
to be great at something.
Gooutonanisland
byyourself.
(applause)
McEnroe: Do whatever
it takes to win.
Youalwayshearthat.
You have to do whatever
it takes to win at any cost.
Isitallworthit...
in the end?
(screams)
(dramaticmusicplaying)
Kevin: Him and my mother
were divorced
whenIwassixyearsold.
Andthereweretimes
inthatprocess,along,
sort of ugly divorce,
that, you know, you don't...
necessarily have your bearings
and I felt like
there were times
that maybe he was frustrated
that I sided with her.
Mymother
wasn'twellatthetime.
Shehadsomeaddictionissues
soIfeltlikeIsortof
understoodthatandIjust
wantedtoprotecther
andthenwewouldfight
aboutthat.
The worst thing
I ever said to him
is one time he said,
"At least I'm consistent,"
he was talking about my mom
and he said,
"At least I'm consistent."
I said,
"Consistently an asshole."
AndIrememberhisface
beingreallybrokenaboutit.
And I have a lot of regret
and shame around saying that.
I don't think
he'll ever regret
thetimebecauseofus...
and I think one of the saddest
things for me is,
in terms of real true love,
mymomreallynevermet
anyoneelse.
John McEnroe?
HelikeJohnMcEnroe?
My papa John.
Time has allowed for healing
and understanding
that my parents
are human beings,
I can understand...
what he went
through as well.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
McEnroe: My kids saw me cry.
Ididn'trealizethat
Iwassooutofit
thatIwasallowingmyself
tobeseen.
Itookforgranted
theycouldjustdealwithit.
IwishIwasmore,uh...
had a better feeling
of what they were feeling.
Tosithereanddwell
ontennismatches,
itdoesn'tfeellike...
asbigadeal,youknow,
asfeeling,like,
"God,Ifuckedup,
youknow,withmykids,"
that's the worst feeling.
(phone ringing)
McEnroe: I was up
at a charity event
in the Bay area.
Someone came into
the locker room
rightbeforeIwent
onthecourt.
TheysaidthatVitaswasdead.
(reporter) He was one
of the best and most popular
tennis players of his time.
(reporter)
Forty-year-old Gerulaitis died
fromcarbonmonoxidepoisoning
attheweekend.
McEnroe: I just went totally numb.
(man) Can we get some room?
McEnroe: I was heading
towards this potential...
cliff of some kind that...
hopefully I would have
figured out
before I'd have done
anything stupid.
Itfeltlikeahuge
turningpointinmylife.
Dick Clark: One of the finest
female vocalist in all of rock,
ladies and gentlemen
Scandal with Patty Smyth.
(applause)
Patty: I don't want to tame
Your animal style
You won't be caged
When they call the wild
Shootin' at the walls
Of heartache
Bang, bang
I am the warrior
Well
I am the warrior
And heart to heart
You'll win
If you survive
The warrior
Patty: I met John
on Christmas Day.
He was only like
a year separated.
I was newly out of a pretty
rough relationship
andIwasn'tinterested.
ButIwouldtrytofigureout
whyishesofamiliartome?
I felt I knew him.
I could see him.
McEnroe: I was in a pretty lost state.
Shehappenstobesomeone
who's extremely good with
people that are struggling.
Thattakesaspecial
typeofperson.
ThenightVitaspassedaway...
IcalledPattyuplate.
(phone ringing)
McEnroe: Listen,canIcomeover?
Patty: John was driving,
he asked if he could come over
andIwas,like,it'slate...
andthenhetoldme
aboutVitas.
Hedidn'tsay,
"Idon'twannabealone,"
he said...
(both) I have a feeling
about you and me.
McEnroe: What Patty allowed me
to do was be myself.
IcouldbewhoIwantedtobe.
It's nice to be able
to feel, like,
you're a team, like,
you don't have
that much in tennis.
Patty:It'syourPops.
That'syourpopsicle.
Iwasraisedbyasinglemom.
My father died
when I was a kid.
Ihadnoblueprint.
Hewaslike
"Weareinthistogether
andit'syouandme.
We're first."
McEnroe: It's good
to get second chances.
Youdon'talwaysgetthem.
Andthistime,
it'sallornothing.
Love to me?
Love is um, hmm...
Patty: Love?
Well,there'ssomany
kindsoflove.
Love is showing up.
Love is showing up
and you do...
you do what needs
to be done.
Youknow,totakeon
histhreekids,
I'm not sure that
a lot of people
wouldhavedonethat.
Itwaschallenging,
I thought I could just
mom them, you know,
into everything
being okay.
Didn't quite work.
I don't know
you just jump in the water
and you start swimming.
We're in Hawaii,
and I'm gonna marry your dad
inaweekandaday.
What do you think?
McEnroe: You're not
a bastard any more, Anna.
Patty: John in a way
is very straight
and very consistently there
and present.
Igrewupinacompletely
bohemianway.
Normaltome
wasthebravenewworld.
Likethisislike,wow!
You know like people do this?
You know, they like
do shit together
and they go to Parent/Teacher
conference together
and their-- you know,
like, it was all new.
(all)
Happy birthday to you!
McEnroe: Patty certainly caught me
atatimewhenIwaslost.
And it's not like
I'm perfect now,
it'snotlike
Idon'tfuckupnow,um,
and it's not like
I couldn't have been
abetterdad
oranynumberofthings.
But,atthesametime,
Ifeellikeallinall
I think... I sort of veered
into a much more of a direction
that allowed me to be me
and be comfortable with myself
inmyownskinmore
andappreciatelike...
somepeoplestillknow
whoyouareand...
they say nice things
and it's okay to feel good
about that.
You know, took me a while
to let that sink in
and enjoy that
soI'mhopingsomeone's
gonnasaytomeyouknow
somethingyou're
areallygoodguitarplayer.
(laughs)
Kevin: If everyone in the room
is happy and smiling
that's what brings him joy.
That may have been
whether he liked it or not,
something he always wanted.
This quest for, like,
this moment where you know
he could look around
and be like,
"ThisiswhereIwanttobe."
(laughter)
- (woman)Oh,myGod.
- (woman)Casualrough.
(woman) That looks so good.
- I'm--
- McEnroe: Where's the damn
thousand island?
(laughter)
I couldn't tell!
Really gave you the turn, yeah.
- Yeah, me, too.
- You wanna split it
as I end up doing often?
Youalwaysworryif
you'retoomuchlikeyourdad.
Ornotenoughlikehim.
Whoa!Justslowdown.
I can jump.
McEnroe: I wanna be more
affectionate than my father.
Forwhateverreason,
hewasn'tcapableofthat.
But he was a good man at heart,
I know that
and he did a lot
of good things for me
so I try to just focus on that.
(woman) Okay.
You didn't say John senior,
did you?
(man) Do what?
You didn't say John senior,
did you?
(man)Aren'tyounot?
I'msorry,sir.
Did you--
did you say John senior?
- (man) Yes.
- No, I'm not senior,
- he's junior.
- (man) Oh,
Ithoughtthat'swhat
yousaidI'msorry.
- That's all right.
- (man) I'm sorry.
McEnroe: Lifecaughtuptohim.
It's just painful
to watch that.
Hey, your dad's
in the hospital.
You're just, what happened?
Oh, no, he just fell.
Neveroncesaid,
"Look,Ihaveaproblem.
I drink too much."
You know, wow, big surprise.
Go to rehab.
Yougottagetittogether.
I thought if there's one person
in the world
that he'd listen to it'd be me.
But it proved to be incorrect.
Patty: He kept going up
to see his father.
Hewasjustinthisbed.
McEnroe: He was at a hospice.
Hewasjusthanginginthere.
And I was sort of wishing
like he would say like
you know something,
I fucked up man near the end...
Idon'tknowhejust...
Idon'tknowifhegaveup.
Idon'tknowwhathappened.
Thisismydadattheend
sortofself-destructing.
Thisgreatmanhad
hadsomuchsuccess.
I walked out of there
and I was like
man, oh, man,
I can't believe this,
thisguyisjust
nevergonnachange.
I was like,
"You're not gonna do this, man.
You got to pull it together,
you know,
andjustwhenyouthink
he'sgonnamakeit,
he didn't make it.
Patty: I didn't know
that he kept going there.
Hekeptgivinghisfather
thechance.
Johnreallywantedhim
tosayI'msorry.
Andhisfather
didn'tsayanything.
Well, I felt bad for my mom
because she had sort of been
throughthis
torturechamberinaway
and, uh, she had watched him
lose his identity
andsemidisintegrate.
And the next thing you know,
she's got stage four
stomach cancer.
I think the whole thing just
it took so much out of her.
Whichmadememad
youknowthenIwasmad
at my dad for a while so I...
that bothered me for--I mean
it bothers me in a way but,
because I think she could have
had ten more years
and then she had five months.
Buttheyweretogether
for59yearsandyouknow
50ofthemweregreat.
The last 10 wasn't so good.
There, well, that's pretty
good percentage.
That'saboutmywinning
percentageofmycareer.
Eightythreepercent.
Certainthings
wereneverresolved.
Butthatdoesn'tmean
hedidn'tloveme.
The oldest get it the toughest
as far as curfews, you know.
I'd look around
and he would be in the den.
I'd think I'd be in the clear
and then he'd be sitting
halfway up the stairs
waiting for me.
McEnroe:Orsometimes
inthelivingroom.
You're very proud of us,
right?
Of course, I'm proud.
That goes without saying.
Maybe it doesn't but listen,
I mean that's part of the deal,
you're responsible
for something,
you have to be
not quite as selfish,
whichisagoodthingforme
becauseIwasgettingrather
selfishinmyyoungdays,
maybegetting
alittlebittoo,whoa,
too big for my breeches so,
I thought it would be
an unbelievable--
itturnedouttobeagreat
thingformepersonally,
that I was able to become
and hopefully will remain
afatherformanyyears,
uh,fortherestofmylife.
Yeah, let's hope so yeah,
let's hope you don't outlive
every single one of us!
- Yeah!
