It can’t be easy being an intense person. Respect.

He's remembered for his outbursts, but he's one of the most gifted players of all time, a tennis genius. I've always liked a lot his strong personality (he's a quite charismatic person outside the court) and his intelligence.

Incredible interview - just perfection - flawless - John gives everything of himself. Speaks to anyone that's ever had to "Find their way back." John's story a lot more gripping than I'd ever realized.

Johnny Mac was my hero when I played as a teen. His serve and volley game was so beautiful and fun to watch compared to the grinding baseline tennis that Borg and Villas were playing at the time. What's interesting about this interview is how thoughtful, candid, and articulate John is, which explains his long second career as a tennis commentator.

The Great John McEnroe has provided millions with memories of his total mastery of tennis and brilliance in shot making. God bless John M. for all the good he has done in his life.

Such a brilliant player, super-smart, articulate, disarmingly candid. Love McEnroe!

Simply the best Mr. McEnroe. Never the same without you. Thank you so much for the years they were great days.

I love john, a tennis genius, top comedian and a bright as they come.....so many memories of his games.

So nice to be able to see all of these insights and POV's. It helps me much more to see what so many personalities are going through and have been through than to watch somebody else trying to tell me how to run my life.

Its really interesting to see the players reflect on their careers. Back when he was playing, we had no clue what was going on off the court. It goes to show that these guys are human too. I would imagine being a pro in golf & tennis has to be tremendously hard mentally. You're traveling by yourself, ups and downs and communication is alot better now, but back then it must have been tough.

I love John McEnroe because he is not fake, he's real

He still holds his own on the senior circuit. Best commentator out there. No need to worry about Johnny Mac

I like him too! Not only he is a good player now, he is a real commentator with knowledge of the game and genuine suggestions for the underdog. He is a legend himself but acknowledges others giants day in day out. Unique voice too!

I was a huge mcenroe fan in the late 80s when he was trying to come back. Even though he didn't come back to his best he was still by far the biggest draw and the most compelling, charismatic figure in tennis in the late 80s

Thank you so much for making this video, John and whoever else, that narrator or person who interviewed you, etc.!!!! As an old fan of yours and an old tennis player also, I really enjoyed this, learning about what you went through some! I didn’t know about this at all! Thank you for your honesty, John! And I love your brother Patrick! I love you too, since you have been announcing for all the different tennis matches! Keep on keeping on! Endure to the end! I think you are a great announcer!

Always loved McEnroe. Graham, I've been interviewing people fr 40+ years. You have a gift, and it was fully on display in this interview. There folks rust you. Well Done!

What an excellent interviewer! Asks pertinent questions with the minimum of input to allow his guest to express himself without getting in the way. So rare nowadays.

Not only an amazing talent but his total honesty on and off the court is unique.You always knew exactly what he was feeling on the court.

John was such a passionate player, they called him the bad boy of tennis, but he wasn’t, he fought his corner for being right

John, I had the terror and honor of talking with you on the phone when you were calling the pro at the club where I worked in Athens, Ga. It was the biggest moment of my life to the point because I grew up in a tennis family. You did in fact bring the game to a totally different level personally and solely by yourself. You did that by yourself. I know it wasn’t confidence. It was artistry with the confidence that follows knowing deeply that you are so different from everything and everyone else that came before you. For that, not just the snarkiness on the phone that day in 1987, but for your pure artistry and the fearless style You personally (plus your Dad) brought to tennis; a phenomenon that had never been seen before with the Lavers, the Rosewalls, the Connors’ and even the Borgs. You did something that genera changers do in my industry only once in a Miles Davis. Yes you have to be an actor so that nobody knows that this artistry comes easy but is hard to sustain. You have my respect since I first saw you play while you were still at Stanford until this very day. I just bet you are a great musician too. Love to you and yours.

A truly brilliant tennis player , articulate and honest as a person 👏

Nicely said , Mr. McEnroe. I loved watching you play in your prime. My family and friends drove from Vancouver , B.C. to Portland in Sept. of '84 for your Davis Cup matches against Australia. You were unbelievable in your match against Pat Cash ; you were so incredibly dominant..... a real pleasure to see live the passion you showed in playing Davis Cup !

Reads a quote from Mac describing his feelings (bottom dropping out), and then asks Mac to describe the feeling.THAT'S WHAT THE QUOTE JUST DID!

As a player I found him to be arrogant and extremely rude and insulting however, watching this video shows his vulnerable and human side. I never really thought what happens to a player when his glory days are gone and to loose his wife and shatter the dream of giving her time and support so she could do her own thing and grow must have been a bitter blow. I think I have more of an insight into who he is and I wish him a happy and fulfilling future.🙂

Thanks John for all the great tennis. I patterned your serve, and as a fellow leftie, it drove my opponents mad. Up the line on the deuce court, and kicking out on the ad court and then following it to the net for an easy put away. Just like you, John. Thanks.

He comes across well these days. Honest, open and passionate about his life.

Really interesting review with a tennis legend. McEnroe's candor is always refreshing. Would have been nice to have a beer and talk tennis with this guy!

Every year Wimbledon comes around - summer arrives in the Uk-such as it is ! Have listened to Johns commentary for decades . Same age as him. When he stops coming- life will never be the same again ! Thank You John for your hard work and expertise on Tennis here in Uk.

I watched him play when I was a kid and loved him for his outbursts and big personality. As an adult, I can relate to so much of what he says.

