By Sydney Sadick
He hit tennis balls against a wall as a toddler. Now, he’s shaping where the sport is heading. Former player and current broadcaster Patrick McEnroe opens up about career pivots, American tennis, brotherly bonds, and the rhythm of life, in and out of the spotlight.
You’ve had such a multifaceted career—as a player, broadcaster, and now Hall of Fame president. What continues to fuel your passion for tennis?
I absolutely love tennis. I’ve loved it since I started hitting balls against the wall at the Douglaston Club at 3 years old. I played tennis before I could ride a two-wheeler. In fact, I used to ride my tricycle to the club and back. My brothers and I loved sports. We played them all, including competitive soccer, basketball, and baseball. But tennis was the top for me. I enjoyed the singular nature of it…that it was all on you, and I still love it to this day. I don’t play quite as much, but I still often go hit against the wall—for me, it’s also therapeutic. Time alone, to think, relax, and still do something pretty well.
How has your approach to commentary evolved now that you’re not only analyzing players, but also shaping the future of the sport through the Hall of Fame?
Commentary is an absolute passion for me. I’m so lucky to have been employed for so many years; it jazzes me. Most people who play tennis want to hear something that can help their game. So I always try to bring that to the match I’m commentating on. I also just have fun talking about tennis. And I attempt to bring that every day; it’s just a game—albeit an awesome one.
Do you see reflections of your younger self in today’s rising tennis stars, and what advice do you wish you could give that 25-year-old version of you?
As far as today’s players, I wish I could have played like them! I definitely would have trained smarter not harder, because I trained hard. But I didn’t know what I was doing (for example, I ran long distances to get in shape—wrong! And I lifted heavy weights—wrong!) I look back and realize how uneducated I was about proper training for a sport like tennis. I had pretty good natural tennis skills (hand-eye coordination), but I was not super quick (great players now have to have both at a super high level).
What do you enjoy most about the US Open, and what does a typical day at the Open look like for you?
The US Open is my home tournament and certainly pretty nuts! I absolutely love the crowds, New York energy, and night matches. My days are long, though sometimes now I’ll get to come in midday as I’m usually working on our ESPN prime-time coverage until late at night. The good news is I’m usually done so late that it only takes me about 19 minutes to drive home!
What’s your take on how American tennis is positioned heading into this year’s Open. Do you feel a new wave is coming?
American tennis is in phenomenal shape on the Women’s side with five players in the top 11, including Coco Gauff, French Open champion this year; Madison Keys, Australian Open champion; and Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova. The men are knocking on the door of winning. Frits and Shelton especially are right there, both solidly in the top 10, with Paul and Tiafoe right behind them. And they are all great athletes, fun to watch, and popular with fans.
Where do you enjoy playing tennis in the Hamptons?
I always play at Sportime Amagansett (our East home of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy), which I oversee. It’s an amazing tennis club.
How do you balance the intensity of competition with the responsibility of preserving tennis’s legacy?
I’m proud to be associated with the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Integrity is part of the fabric of tennis—period. It always has been, and always will be. I take that seriously and personally.
How is your brother John doing? Do you still play together?
John is doing incredible. He’s 66 now and going as strong as ever. We have so much fun working together at the academy and on TV. It’s been so cool for me to work with him on air since he came over to ESPN, too. And he still often comes to our academy in NYC and plays with the kids—and is as feisty as ever!