- (laughter)
Patty: My daughters
are saying their friends like,
"Doesyourdad
yellallthetime?"
Thatwassolongago.
But that's still
how they see him.
I'll tell you what though,
when he yells,
it'sfuckingscary!(laughs)
Whenhefirstyelledatme,
Ilike,oh,shit!
Like, "I'm out of here, dude"
and he's like what?
Because he's over it.
He just goes like, whaa!
And then he's like, fine
and I'm like,
soittookaminute
togetusedtothat.
Beingaperfectionist
isn'tagoodthing.
Because it's never
being satisfied.
ThatFirstGradereportcard,
hewasbeatinghimselfup
already.
He was six.
IwishinawaythatIhad
beenabletobewithhim
fromthebeginning.
McEnroe: This is so right!
I feel...
Patty: This is the thing
that I've been thinking about
because I wanted
to write a song about this.
Imarriedabadboy...
whoturnedout
tobeareallygoodman.
How about that?
(laughs)
Borg: John is one
of the greats in tennis.
Hecoulddoanything
withthattennisball.
Hehadalotofpressure
frompeoplearoundhim.
And he wanted to be perfect.
Sometimes we talk about it,
me and John.
Wetalkalot
aboutfamilies,kids,
nottoomuchabouttennis.
It's more important
for us to be happy in life.
Patty: He's got a very soft
part of him.
I don't know
if people see it that much.
But it's there, it's strong.
- (McEnroe shouts)
- (audience applause)
Kevin: I'm not sure he knows
how much what he used to say
I hold dear.
Being somebody
you can count on.
That is something
that I like really cherish.
It'sunfortunate
thatittookmesolong.
I'm sorry I didn't listen more,
when I was younger.
I didn't understand.
And just thank you for trying.
You know.
- Ican'tfollowthat.
- Kevin:No.
McEnroe: It's tricky
to maneuver this word "love".
As you get older,
it's opened me up
tobeingmoreeasilysay
thosetypesofthings.
I think I'm open for pretty
much anything at this point.
But I wanna be open for just
going off in the sunset, too,
ifitturnsoutthatway
andjustlivinglife.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
McEnroe: I'm not at peace.
I don't think
I'd wanna be at total peace.
Idon'tevenknow
whatthatfeelslike.
Does that exist?
(upbeatmusicplaying)
(audience cheering)
["PublicImage"
byPublicImageplaying]
(singer) You never listen to
A word that I said
You only seen me
For the clothes that I wear
Or did the interest go
So much deeper
It must have been
The color of my hair
The Public Image
What you wanted was
Never made clear
Behind the image was
Ignorance and fear
You hide behind
This public machine
You still follow
Same old scheme
JohnMcEnroe'simpact
ontennishasbeenincredible.
Without a doubt
one of the most charismatic
playersinthehistory
ofoursport
and one of the best players.
(singer)
Two sides to every story
Somebody had to stop me
I'm not the same
As when I began
I will not be treated
As property
Djokovic: He's someone
that I was looking up to,
whenIwasyounger,
Ilovethathe'sstill
intennis.
Formerworldnumberone
insinglesanddoubles
andincrediblecommentator
thatheis.
And you're generous,
you have a beautiful heart.
Andasacompetitor,
you'reabadboy!
(singer)
Two sides to every story
Somebody had to stop me
I'm not the same
As when I began
It's not a game
Of monopoly
Public Image
The Public Image
You got what you wanted
The Public Image
Belongs to me
My entrance
My own creation
My grand finale
My goodbye
Public Image
Public Image
Goodbye
(rock music playing)
(dramaticmusicplaying)
McEnroe: Greatness...
It'sacombinationofthings.
Youlookback
andyousay,"Well...
someonegavemeanability
todosomething
betterthanothers."
Youhavetorecognizethat...
and put yourself
on the line...
Shutup!
...especiallywhenyou're
outtherebyyourself...
andIdidn'tdo
agoodenoughjobofthat.
Infact,
Ididashittyjobofit.
I'mthegreatestplayer
that'severplayed.
At this point,
whydoesitnotfeel
thatamazing?
ItfeltlikeIwasdoomed.
(rock music playing)
(man) He's supposed
to be John McEnroe.
Andifthatonoccasion
isgoingtorilesomebody
orhimorme,
well, that's the way it is.
McEnroe: I'malwaysgonnafight
forwhatIthink'sright.
That's the way
I was brought up.
(man) I think John
is the sort of boy
who can speak up for himself
and I like this.
You doing your job umpire?
(man) And I don't think
the docile
kidisevergonnabe
thechampion.
Bud: Nice guys
don't win at this game.
It'sasportforkillers.
(man) He's on the court
playing to win.
McEnroe: Answer my question!
Thequestion,jerk!
You're pathetic,
do you know that?
Improved by Sailor420
Hope you enjoy the show
Improved by Sailor420
Hope you enjoy the show
Idon'teverremembernot
beingabletoplaytennis.
Ionlyremember
knowinghowtoplay.
(car revving)
McEnroe: You'realwaysthinking
what'stheotherguythinking?
'Cause you wanna get
in his head
and sort of blow it all up.
Get him doubting himself
then you're trying
to find a way in
to find his weaknesses
and he's trying to find
that same thing with you and...
you're probing
and you're looking for an edge.
And you sort of do that
in life also.
I mean, I think tennis...
it's a pretty true
microcosm of life,
ultimately,
ifyoucanhandleit.
Patty: People think
they know him
andtheydon'tknowhim.
Onetime,hismom
handedmeapieceofpaper
anditwasJohn'sreportcard
fromfirstorsecondgrade.
"Johnistoohardonhimself."
Johnwasn'tsatisfied
withhisAminus...
andshesaid,"Look...
thisishowhe'salwaysbeen."
McEnroe: If you believe
in things happening
for a reason...
I was meant to play tennis.
When I first started to play
at my local club,
which was a block
from my house,
Ididn'twanttobe
atennisplayer.
Itdidn'tseemtobethatcool
untilallofasudden
there was a big,
abrupt change.
(upbeatmusicplaying)
(man) Tennis is the country's
fastest growing sport,
indoorsorout,nightorday,
Americanshaveadoptedtennis
asanationalpastime.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: It seemed like
a phenomenal time.
This thing is exploding
and we got these characters.
My name is Vitas Gerulaitis.
Thatwasagoddamnfoot
overthefuckingline!
McEnroe: Personality...
(man) Ille Nastase,
the least loved
tennis player in the world.
Thefactisthat
you'reavulgarman...
(man) Jimmy Connors,
the King of tennis.
(man) Typical arrogant,
petulant...
(man) When a player masturbates
a racquet on the court,
that'snotsitting
inachurchonSunday.
(man) Bjorn Borg
has the electric appeal
ofamodernrockstar.
(engine revving)
McEnroe: These are borderline idols.
Ithoughtitwasawesome.
(screams)
What do you want
with these guys?
Imean,youfuckingguys
aregrabbingtheshit
outofpeople.
(man) Why is this behavior
allowed to go on?
It'sbecausetennis
hasbecomebigbusiness.
- (crowd cheering)
- Dan: And that's it.
Sweden'snationalhero,
BjornBorg,
has won Wimbledon
attheageof20years
and27days.
(camera shutter clicking)
McEnroe: Bjorn Borg...
Ithoughthewasamazing.
Justtheauraofhim.
The way he played,
the way he looked,
the way he acted.
Oh, yeah.
McEnroe: He was like a Viking God.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: When I saw
these girls screaming
outsidethelockerroom...
Itwasliketheclosestthing
I'deverseento
when The Beatles
came to the States.
ItwaslikeBorg-mania.
And I'm thinking, in tennis?
This guy is the coolest guy
in the world to me.
Oh, my God!
I wanna be a tennis player.
IthoughtDouglaston
wasterrible.
Itgotwaybetter,waybetter,
afterIwenttoWimbledon.
Thatchangedmylife.
One of the biggest
and more pleasant surprises
ofthefirstweekofWimbledon
hasbeentheperformance
of 18-year-old John McEnroe
from New York City.
John, how does it feel
being in the quarter finals
at Wimbledon?
Well, I wasn't even thinking
about winning any rounds here.
Iwasjust--Iplayed
thequalifyinginRoehampton
andI,uh--Ijustwashoping
togetintothetournament
anddothebestIcan.
And now I'm in the quarters,
Idon'tknowwhattothink
atthispoint.
(applause)
Billie Jean: Greatness comes in potential
andthatisGodgiven.
In'77,
MaryCarilloatWimbledon
ranuptomeandshesays,
"I want you to come and see
this guy, John McEnroe.
Whatdoyouthink?
Whatdoyouthink?"
Ilookedathisbody
andIthought,
"God,hedoesn'thave
alotofmuscle.
Buthistiming
andhisvarietyofshots,
whoa!"
(commentator) Oh, my word!
(cheersandapplause)
Billie Jean: Who is this kid?
- (man)Fault!
- Oh,no!Oh,comeon!
McEnroe: My patience was
very thin
especially when I was
younger.
You're quite sure?
- Seven all.
- Oh!
Theballwassofarin.
- You see it in?
- (umpire) Mister McEnroe...
McEnroe: The culture shock
was the way everyone acted.
Theyweresoproper.
(commentator) Whetherhehasaright
to make such a fuss
is debatable.
McEnroe: It was like
an alien country to me.
- Yeah!
- (commentator) He's done it!
(reporter) England's
Wimbledon tennis tournament
hasanupsethero
initshundredthyear.
He's18-year-old,
JohnMcEnroeofNewYork
whobecame
Wimbledon'sfirstplayer
tocomethrough
thequalifyingcompetition
toreach
theMen'sSemifinals.
(rock music playing)
McEnroe: I'm in the semis
and all of a sudden
I'mwithGerulaitis,Borg,
andConnors.
I'm like, "What?
Areyoukiddingme,I'mgonna
bearoundtheseguys?
Howdidthishappen?"
(cheersandapplause)
McEnroe: I was petrified
when I played Connors.
Mylegswereshaking.
"No, sir, like Mr. Connors,
nice to meet you."
