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Breaking News: John McEnroe Wants To Play Serena Williams
14 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Bios
Suddenly, about a week after Dan’s feature about the potential of a John McEnroe vs Serena Williams Battle of the Sexes showdown, John McEnroe appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel Show this week and the primary discussion topic seemed to be his desire and willingness to face Serena Williams.
“I believe I can beat Serena,” declared McEnroe, who also added that there will be enormous pressure on both competitors – Serena does not want to lose to “an old fart like me” and “I wouldn’t be allowed to go inside the mens locker room for two years if I lose to her”.
The four-time US Open champion, who said he has hit with Serena on a practice court, also offered an amusing comment about boxing Serena.
It seems the long awaited natural Battle of the Sexes clash of tennis titans between John McEnroe, age 56, vs Super Champion Serena Williams, 33, is all the sudden, in the works.
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14 comments
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Scoop Malinowski · August 21, 2015 at 8:47 am
Dan I think Tennis-prose helped get this ball rolling, what do you think? I think I’m more excited and intrigued at the idea of McEnroe vs Serena than the entire NFL or MLB seasons, this would be an incredible event, hope it happens and lands at MSG
Harold · August 21, 2015 at 11:26 am
He just wants to wear his Jmac academy clothes made by Nike on TV. They are both Nike shills, can see it happening
Scoop Malinowski · August 21, 2015 at 11:56 am
It’s more than that Harold, this match would transcend the sport, everyone would be talking about it, Mac and Serena are both transcending figures and I actually believe interest in this match would be greater than the ratings and interest in the US Open mens final last year and perhaps several other major finals, Mac vs Serena at MSG would be unbelievable and historic, it’s fantastic that Mac is taking the initiative and getting the ball rolling, now we will wait to hear Serena’s response from Cincy where she will surely be asked about this.
Moskova Moskova · August 21, 2015 at 12:22 pm
there’s some bad blood between the super-brat and the female GOAT..
Scoop Malinowski · August 21, 2015 at 12:52 pm
Not that I know of Moskova2 but if there is it would make the match even more intriguing —
Moskova Moskova · August 21, 2015 at 12:58 pm
yea i recall mac commenting on serena’s fitness / diet or something and her firing back
Harold · August 21, 2015 at 3:28 pm
How bad would it look fot the WTA, if Williams win the GS, then loses to a 56 year old guy? Would have to be a blow to their tour.
Do either of them need the money? Can’t imagine. Mac got a sweet deal for his academy. Think he is paying himself a huge salary. Probably didnt put up much of his money.
Dan Markowitz · August 21, 2015 at 3:53 pm
I didn’t like that Mac–when he referenced the time Trump tried to make it happen and said it was for too little money–talked about the money when he talked about a Serena match. Come on, Mac. You’ve got to be loaded. Just play the match for the intrigue of the competition. If Mac came out–as I guess he’s sort of already doing–and said, “Hey look, I think at 56, more than three decades since I last won a slam, I can beat Serena.” She’d have to play him or it’d look bad.
But I don’t think he’s going to push it because he’s a tennis broadcaster. It’d look bad if he pressured her from his broadcasting position into taking a match with her. But I’ll tell you this as soon as I’m typing this right now. I’d rather see a Mac-Serena match than a Djoko-Murray US Open finals. I just think it could be fascinating. So much on the line.
Dan Markowitz · August 21, 2015 at 3:55 pm
Now here’s a request to Tennis-Prose.com readers. My brother, Robert Markowitz, wrote the New York Times piece that I’m going to link below. It was in yesterday’s paper. It has become the no. 2 most emailed article on the New York Times web site history. We’re trying to make it no. 1. If you can read it and make a comment about it on the online portal, I’d much appreciate it. It’s a good read, nothing about tennis, but he does talk about working as a lawyer and a clown.
Thanks
Dan
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/20/abandoning-the-work-i-hated/?rref=opinion&module=Ribbon&version=origin®ion=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Opinion&pgtype=Blogs&_r=0
Scoop Malinowski · August 21, 2015 at 4:23 pm
I can see Serena ducking McEnroe, she is the one with everything to lose, prestige, aura, if she wins she only beat up on an “old fart” — I don’t see Serena having any desire to do it, though I haven’t seen if the media asked her about it today in Cincy —
Scoop Malinowski · August 22, 2015 at 2:52 pm
Wow what a match now Djokovic just eked out the second set tiebreaker from 0-3 down, 7-5, into the third we go — I think Dolgo is more motivated for this match as his ranking has dropped to around 80 and he could really use these masters final points, Djok is maybe more focused on US Open, doesn’t really urgently need this match and a date in final with Fed or murray, why risk injury in Cincy? But well done so far by Dolgopolov who is looking like a top ten calibre player again after some knee trouble earlier in the year, Djok also had some sort of stomach muscle pain in second set which he got treatment for but that injury has disappeared since the medical attention —
Dan markowitz · August 23, 2015 at 9:36 am
I’ve really been impressed with the way Fed is playing in Cincy. FLo at the end of their match said Fed was flying around the court and it was true. Against Murray, he made the Scot look slow. BG said Fed has the greatest forehand ever on his second shot after his serve. He’s just pulling the trigger and firing winners. He’s even employed a return of serve tactic where he rushes the serve and short hops it while charging the net. It’s wonderful quick strike tennis and Fed looks so relaxed playing it. I even think Murray, the Big Complainer, stifled his usual ceaseless muttering when playing Fed the way JMac behaved better when he played Borg. I think Fed will beat Djoko today.
Bryan · August 23, 2015 at 4:08 pm
A 56 year old playing the world’s no. 1 is a charade. Put Serena in with a current men’s no. 70-80, which would give some of these Serena fans a dose of reality when she got double bageled.
Scoop Malinowski · August 23, 2015 at 7:41 pm
Mac vs Serena is a 50-50 split, it’s interesting how so many people say Mac wins easy, and then another large contingent says Serena wins easy, this has been the result of my posts on Facebook and Reddit about this proposed match —