HOTHEAD

Tennis Legend Erupts at Young Fan After Australian Open

“Go f--k yourself,” the former tennis star told the fan.

Former American tennis star John McEnroe got into a tense confrontation with a fan at Melbourne Airport while flying out of Australia following the Australian Open. A video circulating on social media shows the Tennis Hall of Famer and tennis commentator exiting his car as a young fan tries to snap a photo. When the fan offers, “Do you need a hand with any of your bags?” McEnroe, 66, fires back, “I need you to stay away from me, ok?” The fan follows him toward the airport, prompting McEnroe to snap, “Just get away, ok?” and asks, “Can we stop him?” before finally exploding: “Will you stop? Stop! Jesus Christ! Are you kidding me?” The fan persists, calling out, “I still love you, John,” only to receive a short reply: “Go f--k yourself.” The Daily Beast has contacted McEnroe’s representatives for comment regarding the incident. McEnroe’s outburst isn’t the first time his temper has made headlines in Australia. In 1990, he was disqualified from the Australian Open for misconduct—the first player to be disqualified at a Grand Slam tournament for such a reason since 1963. McEnroe received three code violations at the time: one for smashing his racket, one for intimidating a lineswoman, and one for swearing at the umpire and the tournament referee.

Play Video