Andhejust
blewmeoffcompletely.
Why is this guy
such an asshole?
Hewon'tevenacknowledge
myexistence.
Treatingme
likeabsoluteshit.
He probably saw
thatIwasgonnabe
anobstacleforhim.
But he's one of the greatest
competitors ever.
(applause)
McEnroe: No question.
(commentator) Game, set,
match to Connors.
McEnroe: Theeffortthathegave,
the intensity...
I wanna try to get to that.
(man) Mr. McEnroe, you started
your son playing tennis.
Didyouexpectit
toendupthisway?
Patrick: Well, we joined
this little club
just a few minutes
from where we live at home.
I beat John consistently
from eight until he was ten.
- And that was the end of it?
- That was the end of it.
Patrick: My dad and John
were very similar...
in a lot of ways.
Very intense,
very driven.
Bothofthemlashout.
He was ambitious, you know,
he came from nothing, um,
so he was incredibly smart
and graduated from college
and from law school early.
We weren't poor, obviously,
but we weren't, you know,
living in a mansion
and taking trips in the summer.
Wecameheretotheclub
andplayedtennis.
There'snodoubt
thatJohnbeingthefirst
gotdisciplinedthemost.
Mymomusedtolove
totellthestorythat
whenmydadcamehome
fromLawSchoolandsaid,
"Look,Kay.Ifinishedsecond.
Whofinishedfirst?"
Johnhadalittlebitofthat.
Thatsingulardrive
ispartlywhatmadeJohngreat
and also part of what--
you know, maybe got in the way.
McEnroe: If you liked
being around perfectionists,
this was the perfect family
to be around.
(chuckles)
When I was 12
and my dad was--
I felt like sort
all over me about, you know,
"Youcanbethebest
inthe12andunders!"
I'm like, "Dad, listen.
Let's take it easy."
"You gotta be number one
in your class, in your grades.
Whatever it is
we want you to excel at it."
(upbeatmusicplaying)
(crowd cheering)
Phil: When you get
a colorful personality
andagreatplayer,
itchangeseverything.
(camerashutterclicks)
Phil: When you talk
to one of the officials
and he says, "Stay away
from that hot head McEnroe."
(spectator) Say what
are you gonna do about it?
Aren'tyoutheumpire?
Phil: We understood
those outbursts
andwedidn'tthink
theywerebad.
You ask this guy!
That ball was a foot out man!
Phil: We said keep it up.
(announcer)
FromnearbyDouglaston,
NewYork,JohnMcEnroe.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: It was incredible
to go around the world
andmakemoneyandmeetgirls.
AndIwasworking
mywayuptherankings.
(BBC commentator) Six singles
and fourteen doubles titles
wonhim
anastonishing$803,000
injusttwelvemonths.
(interviewer)
Whatwasitliketosee
yourfirstborngooutthere?
He'sstillakid,
ateenagerafterall
andtheysayhere's
fortheUnitedStates,
John McEnroe.
What happens?
McEnroe Sr.: There's something
special about this,
to us at least.
It's the Davis Cup
and representing United States.
McEnroe: I know
my parents supported me,
butatthesametime,
nomatterwhatyoudo,
you gotta do more.
That'stheharshthing.
(cheersandapplause)
Mark: He was opinionated
and my father was opinionated
so there was some
high decibel conversations.
My father was also
extremely smart
andthoughthekneweverything
abouteverything.
And John certainly thought he
knew everything about everything.
Congratulations. Good.
- How did it go?
- Nice going.
- McEnroe: Thanks for coming.
- McEnroe Sr.: Yeah.
- Nicegoing!
- Mrs.McEnroe:Oh,boy.
I hope the other ones
goes as well.
McEnroe: He was certainly
a character.
- Yeah.
- Mrs. McEnroe: That's right.
And we're hoping. Enjoy...
McEnroe: And then at the stage
that I turned pro
became my manager.
McEnroeSr.:Well,
that'sright,Sunday.
Well, what'll I do?
Like, will I move it
to two out of three?
He had my back! (chuckles)
I mean, he was charging me
by the hour!
- This is Stacey...
- Oh, Stacey, how are you?
Hello, how are you?
And you?
It took 24 hours
to do her hair do--
she's on the Today Show or...
Stacey: It took me
an hour to do this.
(interviewer) You're handling
his business affairs,
I understand.
McEnroe Sr.: Well, so far.
And I expect to remain that
but, uh, talking
to the other agents
whotellme
thatit'samistake
that I'm trying
to do it myself.
(interviewer) Uh-huh.
(reporter) It was the King
against the kid.
McEnroefacedtheman
many consider the
World Champion of his game,
Jimmy Connors.
Mark: I always thought Connors
had a pretty big mouth
for a little guy.
Butthefirsttime
Johneverbeathim,
he just quit.
Hehadawayof
playingtothecrowd
thatalotofpeople
don'tappreciate
howfullofithewas.
McEnroe: He's not even
gonna give me the satisfaction
oflettingmewinthismatch?
Yeah,everybody,
getdowninfront,shit.
McEnroe: This son of a bitch
is gonna do this?
(all moan)
McEnroe: I did learn from him.
(cheersandapplause)
McEnroe: You gotta be
a bit of a prick out there.
Patty: There is no one else
on this planet like John.
Heisastrangebird.
He is slightly,
might be on the spectrum.
There's something in there.
Helikeshisroutine,
he'ssupergoodinmath,
veryheightenedsenses.
Hedoesn'tnoticesomethings
that I would think
would be obvious to notice.
But he has an incredible eye
for art.
Iwouldthinkthat
he'snotthatvisual,
buthe'sveryvisual.
Billie Jean: What makes a person great,
whatever they do,
iswhentheirhead,
heartandguts
aretotallyintegrated
andinthemoment.
John'sanaturaltalent.
He's so intense,
and he's a perfectionist.
In his head,
it's never good enough
and I feel exactly
the same way!
It's never good enough!
He's different.
Iwannagetinhishead.
Howhethinks.
Youhavetotake
whatyourhardwiringis
and use it.
John is hyper,
he's antsy,
hewasbornwiththatDNA
that'sgottheextra.
McEnroe: My style of play
worked with my personality.
Putpressureonguys.
See if they fold.
Maneuver the ball
not bludgeon it.
Finesseit
andslingshotitback.
(man) He can take
the most powerful shot
andtakethestingoutofit,
likeashockabsorber.
Billie Jean: He would always
try to go forward.
That's what great
net players do.
We'realwayslooking
forthelight.
(man) What set John apart
was his hand/eye coordination.
Hisabilitytojust
hittheballsoearly
and with very little swing.
McEnroe: I used to play
a lot of chess
when I was young
anditmakesyouthink
strategically.
I see the court,
there's a hundred
different squares
andeachtimeImove
laysoutpercentages.
That'sgonnagivemea90%
chanceofwinningthispoint.
It'slikeacomputer
goingthroughyourhead.
Click and boom!
(upbeatmusicplaying)
McEnroe: It's like a math equation.
I was good in math.
BillieJean: Thephysicalityofit,
thataddstothetension,
thataddstothestress,
puttingoutsomuchinamatch
bringsoutthebestinyou...
(commentator) Oh,
I say what a rally!
BillieJean: ...andtheworstinyou.
Pressure'sprivilege...
andchampionsadapt.
Patty: New York was a crazy
rough place...
but it was alive.
Therewerepainters
andartists
and music
and coffee houses.
I loved the grit.
I miss the grit.
(crowd cheering)
Patty: And you couldn't not
be aware of John McEnroe.
Theyalwaysshowaclip
onthenewsofhim
likethrowinghisracquet,
oryellingorsomething
so you'd see it
in the newsstand
andyoueitherlovedhim
orhatedhim.
McEnroe: New York,
it's where I'm from.
McEnroe: Butit'salsowhoIam.
(commentator) Wimbledon
is a tired old lady
givingyouhightea
andawell-manicuredlawn.
TheAmericanChampionship
isDollyParton
givingyouahotdogandsoda
outbytheplayground.
They'redifferent
andtheyshouldbe.
(crowd cheering)
Jimbo: The fans are crazy.
(umpire)
I'm telling you right now,
youplay,orit'sagame.
Youhave30seconds.
Jimbo: People were drunk and
throwing stuff on the court
andtheumpirecouldn't
makeitthroughthematch.
(umpire)
You're not talking to him,
you'resupposed
tobeplayingtennis.
Jimbo: It was just a zoo.
(crowd booing)
McEnroe: Everyone's screaming
and yelling.
Mydadsaid,
"Forgetabouttheumpires.
Youknow,
you'rebetterthanthem."
Game,set,match,McEnroe!
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: But he'd say like,
"Don't worry
about these people!
You're better than them!"
Sotome,
thatwastotallynormal.
I was ready.
- Yeah!
- (crowd cheering)
McEnroe: It was time
to win the US Open.
(reporter) September the 9th,
the concluding day
of the US Open.
JohnMcEnroe
andVitasGerulaitis
duelintheopeningset.
McEnroe: I was playing Vitas.
TwokidsfromQueens
playingintheFinals.
Thisisincredible!
(man) Even though Vitas was
an idol of his,
John didn't care.
Hewasgonnatakehimout
andhedid.
- Yeah!
- (commentator) That's it!
(commentator) Game.
Set to McEnroe!
McEnroe: Growing up,
Igottasomedaywin
theUSOpen.
And then somehow that happens.
(cheersandapplause)
McEnroe: Afterwards he said to me,
"What are you doing later?"
AndIknewthat
whateverhewasdoing
wasalotbetterthan
whatIwasgonnabedoing.
Let'sgooutandparty!
(upbeatmusicplaying)
(woman)
John wanted to be like Vitas.
He was peppy, he was social.
EverybodylovedVitas.
McEnroe: They rolled out
the red carpet for him
wherever he went.
Studio 54, there'd be lines
of hundreds of people.
He'djustwalkrightin.
Hewasfouryearsolder
thanme.
Had the long hair.
Charismatic.Girlslovedhim.
Wasagreatplayer.
(interviewer) How can you play
the kind of tennis you play
anddoallthehighliving
nightlifetheyclaimyoudo?
Well, it wouldn't be easy.
McEnroe: I'm this boring,
shy, straight kid.
Slowlybutsurelybeingthrust
intothisotherworld
thatwas,like,beyondbelief.
Everythingabout
whathewasrepresenting,
you'd be crazy
not to want to be like him.
AbigreasonIstarted
toplayguitarwashim.
ThereasonIgotintoart
andcollecting
wasbecauseofhim.
Well, then, who does he become
best friends with?
(upbeatmusicplaying)
McEnroe: Bjorn Borg.
(singer) Letting all those
Things go
Three-time champ meets
the four-time champ.
How you doing?
Good to see you.
Borg: I don't like
to be that exclusive.
ButIdon'tliketogoout
tobuyboatsorcars.
I'mnotthatkindofguy.
Billie Jean: Borg is a really
private person.
He'sveryshyandhelikes
thingscalmaroundhim.
Buthewasnotcalm.
Hehadfireinthebelly
asmuchasanybody.
(commentator)That'sit!
(man) Even though
he is only 23 years old,
he has won four consecutive
Wimbledon tournaments.
Hehaswon
somanymajortournaments
allovertheworld.
Many people saying
that Bjorn Borg
maybethegreatest
tennisplayerever.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: Off the court,
weweremoresimilar
thanpeoplerealize.
Butonthecourt,
weweretotalopposites.
(commentator) Oh, Borg is out.
That's as much emotion
as you'll ever see from Borg.
McEnroe: It's unheard
of to see a person
say absolutely nothing zero
on the court.
(commentator) Oh, you gotta
respect a guy like that.
How in God's name
is he doing that?
(indistinct chatter)
McEnroe: He was unstoppable.
IfIwantedtobethebest
intheworld,
IgottabeatBjornBorg.
(reporter) With Wimbledon
starting on Monday,
Britishtennisfans
willagainhavethechance
to see the player
they love to hate.
John McEnroe earned himself
the title of "SuperBrat"
in previous visits
to this country.
(man) I don't like him myself
as it goes,
uh, 'cause just he's American.
He doesn't represent, uh,
America.
He is a disgrace to everyone.
(interviewer) Are you worried
at all about the reputation
you'vegainedoverhere?
Peoplearewriting
moreaboutyourbehavior
than your tennis
perhaps sometimes.
Well, you're
certainly asking me
more about my behavior
than my tennis.
- But, uh--
- (interviewer) Do you think
it is justified
over this weekend?
Do I think it's justified?
(interviewer) The criticism.
No, I don't.
(indistinct chatter)
McEnroe: I felt like
I was being myself.
Ididn'twannabebooed.
I wanted everyone
to clap for me.
(applause)
McEnroe: All right, just
keep yourself under control.
Just go play.
And then boom,
everythingwouldgo
outthewindow.
(grunts)
Don't do that.
Do not do that.
Whatareyou,
astupidfuckingmoron?
What... I aced him.
(umpire) No, no, no.
The call came before
theballwasplayed.
Heneverevencalledit.
(umpire) Well, no.
- Yes, he called--
- No, he never said anything.
(umpire) Play a let, please.
McEnroe:CouldIhave
thereferee,please?
(umpire) No, no. Play on.
Can I have the referee?
I'd like to have the referee.
I was crazed...
(suspenseful music playing)
McEnroe: Nervous energy
flying all over the place.
Intensity, anger.
(umpire)Mr.McEnroe,
you are getting
a public warning.
Now please, play on.
McEnroe: Mentally,
I became really good
atbeingableto
compartmentalizetoadegree.
Ifyouwatchotherplayers
inmostsports,
iftheygoofftherails,
it'sverydifficult
topullitbackin.
- How was that?
- (umpire) Game to McEnroe.
McEnroe: That was one
of the things
thatIdidbetter
thanalmostanyoneelse.
Fleming: I'm 99% certain
that John
hadnoideawhen
anoutburstwascoming.
Connors: Keep your mouth
shut out here.
McEnroe: Referee, please.
Fleming: But maybe
it had been a part of him
forsolong,thatheknew
howtodealwithit.
(commentator) Yeah!
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: Myfatherhasgivenme
someofmytemperso
he'stoblametosomeextent.
(interviewer) So now that's
your reflection of your dad?
McEnroe: There's no way
you can avoid it.
(interviewer)
What have you done to cope
with John's temper on court?
(laughs) Oh, everything
you can possibly think of.
EssentiallyJohnisJohnand,
uh,tennispersonalities
arejustliketherestofus.
Theyrunagreat,widegamut.
Johnhappenstobe
ononesideofthecoin...
and a fellow like
Bjorn Borg is on the other.
McEnroe: Finally got
to where I think
I should be and I'm playing
the guy I wanna play.
Like an idol.
You'reabouttowalkout
onthegreatestcourt
in tennis history.
(tensemusicplaying)
Here I come.
(crowd cheering)
(commentator) Amidst
those cheers, some boos.
McEnroenotthe
mostpopularofplayers.
McEnroe: The difference
was pretty much everything.
Hewasmorelaidback.
Hewouldcounterattack.
Withme,I'mcomingin.
You know,
hell or high water, I'm coming.
All in.
First point.
I started great.
(commentator) That's it.
That's the first set.
(crowd cheering)
(commentator) We really do have
the classic confrontation here.
The best server in the world
against the best returner.
(crowd cheering)
(commentator) The best volleyer
in the world
against the best
passing shots.
And the most volatile player
in the world
againstthecalmest.
(commentator) Yes!
Second set to Borg.
(commentator) He's terribly
intimidating to play
becauseheshows
noemotionwhatsoever.
(commentator) That winner
gives Borg the set of 6-3
andalead
oftwosetstoone.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: I just was furious at myself.
You can't go out like this.
(umpire) Quiet, please.
McEnroe: That fear
of failure is in everybody.
- Come on!
- (BBC commentator) Yes!
(US commentator) John McEnroe has
snatched
theChampionshipaway
fromBorg.
Just like that!
(crowd cheering)
(umpire) Quiet, please.
Thetiebreaknow
comesintooperation.
(BBCcommentator) NoFinalhas
everended
on a tie break,
but it might now.
(US commentator) This is the
lingering death tiebreaker.
First to seven.
McEnroe serves
the first point.
(McEnroe grunts)
(US commentator) Oh, shot McEnroe!
May have pulled the shoulder
out of the socket
stretchingforthatone!
John Patrick McEnroe Junior!
(BBC commentator) And
that pass gives him set point.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: You're getting
bludgeoned emotionally.
(BBCcommentator) Nineall,thentenall.
John is close to tears,
his father can hardly look.
Thecalmestmanintheplace.
McEnroe: I gotta figure
out a way to win this thing.
(crowd cheering)
(BBCcommentator) Whatguts
thisyoungster
has from New York.
Neitheronewillrelent.
Aseventhsetpoint.
(crowd cheering)
(tensemusicplaying)
(BBCcommentator) Theregoes...
thismatch
isdeadeven,
inlingeringdeath!
Therewill
beafifthsettocome!
McEnroe: I was on
such unbelievable high.
Andhehadtobeonthislull.
Thisguy'sgonnafold.
I got him.
(BBC commentator) Yes!
McEnroe: Within a couple of games.
Oh, no, I don't have him.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: He acted
like nothing happened.
ThesegreatChampions
hadthisothergear
that I was unaware
even existed.
(BBC commentator) Two more
championship points.
McEnroe: He showed
willingness to suffer
andbeabletoget
throughthattypeofpain.
(cheersandapplause)
McEnroe: Itwasaharshlesson.
Whatareyouwillingtodo
inordertowinit?
(dramaticmusicplaying)
(kettle whistles)
(birds chirping)
Borg: The Champion should
handle the pressure very well.
The Champion should be able
to be strong mentally.
You'rebyyourselfoutthere.
Tennisisaverylonelysport.
It's always been and
it's always gonna be.
You have to like that. I mean,
when you walk on that court
it's only you.
And,uh,
ifyoudon'tlikethat,
you're never
gonna be successful.
I loved it.
John loved it.
And we connected.
After the match,
he became a different person
inthemedia'seyes.
I mean, they respected John
so much more
from that particular moment.
He deserved that.
Number one is number one.
(chuckles)
Simple as that.
Tobethebestplayer
intheworld.
That'swhattennisplayer
wantstodo.
That'syourgoalsinlife.
McEnroe: He took me under his wing.
Itevolvedinto
arealfriendshipaswell
asagreatrivalry.
Bjorn inspired me
to get better,
workharder,digdeeper,
there'snoway
Icanbreakthisguydown.
Igottaoutplaytheguy.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
Billie Jean: Tennis is an art.
We are artists.
We're performers.
That is our stage, like
an actor going to a theater.
(US commentator) You're looking down
onthesoldoutstadiumcourt
onthisthefinaldayofplay
ofthe1980UnitedStates
OpenChampionship.
McEnroe: Okay,
this is what you've just been
claimingyou'regonna
learnfrom.
Andhere'syourchance.
(crowd cheering)
Billie Jean: The artist
wants to connect with people.
(grunting)
You lazy bum!
Billie Jean: I wanna connect
with you as a performer,
as a competitor.
(crowd cheers)
(US commentator) First set then goes
to McEnroe.
Billie Jean: As an artist,
we shape time.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
Billie Jean: Also a real true
artist makes others feel.
(UScommentator) McEnroehas
brokenserve
andheleadstwosetstolove.
Billie Jean: He grabs
the hearts of people,
he just does.
You might not even like him.
Buthemakesyoufeel.
(crowd cheers)
(umpire) Game and third set,
Borg 7-6.
Billie Jean: To have Borg
as a counterpoint...
not only does
it elevate tennis,
theybothgotbetter.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
(umpire) Game and fourth set
Borg 7-5.
(crowd cheering)
Newcombe: I'd hate to go
against Borg at this stage.
Hehasn'tlostafive
settersince1974.
McEnroe: I'm actually finally
playing the way
I want to play.
(crowd cheers)
McEnroe: This isn't normal.
Thisisextraordinary.
Borg: I felt connection.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
Wasaspecialfeeling.
(US commentator) Fantastic play
by John McEnroe!
McEnroe: It doesn't have to be
that you have win everything...
(US commentator) Double match point.
McEnroe:... to be part
of something that's magical.
(crowd cheers)
McEnroe: That's what you dream about.
(interviewer) How much
did you win in the US Open?
Whatwastheprizemoney?
McEnroe: About $46,000.
(interviewer) Did that give
you enough to go out and buy
- that expensive--
- (chuckles)
Thisiseightdollars!
I got a sale on it
so I figured I'd dress up
for the Today Show.
(interviewer) We're really
appreciative of that.
Wealsowanttotellyou
theguycomingonright
after you, is Bjorn Borg.
Do you have anything you want
to say to him this morning?
Well, I'd first like
to say thanks
for letting me win and second
I'd like to say thanks
soIdon'thavetogo
toAustralia
and I'd third like to say...
(chuckles)
McEnroe Sr.: People have been
telling us for years
thatJohnwas
amarveloustalent.
I don't know
that we ever really conjured
that it would be
anything like it is.
McEnroe: He was always there,
believing I could do it.
HewasintheAirForce.
Heworkedacoupleofjobs
andhewent
toLawSchoolatnight.
Hewassomeone,
youknow,likedtohave
acoupleofdrinks,
butthegoodnews
wasthat
whenhestarteddrinking
he was not the angry drunk.
Hewasahappyone.
Which was great
because then there's more
affection
because there wasn't like
an overwhelming
amount of affection.
It wasn't like I was
constantly being hugged
and told how wonderful
a person I was.
McEnroe Sr.: We were raising
what we thought
ofasasolidcitizen.
From early on
in John's career,
itwasdifferentthan
justplainfatherandson.
Itwaslegaladvisor
andclient.
McEnroe: He was
a great agent for me.
ButIfeltlikethere
wassomethingmissing.
I'mnotveryempathetic.
That'smybiggestflaw.
I'mgonnablameit
onpeoplewhenIgrewup.
They said that you
have to keep that intensity,
youhavetobelike
neverletinforasecond.
Andyou'vejustgot
tostompontheirhead.
(man) Hey, John!
McEnroe: And you
can't enjoy the moment.
And I hated that.
(applause)
McEnroe: A lot of times
when I was in the midst
of some meltdown,
it felt like I was thinking
afunnythingatfirst.
Excuse me?
(umpire)
Thatwasagoodbut...
You can't be serious, man.
You cannot be serious!
That ball was on the line!
Chalk flew up!
It was clearly in!
How can you possibly
call that out?
Howmanyyougonnamiss?
And I'd end up
saying the asshole thing.
You guys are the absolute pits
of the world, do you know that?
Whichwasreallystupid.
(umpire)
I'm going to award a point
against you, Mr. McEnroe.
(crowd cheers)
McEnroe: You just made
the whole thing blow up.
Andtheycanforget
aboutlastyear.
We're not going to have a point
taken away because this guy
isanincompetentfool,
doyouknowthat?
That's what he is.
That's what he is, right?
I'mbacktosquareone.
(umpire) Game,
set and match to McEnroe.
(interviewer)
Who's the player that you least
like umpiring?
McEnroe.
Fleming: He didn't get along
with the British mentality,
theestablishment,ifyou
willandhewentberserk.
McEnroe:Oh,no!No!
Hynde: In the UK, there's
an unpleasant obsession
with class.
Thatcher:Wherethere
isdiscord,
maywebringharmony.
Hynde: He appealed to people
because he was a badass
andpeoplelikedtosee
somethingkickoff.
Borg: He was going
through a tough time.
Themediawasafterhim.
(reporter) The Solicitor
General for Scotland
wasreportedtohave
calledMcEnroe'sbehavior
selfish, arrogant, vulgar,
self-interested, and cheap.
ThosewereMcEnroe's
goodpoints.
(reporter)
TheWimbledonpressgot
intoafracasintoquestions
overMcEnroe'spersonallife.
Don't point
your finger at me, mister.
McEnroe: Iwaschangingtennis.
Thissport'snotgonna
betheupperclasssport,man.
Uselessfuckingumpires
inthisplace!
(crowd booing)
IfIeverwin
thisfuckingtournament
I am never coming back.
What did I say, umpire? Tell me.
Please tell me. Please tell me!
(reporter) McEnroe is two
victories away from a possible
replayoflastyear's
WimbledonfinalagainstBorg.
(reporter) The management of
Wimbledon fine McEnroe $1,500
and threaten him
with suspension
fromthetournament.
(woman)Hey,McEnroe.
McEnroe: The way
that they're putting me
throughthewringer,
youfeellike
you'reapieceofmeat.
(reporter) If you believe
what you read
inthemoreenthusiastic
Britishdailies,
JohnMcEnroe
isthemainthreattodecency
on this island.
McEnroe: The only way
that it could get better
was if I won.
(umpire) Game set and match
to McEnroe.
(interviewer) You've used words
like, "incompetent fool,
lousylinejudges,"
doyoustickwiththat?
The ones that were
on the court today?
- (interviewer) Hmm.
- Yeah.
(interviewer) You stay with it?
(scoffs) What do you want me
to do, retract my statement?
(phone ringing)
McEnroe Sr.: John created
a lot of controversy.
Itwastroublingtous,
but the idea
that you could raise someone
andmakethem
intoaJohnMcEnroe
is just nonsense.
Thathastobethere.
Billie Jean: If you want
to be number one,
youhavetowinWimbledon,
it'sverysimple.
Ifyousay,okay,
youcanonlywinonemajor...
that's the one.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: It is the
ultimate for a tennis player.
Istillhadtoprove
Icanwinit.
AndthenIcanreallytell
themtofuckthemselves.
Bud: John McEnroe
always thinks he can win.
Niceguysdon'twin
inthisgame.
It'sasportforkillers.
Thisiskillorbekilled.
(umpire) Game to McEnroe.
Bud: Formillionsofdollars.
(crowd cheers)
(singer)
Welcome to the machine
(crowd cheering)
(man speaking indistinctly)
(singer)
Where have you been?
It's all right...
Bud: That's what McEnroe
is showing you.
I want it.
I'm grabbing it.
It's mine.
Try and stop me.
(crowd cheering)
(singer)
Welcome to the machine
(crowd cheering)
Bud: Is he violence personified
onthetenniscourt?
He's a genius
who worries people
becausehe'sareflection
ofthetimeswelivein.
(crowd cheers)
Bud: Harsh, violent times.
We can see in him,
what society has done to us.
Life,asintennistoday,
you'reeitherawinner,
oraloser.
(crowd cheering)
(commentator) He got it!
It's all over at 5.29!
McEnroe has taken
the King's throne!
McEnroe: This incredible
pressure I put on myself.
This burden.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
That moment was worth it.
(reporter) The glory of his
singles victory at Wimbledon
is intertwined with the fuss
over the Champions Dinner
at the end
of the Wimbledon tournament.
OneWimbledonofficial
isquotedassaying,
a place was saved
through the meal for McEnroe
who never showed.
(classical music playing)
McEnroe: Gotta admit perhaps
that I wasn't aware
of the tradition
of the dinner that night.
Youknow,Ithought
likeifactualfriends
are gonna come over
and we're gonna party, man,
and we're gonna have
a great time...
or I'm gonna sit with a bunch
of stuffed shirts
and sit there and dance
with Martina Navratilova.
I think I'm gonna vote
for the other one.
Getupnextmorning,
walkoutthedoor,
I'mlikebleary-eyed,
like,hungover.
Whoa! There's, like,
ten paparazzi or God knows
how many people outside,
I'm like, "What?"
Uh-oh. (chuckles)
This may have been
a bigger deal than I thought.
My father said I'd be happy
to say a few words.
Andtheysaid
thatifIdidn'tcome
forthewholedinner,
thattheyrespectfully
rescinded
myinvitationtocome.
Aweeklater,theycalled
myparentstotellme
thatIwasnotgonnabe
grantedmembership
at the club.
Big fucking deal.
(crowd cheering)
Hynde: You can't be a badass
and not be rock 'n roll.
Watchinghimplaytennis
musthavebeenlike
watchingarockband.
Youneverknew
whatwasgonnahappen.
Santana: We wanna play the
rock 'n roll national anthem
dedicatedtoChuckBerry
whowroteit,
thisis"JohnnyBGoode"
toJohnMcEnroe.
(rock music playing)
Hynde: He would always
come over to see me in London
becauseIalwayshadpot
andhewasapothead.
And I'd say, "Hey,
what are you doing in town?"
andhe'dsay,
"Uh,it'salittlething
called Wimbledon,
you might have heard of it."
McEnroe: I was having
the time of my life.
Idon'trememberalot
abouttheevenings
thatIspentwithVitas.
Youjustspenttimeinaroom
withKeithRichards
and Ronnie Wood.
Youwanttohaveahit
onajoint?
Sure!
Meatloaf: I'm tellin' you,
man, that was unbelievable.
Howmanytennisplayers
outtherebeenlike,
step out on court
with John McEnroe
andVitasGerulaitis?
Richards: I was backstage
with John somewhere.
I threw out the idea to him
that if you're used
to working crowds,
you seem to have
something in common,
eventhoughyou'redoing
actuallysomething
totally different
for that crowd.
You're giving
and also receiving
onadifferentlevel.
Exchangeofenergy.
I'll tell you again, McEnroe!
(laughter)
Richards: JohnknowswhatImean.
Hecansenseacrowd.
Andalsohediditwithflair.
Whodoesn'tmindyelling
atanumpire,man?
It's like, you know, yeah.
(rock music playing)
(MTV interviewer) Tennis stars
on the set. Yes.
Vitas Gerulaitis
and John McEnroe,
we'regonnabetalkingwith
themafterthisshortbreak.
McEnroe: These days,
athletes are doing
performance enhancing drugs.
Weweredoing
performancedetractingdrugs.
That's to me the difference.
(MTVinterviewer) Youbothplay
guitar,right?
Uh, yeah, that's right.
- Yeah he plays solid rhythm.
- Solid rhythm.
Does it make sense? No.
If you're trying to be the
best player that ever lived,
Imean,puttingsmoke
inyourmouths
- probably not the best thing.
- (man) Okay.
(man) Rolling tape...
(chuckles)
Hi,I'mJohnMcEnroe.
You're watching MTV.
Music television.
Thechannel
I'vebeenwaitingfor.
Criticizemeifyouwant
fordoingthat
and saying he fucked up
but don't sit there
and go, hey,
he did cocaine or marijuana
therefore he won, bullshit!
More energy?
Hi!
I'm John McEnroe!
(man) Here we go.
Stay quiet please, folks!
McEnroe: You know,
it's hardly like, yeah, man,
if you smoke some marijuana,
it's good for you.
Butmaybeit'sgood
soyoucouldappreciate
yourlifealittlemore
foraperiodoftime.
(man) Right,
that was real nice, one more.
One more?
I, you know, I'll try it.
I mean, I'd rather just do
the other, you know,
leave it with the other one.
(man)Oh,
wecandoanotherone,
you want to do another one?
Well, I don't really want
to do another one either.
Ithinkthefirstone
looksgood.
so I don't see any reason
to do another one.
(man) There is none.
That's fine.
(man)That'sit.Okay.
Thankyou.That'sit.
(narrator) In all of sport,
there is no greater pressure
on an athlete than that
on the number one competitor
inanindividualsport.
In men's tennis,
the last decade,
thatpressurehasbeenfocused
onBjornBorg.
Borg: The cost is enormous.
(man)Youdon'tworkout
asatennisplayer,
you know, you could become
a male model, huh?
Borg: Everybody wants
a piece of you,
you have to live with that.
Sometimesyoujustwant
tolockyourselfinaroom
and don't go out.
(reporter) With all
his past accomplishments
and domination,
there is one crown
that has eluded Bjorn Borg.
TheUnitedStatesOpen.
Hisdesireforthattitle
bordersonobsession.
Borg: I'm in the Final again.
Playing John.
Goingintothatmatch,
Ihavedeaththreats.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
Borg: It'saterriblefeeling.
That'sallofthefame.
Everybody'safteryou.
I felt...
- I'm done.
- (crowd cheering)
(commentator) The prospect
of another match
between the two top players
on the world
generatesexcitement
unmatchedintennis.
(crowd cheering)
(commentator) Got it.
Borg: Then I miss an easy point.
I'msteaminginside.
(crowd cheers)
Borg: But I don't want
to show that.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
(commentator) Oh, what a shot!
Borg: I've been playing
for so many years.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
Borg: I had enough of this game.
(umpire)
Game, set and match McEnroe!
(crowd cheering)
(official) Runner-up Bjorn Borg
is truly a great champion,
wearesorry
heisunabletobehere
toreceive
hisrunnerupawardbut--
(crowd booing)
McEnroe: You can't express
the feelings you have
whensomeone
whoyou'refriendswith
andisyourgreatestrival
hasjustwalkedout
ofthestadium.
That'sthelastmajor
heeverplayed.
It was an absolute
fucking tragedy.
(male reporter)
Bjorn Borg announced today
that at age 26,
he is retiring from tennis.
(femalereporter)
BjornBorghasplayed...
(male reporter) Bjorn Borg
is expected to announce
thathehasquit
becausehecannolongergive
his sport 100%.
(male reporter) Well, he just
doesn't want to face McEnroe
andthekid'scomingup.
(male reporter) The five-time
Wimbledon champion
nolongerhas
thefightingspirit.
Borg: I knew deep inside that...
thiswasmylastmatch.
Ileftthecourt
andwentthroughthekitchen.
Went to the car.
I was relieved.
I could have many more years
in tennis
but for myself, I felt, uh,
Ifeltrelief,
Ifeltcalm,Ifelt...
Ididsomethinggood.
McEnroe: Uh, I was like, what,
bytheway,
whatareyougonnado?
Exceptsitonyourass?
I'd say to him,
whythehelldidyouquit
whenyouwere25?
Evenifthereis
alotofshitgoingon?
"Someday you'll understand,"
he'd say.
Borg: John said,
you have to continue.
ThenIsaidtoJohn,
maybeoneday
youwillunderstand.
Tennis is not
everything in life.
(interviewer) I mean,
you've got all of this drive
andthisenergy
thatispartofyou,
where do you put that now?
BillieJean: Johnbrokehisspirit.
Johnwaslookingforward
toplaying
alotofmatchesagainstBorg.
What a letdown at the Open
to see the guy
gowheee,rightout,
that'sit.
McEnroe: When you're working
your way to the top,
it'seasierandmorefun
thanwhenyougetthere
and you're looking
over your shoulder
andtryingtostaythere.
Itfeltsortofempty.
(reporter) If you've never seen
John McEnroe in person
playagameoftennis,
doyourselfafavor.
Giveyourselfatreat.
Heisreallysomething
outthere.
(crowd cheering)
(reporter) John McEnroe
took the wheel
ofarunawaysteamroller
that is flattening
all opposition at Wimbledon.
I felt like
I could beat anybody.
- (crowd cheering)
- (reporter) All right.
Bothhandsintheair,
JohnMcEnroe.
1983Wimbledonchampion.
(man) He's the best player
in the world,
andthebestplayer
intheworldhasburdens
which no other player has.
(interviewer) Every week
I pick up the paper
you're in Tokyo
and then you're in Australia
andthenyou'reinFrance
andyou'reinItaly
andyou'replayingDavisCup.
Itisunbelievable
theamountoftravel.
Yeah, I've been on a plane
for 30 hours,
I figured, you know,
at least you guys
wouldleavemealone
atthispoint.
I just don't think
it was a very happy existence.
McEnroe Sr.: He's not out on the court
havingagoodtime,
he'soutonthecourt
playing to win.
- (BBC commentator) That's it!
- (crowd cheering)
McEnroe: I had the best year
in the history of tennis
themen'sside,in1984.
(interviewer)
Yes,youarenumberone!
Idon'tthinkanybody
candisputethat.
McEnroe: I was number one
in the world for four years.
I'mthegreatestplayer
that'severplayed.
Why does it not feel
that amazing?
Ayearwouldgoby,
whenyoucomingback?
I wanted him back.
I didn't even care if I went
to number two in the world.
I'dratherhavehimback.
Pressure helped me succeed,
but made things
tortuous at times.
Again, you've made
a clear mistake
on break point, for God sakes.
Is that not a big enough point
for you to screw up?
How much bigger a point
can you screw it up with?
Answer my question.
The question, jerk!
Well, that's two
different questions.
(laughter)
(dramaticmusicplaying)
McEnroe: People could see
that I was melting down
and losing it.
You're pathetic,
do you know that?
ButIdo.Makesmesick!
I'm like a ghost.
(siren blaring)
Fleming: In '84 he was invincible.
Hehadn'tlostamatch
thewholeyear.
Hebeateverybodylikeadrum.
HewinsParisthatyear,
people are starting
to talk about him
as the greatest of all time.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
Fleming: In the first 12 days
of the French...
rainy,cloudy.Justcold.
Until the Final.
Thedaybefore,Isaid,
allrightI'mcoming,
I'mcoming,um,let's--
we'regonna--I'mcoming
fortheparty,youknow?
Show up in Paris,
anhourortwo
beforethematchstarts,
90 degrees.
(car honking)
(indistinct chatter)
Fleming: It went from
arctic to jungle
in half a day.
Notacloudinthesky.
Hot.Hot.
(crowd cheering)
McEnroe: I don't like
to look back very much.
Thatjusttearsyouup.
(UScommentator) Gameandset
toMcEnroe.
He'suptwosets6-3,6-2.
McEnroe: Any time
I have a nightmare...
(indistinct chatter)
McEnroe: ...it's right back
to that match.
(indistinct chatter)
(grunts)
I'm hypersensitive
to everything.
(buzzing)
(indistinct radio chatter)
McEnroe: Especially on a tennis court.
(slurps)
(camera clicks)
(man) Hey...
(commentator) Lendl has
fought back to win
the last two sets 6-4, 7-5.
McEnroe: I've been around
the game long enough,
I can watch
and I can see other players
thathavetwoopponents.
Themselves
and whoever they're playing.
- Areyouafraidofhim?
- (umpire)No.
So,don'tdoeverything
inhisfavor,okay?
(dramaticmusicplaying)
(grunts)
(indistinct radio chatter)
Shutup!
- (grunts)
- (crowd cheers)
McEnroe: I get up.
I look back.
I see myself.
I have nothing.
(crowd cheers)
(dramaticmusicplaying)
McEnroe: It felt like I was doomed.
(crickets chirping)
McEnroe: My anxiety,
it hurt me.
There's something
clearly wrong.
I gotta get away.
(reporter)
TennisstarJohnMcEnroe
and the actress Tatum O'Neal
have finally made
theirlovematchofficial.
Theymarried
ataprivateceremony
in New York State last night
justnineweeks
afterthebirthoftheirson.
(indistinct chatter)
McEnroe: I didn't want
to turn into a person
thathadtojustspend
therestoftheirlife
like,winningatanycost.
I thought
this was absolutely perfect.
Youknow,someonethatgotit.
Thatunderstoodwhat
itwasliketogothrough
thismicroscopeinaway
atayoungage.
(thunder rumbling)
(dramaticmusicplaying)
Kevin: He had taken
that sabbatical from tennis.
Eventhehighestsuccess
wasn'treallyproviding
thekindofhappiness
thathewashopingfor.
Emily: She was used
to being in the spotlight.
Kevin being on the cover
of People
and it was like them two
and their new son
and, I think that--
That's crazy
to think of right now.
Isn't that wild?
Theyweresuperstarstogether.
(inaudible)
Kevin: He found true love.
Itwasboth
beautifulandpainful.
Tatum: It's a boy,
we know it's a boy. Sean.
Kevin: My mom was 23
or four with two kids.
Thatmusthavebeenalot.
McEnroe: We were kids.
Ithoughtwewereadults.
Yourjob,andobligation,
andabsolutelywhatIwanted,
was to be there for them
and to make them feel loved.
Ithought
Icouldhandleitall,
wasallgonnabebeautiful
andIwasgonnabenumberone
intheworldagain.
Fleming: His life had
been so compartmentalized,
he had everything
in the right order
andtherightpercentages.
My mouth hurts.
(crowd applause)
Fleming: And suddenly,
he has this relationship
thatenvelopedeverything.
McEnroe:Areweokay--
areweokayhere?
Fleming: Itwaslikeatsunami.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
McEnroe: The two of us
together seemingly
wasalotmoreinteresting
thanIrealized
thatweweregonnabe.
Thatledtowaymoreattention
onmypersonallife
than my tennis.
Hynde: The tabloids are rough.
Aretheygonnastand
outsideyourflat?
Yeah.
Yeah,that'sthedeal.
ButJohngotallirritated
andtheyjustthriveonthat.
(reporter) The reporter found
himself forced backwards
overasofaclaiming
he'dbeengrabbed
by the throat
resulting in a torn collar.
He went there with the
intention of starting something
soIyouknowmovedhim
tothesideandthen
suddenlyit'snow,
I'veassaultedtheguy.
He'sphysicallybeatup.
I'm gonna go take
a shit in there,
doyouwanna
takeapictureofthat?
Oh, no, no.
(reporter) McEnroe spat
at a photographer,
whopromptlyspatback.
McEnroe: It went from bad to worse.
Havingtocutadeal
withpaparazzi
sothatthere'snot
asmanyaround.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
(commentator) This would be
the earliest exit
forJohnMcEnroeever
intheUSOpen.
(interviewer)
How do you assess
ayearandahalf
onthecomebacktrail?
McEnroe: That it has been
a dismal failure.
A bad nightmare.
(reporter) Moaning John McEnroe
was blasted
outofWimbledonyesterday
andblamedeverybody
buthimself.
McEnroe: What have I done?
Ididn'tbringTatumwithme.
WhatdidIdotodeserve
whatIgotthisyear?
(man) You didn't even laugh
at that, John.
Kevin: As their
relationship became rockier,
hehadmoretroubles
onthecourt.
Billie: That Tatum period
was really rough.
He went through
some tough times.
I think he went
through drugs.
McEnroe: Cocaine,
let'sjustsay
thatitdidn'thelp.
I have myself
to blame for that,
I'm not gonna sit here
and blame her for that.
(reporter) A man
with a London accent
ranganewspaperwarning,
"Don'tletJohnMcEnroe
gooncourttoday
or he will be assassinated."
McEnroe: I can't get away from it.
(interviewer)
How's the press going too far
forJohnMcEnroe...
(reporter)
This morning's report were...
(indistinct chatter)
McEnroe: The plan was to get better.
Do you think for one second
I wanted to get worse?
Neverbethesameplayer?
It's safe to say that
wasn't a very good feeling.
(umpire) Code violation,
unsportsmanlike conduct,
warning,Mr.McEnroe.
I can't believe this!
ItwasabsurdwhatIdid
tosabotagemyself.
From the 37 psychologists
and psychiatrists I've seen,
through court orders
and my own free will,
never been able to figure
that one out.
Oh, obviously your parents
did something.
No.
That's not--I can't blame
them for, uh--
if you think
that's why I, like,
some lunatic on the court,
that's not the case.
I choked, how's that?
That's probably the top one.
That'sthebottomline.
Maybe I showed some human
frailty that people show
when times where you're like,
how did that guy melt down?
Kevin: One time he told me
about his anger.
It's a lot easier
to get angry
than it is to cry.
AndyWarholhadpainted
apaintingofthetwoofthem.
They were fighting
and so I drew a moustache
on the Andy Warhol painting!
- No!
- That's true, yeah.
And I remember
the uproar and me
like putting all my stuff
in a little backpack
and being like
I'm out of here.
I'm five years old,
I'm gonna hit it.
I'll catch you guys
down the road.
McEnroe: There's times
we could communicate,
butit'softentimes
whereascan'teventalk.
I don't think infidelity helps.
Ibelievethatwasbothofus.
Tome,that'slike
thebeginningoftheend.
Ortheendoftheend.
Couldn't you see anything?
That cost me the damn set,
because of that!
The set was over!
(bleep) you!
(bleep)
(bleep)
It'squiteembarrassing.
Youknow,
it'ssomethingthat,uh,
I hope I don't have to see
too many more times.
Emily: Seeing that growing up
was very confusing.
Asakid,itwasstrange
tofeellike
maybe you could be
celebrated for being angry
and then realizing
no, you can't.
Domeafavor,
shovethatmic(bleep)
(interviewer) When your sons
Sean and Kevin grow up
and see these scenes, what
are you going to tell them?
McEnroe: That's something that, uh,
I've thought about quite often.
Ihaven'tcomeupwith,
youknow,
exactlywhat
Iwilltalkaboutbut...
ifthey'reliketheirfather,
they'lllearn
fromtheirmistakes.
Can you say that?
Canyousayhello
GrandpaandGrandma?
(interviewer) Is it tough
to have your family
so involved in your career?
Sometimesdoyouwish
youjusthadafather?
(dramaticmusicplaying)
McEnroe: He put a great deal
of pressure and perfectionism
upon himself.
Andheexpected
thesameinreturn.
Andinhismindatleast,
hewasn'tgettingit.
Everytimewetalked,
itwastennis,tennis,tennis.
And I became a father
and I thought
wouldn't it be nice
if I had like
more of a father-son
relationship
with my father.
IcangetanyTom,Dick
orHarrytobemymanager.
Hey, listen, you know, I'd--
I'm gonna try these
other couple of people.
BecauseIwannahave
abetterrelationship
withyouoffthecourt.
Hedidn'tsayanything,
helookedatme
like he was
in a state of shock.
Like, what?
It's actually the opposite
of what you think, Dad,
it's actually because
I love you,
not because I don't love you.
Hedidn'ttakethattoowell.
Hetookthatterrible.
It was like
I stabbed him in the back.
Hedidn'twanttoretire.
Helosthisidentity.
And it affected my mom
and I was upset about that.
Iresentedthat
andmakesyouwonder
about knowing
when to let it go.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
McEnroe: I hadn't won a major
in seven years.
Seemed like I was
so close so often,
that'swhyIkept
goingbackformore.
Ijustcouldn'tgetitright.
You have to develop an edge
to be great at something.
Gooutonanisland
byyourself.
(applause)
McEnroe: Do whatever
it takes to win.
Youalwayshearthat.
You have to do whatever
it takes to win at any cost.
Isitallworthit...
in the end?
(screams)
(dramaticmusicplaying)
Kevin: Him and my mother
were divorced
whenIwassixyearsold.
Andthereweretimes
inthatprocess,along,
sort of ugly divorce,
that, you know, you don't...
necessarily have your bearings
and I felt like
there were times
that maybe he was frustrated
that I sided with her.
Mymother
wasn'twellatthetime.
Shehadsomeaddictionissues
soIfeltlikeIsortof
understoodthatandIjust
wantedtoprotecther
andthenwewouldfight
aboutthat.
The worst thing
I ever said to him
is one time he said,
"At least I'm consistent,"
he was talking about my mom
and he said,
"At least I'm consistent."
I said,
"Consistently an asshole."
AndIrememberhisface
beingreallybrokenaboutit.
And I have a lot of regret
and shame around saying that.
I don't think
he'll ever regret
thetimebecauseofus...
and I think one of the saddest
things for me is,
in terms of real true love,
mymomreallynevermet
anyoneelse.
John McEnroe?
HelikeJohnMcEnroe?
My papa John.
Time has allowed for healing
and understanding
that my parents
are human beings,
I can understand...
what he went
through as well.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
McEnroe: My kids saw me cry.
Ididn'trealizethat
Iwassooutofit
thatIwasallowingmyself
tobeseen.
Itookforgranted
theycouldjustdealwithit.
IwishIwasmore,uh...
had a better feeling
of what they were feeling.
Tosithereanddwell
ontennismatches,
itdoesn'tfeellike...
asbigadeal,youknow,
asfeeling,like,
"God,Ifuckedup,
youknow,withmykids,"
that's the worst feeling.
(phone ringing)
McEnroe: I was up
at a charity event
in the Bay area.
Someone came into
the locker room
rightbeforeIwent
onthecourt.
TheysaidthatVitaswasdead.
(reporter) He was one
of the best and most popular
tennis players of his time.
(reporter)
Forty-year-old Gerulaitis died
fromcarbonmonoxidepoisoning
attheweekend.
McEnroe: I just went totally numb.
(man) Can we get some room?
McEnroe: I was heading
towards this potential...
cliff of some kind that...
hopefully I would have
figured out
before I'd have done
anything stupid.
Itfeltlikeahuge
turningpointinmylife.
Dick Clark: One of the finest
female vocalist in all of rock,
ladies and gentlemen
Scandal with Patty Smyth.
(applause)
Patty: I don't want to tame
Your animal style
You won't be caged
When they call the wild
Shootin' at the walls
Of heartache
Bang, bang
I am the warrior
Well
I am the warrior
And heart to heart
You'll win
If you survive
The warrior
Patty: I met John
on Christmas Day.
He was only like
a year separated.
I was newly out of a pretty
rough relationship
andIwasn'tinterested.
ButIwouldtrytofigureout
whyishesofamiliartome?
I felt I knew him.
I could see him.
McEnroe: I was in a pretty lost state.
Shehappenstobesomeone
who's extremely good with
people that are struggling.
Thattakesaspecial
typeofperson.
ThenightVitaspassedaway...
IcalledPattyuplate.
(phone ringing)
McEnroe: Listen,canIcomeover?
Patty: John was driving,
he asked if he could come over
andIwas,like,it'slate...
andthenhetoldme
aboutVitas.
Hedidn'tsay,
"Idon'twannabealone,"
he said...
(both) I have a feeling
about you and me.
McEnroe: What Patty allowed me
to do was be myself.
IcouldbewhoIwantedtobe.
It's nice to be able
to feel, like,
you're a team, like,
you don't have
that much in tennis.
Patty:It'syourPops.
That'syourpopsicle.
Iwasraisedbyasinglemom.
My father died
when I was a kid.
Ihadnoblueprint.
Hewaslike
"Weareinthistogether
andit'syouandme.
We're first."
McEnroe: It's good
to get second chances.
Youdon'talwaysgetthem.
Andthistime,
it'sallornothing.
Love to me?
Love is um, hmm...
Patty: Love?
Well,there'ssomany
kindsoflove.
Love is showing up.
Love is showing up
and you do...
you do what needs
to be done.
Youknow,totakeon
histhreekids,
I'm not sure that
a lot of people
wouldhavedonethat.
Itwaschallenging,
I thought I could just
mom them, you know,
into everything
being okay.
Didn't quite work.
I don't know
you just jump in the water
and you start swimming.
We're in Hawaii,
and I'm gonna marry your dad
inaweekandaday.
What do you think?
McEnroe: You're not
a bastard any more, Anna.
Patty: John in a way
is very straight
and very consistently there
and present.
Igrewupinacompletely
bohemianway.
Normaltome
wasthebravenewworld.
Likethisislike,wow!
You know like people do this?
You know, they like
do shit together
and they go to Parent/Teacher
conference together
and their-- you know,
like, it was all new.
(all)
Happy birthday to you!
McEnroe: Patty certainly caught me
atatimewhenIwaslost.
And it's not like
I'm perfect now,
it'snotlike
Idon'tfuckupnow,um,
and it's not like
I couldn't have been
abetterdad
oranynumberofthings.
But,atthesametime,
Ifeellikeallinall
I think... I sort of veered
into a much more of a direction
that allowed me to be me
and be comfortable with myself
inmyownskinmore
andappreciatelike...
somepeoplestillknow
whoyouareand...
they say nice things
and it's okay to feel good
about that.
You know, took me a while
to let that sink in
and enjoy that
soI'mhopingsomeone's
gonnasaytomeyouknow
somethingyou're
areallygoodguitarplayer.
(laughs)
Kevin: If everyone in the room
is happy and smiling
that's what brings him joy.
That may have been
whether he liked it or not,
something he always wanted.
This quest for, like,
this moment where you know
he could look around
and be like,
"ThisiswhereIwanttobe."
(laughter)
- (woman)Oh,myGod.
- (woman)Casualrough.
(woman) That looks so good.
- I'm--
- McEnroe: Where's the damn
thousand island?
(laughter)
I couldn't tell!
Really gave you the turn, yeah.
- Yeah, me, too.
- You wanna split it
as I end up doing often?
Youalwaysworryif
you'retoomuchlikeyourdad.
Ornotenoughlikehim.
Whoa!Justslowdown.
I can jump.
McEnroe: I wanna be more
affectionate than my father.
Forwhateverreason,
hewasn'tcapableofthat.
But he was a good man at heart,
I know that
and he did a lot
of good things for me
so I try to just focus on that.
(woman) Okay.
You didn't say John senior,
did you?
(man) Do what?
You didn't say John senior,
did you?
(man)Aren'tyounot?
I'msorry,sir.
Did you--
did you say John senior?
- (man) Yes.
- No, I'm not senior,
- he's junior.
- (man) Oh,
Ithoughtthat'swhat
yousaidI'msorry.
- That's all right.
- (man) I'm sorry.
McEnroe: Lifecaughtuptohim.
It's just painful
to watch that.
Hey, your dad's
in the hospital.
You're just, what happened?
Oh, no, he just fell.
Neveroncesaid,
"Look,Ihaveaproblem.
I drink too much."
You know, wow, big surprise.
Go to rehab.
Yougottagetittogether.
I thought if there's one person
in the world
that he'd listen to it'd be me.
But it proved to be incorrect.
Patty: He kept going up
to see his father.
Hewasjustinthisbed.
McEnroe: He was at a hospice.
Hewasjusthanginginthere.
And I was sort of wishing
like he would say like
you know something,
I fucked up man near the end...
Idon'tknowhejust...
Idon'tknowifhegaveup.
Idon'tknowwhathappened.
Thisismydadattheend
sortofself-destructing.
Thisgreatmanhad
hadsomuchsuccess.
I walked out of there
and I was like
man, oh, man,
I can't believe this,
thisguyisjust
nevergonnachange.
I was like,
"You're not gonna do this, man.
You got to pull it together,
you know,
andjustwhenyouthink
he'sgonnamakeit,
he didn't make it.
Patty: I didn't know
that he kept going there.
Hekeptgivinghisfather
thechance.
Johnreallywantedhim
tosayI'msorry.
Andhisfather
didn'tsayanything.
Well, I felt bad for my mom
because she had sort of been
throughthis
torturechamberinaway
and, uh, she had watched him
lose his identity
andsemidisintegrate.
And the next thing you know,
she's got stage four
stomach cancer.
I think the whole thing just
it took so much out of her.
Whichmadememad
youknowthenIwasmad
at my dad for a while so I...
that bothered me for--I mean
it bothers me in a way but,
because I think she could have
had ten more years
and then she had five months.
Buttheyweretogether
for59yearsandyouknow
50ofthemweregreat.
The last 10 wasn't so good.
There, well, that's pretty
good percentage.
That'saboutmywinning
percentageofmycareer.
Eightythreepercent.
Certainthings
wereneverresolved.
Butthatdoesn'tmean
hedidn'tloveme.
The oldest get it the toughest
as far as curfews, you know.
I'd look around
and he would be in the den.
I'd think I'd be in the clear
and then he'd be sitting
halfway up the stairs
waiting for me.
McEnroe:Orsometimes
inthelivingroom.
You're very proud of us,
right?
Of course, I'm proud.
That goes without saying.
Maybe it doesn't but listen,
I mean that's part of the deal,
you're responsible
for something,
you have to be
not quite as selfish,
whichisagoodthingforme
becauseIwasgettingrather
selfishinmyyoungdays,
maybegetting
alittlebittoo,whoa,
too big for my breeches so,
I thought it would be
an unbelievable--
itturnedouttobeagreat
thingformepersonally,
that I was able to become
and hopefully will remain
afatherformanyyears,
uh,fortherestofmylife.
Yeah, let's hope so yeah,
let's hope you don't outlive
every single one of us!
- Yeah!
- (laughter)
Patty: My daughters
are saying their friends like,
"Doesyourdad
yellallthetime?"
Thatwassolongago.
But that's still
how they see him.
I'll tell you what though,
when he yells,
it'sfuckingscary!(laughs)
Whenhefirstyelledatme,
Ilike,oh,shit!
Like, "I'm out of here, dude"
and he's like what?
Because he's over it.
He just goes like, whaa!
And then he's like, fine
and I'm like,
soittookaminute
togetusedtothat.
Beingaperfectionist
isn'tagoodthing.
Because it's never
being satisfied.
ThatFirstGradereportcard,
hewasbeatinghimselfup
already.
He was six.
IwishinawaythatIhad
beenabletobewithhim
fromthebeginning.
McEnroe: This is so right!
I feel...
Patty: This is the thing
that I've been thinking about
because I wanted
to write a song about this.
Imarriedabadboy...
whoturnedout
tobeareallygoodman.
How about that?
(laughs)
Borg: John is one
of the greats in tennis.
Hecoulddoanything
withthattennisball.
Hehadalotofpressure
frompeoplearoundhim.
And he wanted to be perfect.
Sometimes we talk about it,
me and John.
Wetalkalot
aboutfamilies,kids,
nottoomuchabouttennis.
It's more important
for us to be happy in life.
Patty: He's got a very soft
part of him.
I don't know
if people see it that much.
But it's there, it's strong.
- (McEnroe shouts)
- (audience applause)
Kevin: I'm not sure he knows
how much what he used to say
I hold dear.
Being somebody
you can count on.
That is something
that I like really cherish.
It'sunfortunate
thatittookmesolong.
I'm sorry I didn't listen more,
when I was younger.
I didn't understand.
And just thank you for trying.
You know.
- Ican'tfollowthat.
- Kevin:No.
McEnroe: It's tricky
to maneuver this word "love".
As you get older,
it's opened me up
tobeingmoreeasilysay
thosetypesofthings.
I think I'm open for pretty
much anything at this point.
But I wanna be open for just
going off in the sunset, too,
ifitturnsoutthatway
andjustlivinglife.
(dramaticmusicplaying)
McEnroe: I'm not at peace.
I don't think
I'd wanna be at total peace.
Idon'tevenknow
whatthatfeelslike.
Does that exist?
(upbeatmusicplaying)
(audience cheering)
["PublicImage"
byPublicImageplaying]
(singer) You never listen to
A word that I said
You only seen me
For the clothes that I wear
Or did the interest go
So much deeper
It must have been
The color of my hair
The Public Image
What you wanted was
Never made clear
Behind the image was
Ignorance and fear
You hide behind
This public machine
You still follow
Same old scheme
JohnMcEnroe'simpact
ontennishasbeenincredible.
Without a doubt
one of the most charismatic
playersinthehistory
ofoursport
and one of the best players.
(singer)
Two sides to every story
Somebody had to stop me
I'm not the same
As when I began
I will not be treated
As property
Djokovic: He's someone
that I was looking up to,
whenIwasyounger,
Ilovethathe'sstill
intennis.
Formerworldnumberone
insinglesanddoubles
andincrediblecommentator
thatheis.
And you're generous,
you have a beautiful heart.
Andasacompetitor,
you'reabadboy!
(singer)
Two sides to every story
Somebody had to stop me
I'm not the same
As when I began
It's not a game
Of monopoly
Public Image
The Public Image
You got what you wanted
The Public Image
Belongs to me
My entrance
My own creation
My grand finale
My goodbye
Public Image
Public Image
Goodbye
(rock music playing)