I wasn’t a fan back in the day, but great to see his honesty, credit were it’s due! 😊

I consider it an honor and a privilege to be able to consider John as one of my closest friends. He’s extremely hard to get to know, but when you do and he finally considers you a friend, he’s incredibly open and honest. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do to help or advise on what path to take. I feel like I can ring him at any hour of the night and his response will be positive and tentative. We both live incredibly busy lives but we always know we have each other’s backs, though I must admit I’ve never actually met him in person nor truly communicated with him on any level.

I just subscribed. I appreciate your well-thought questions and the respect you show those people you're interviewing. It is about them.

Mac and Laver! Two of the best of all time! Very honest interview.

McEnroe is many things … talented , vocal , uncouth , abrasive , competitive , classless …but NEVER dull . He speaks from the heart and although I don’t idolize or want my children to emulate him , he gets my respect . Tennis was and is richer because of John McEnroe .

McEnroe was the most ultra-competitive sportsperson of his time. Also, such an extraordinarily honest man.

Always been my favourite player, he was so exciting to watch, because he was a great player, and I loved him at the net.

My two favorite athletes growing up were Sugar Ray Leonard and John McEnroe. Everything seemed important to him. Everything mattered. I never felt cheated when he played.

John was always very candid about himself, his vision and his limitations. When he said he was the greatest player out there, it was true. When things slipped he was honest about that too.

Most talented player I ever saw - 1984 was unbelievable !

Love McEnroe. We all owe him and Jimmy Connors for making tennis bigtime.

I got to watch McEnroe from his first matches on tour through his senior match’s on 35 + tour. His ability to volley was amazing. Probably the best hands in tennis. I always studied his tactics with shot selection, placement, pace, point strategy etc. He played like a chess player always setting up his next move. I learned a lot especially seeing him playing live when I would sit behind the baseline. He was a master tactician.

If you have never been in that dark place you have no idea what Johns talking about. If you have, John makes perfect sense.

Yeah, John's been in therapy ... very insightful and self-reflective ... good to see. In his time, he was the best, but times change. His marriage to Tatum and those years also brought him a lot of notoriety. Seems like things have settled out for him ... good for him. All that, and he can rock out on the guitar.

John, I love you! It doesn't matter that this video is three years old, I just like your honesty, your openness and of course your tennis talent! Blessings always!

He was one of the most entertaining athletes of all time

One of sport's great and unforgettable characters. And one of the true great tennis champions. I loved watching him play. He hated losing like any true champuon does.

Great athlete, great entertainer and brutally honest. Always loved McEnroe

He was a tennis genius. If you never saw him play, you missed an icon of the game.

I absolutely love John. As straight and honest as they come. Loved watching his gutsiness & determination to win. Amazing player & miss not seeing him play.

Still one of my all time favorite tennis players......so exciting to watch him!

His ball striking was simply sublime and his tennis brain will never be seen ever again !

John McEnroe is a legend - his touch at the net; the way he could manoeuvre around the court and the way he played was just wonderful 🤩

was always fun to watch him play

I use to love to dislike him. GUESS WHAT I must concede he OPENED MY EYES IN HOW HE EXPLAINS THE GAME TENNIS AND MAKES TENNIS EASY TO WATCH AND LISTEN TO HIM IS PURE HUMBLING. WHEN HE IS TALKING ABOUT TENNIS HE MAKES IT MORE ATTRACTIVE. THANK YOU JP.

Always enjoyed watching John play, I'm glad he is calling matches. Does a great job.

For me 1984 he was the best of the best. I think he was so unique and had his own style. Thanks Mac for all the great matches. H.O.F. player and person.

Mac used to come into the bar I worked in-up the coast from his home with Tatum. He liked Margarites and told me one day, "This is the best Margarites I've ever had." I quit the next day. It doesn't get better than that!!

McEnroe's touch at the net was genius.

We love John. When he is calling a tennis match he is the best to listen too. Fantastic person.

I've always respected the McEnroe is very introspective and honest about his career, his ego, etc.

Best doubles player ever no question. And mighty singles player

MAC was and still is an idol to me. good to hear him speak here, saying things that make so much sense

HAVING LOOKED HARD AT HIS RECORD....I WAS SUPER IMPRESSED BY HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS!!!

Graham Bensinger you conducted a good interview to allow John to tell his own story and allowed him to express his emotions in a good way. Way to go!

I saw Johnny Mac play for the first time back when the US 0pen was still played at Forest Hills, NY. It had a ring like Wimbledon does among the majors. He played the veteran Manuel 0rantes of Spain in the final and beat him. Of course not having seen John play before and barely having heard of him, I didn’t really expect much of him. A few minutes into the match it became pretty clear that we were watching someone special. From his odd serve style to his uncanny ground strokes and court coverage, he displayed a great amount of maturity for a young professional. It was like wait….was this guy practicing his skills in secret/private? Amazing and crisp volleys from anywhere on the court, not to mention at the net were impressive to see the least. Not one bit surprised at what he went on to accomplish. Followed him and the other greats of the era like Borg and Jimmy Connors, to mention a couple. Great stuff of tennis legends. Cheers!

Really difficult to understand the haters that have commented. I don't see it. Of course I was fortunate to have grown up during the boom years and watched him from his earliest days in the pros to the last sputtering fails... He has the courage to tell it as he saw it and experienced life. Even though he clearly was a tortured mess at the end of his domination of the sport. Thank you to John for all of the beauty you brought to the sport. There is no one that has played with as much touch and grace at the net since you... the game just isn't the same anymore.

Cold, wholesale, lucid. Three qualities I share with him. Does that mean we love less than others, no way. We love more. The tv would edit and push his cranky demeanour, but there was so much more to him than that. It’s freaky for me because I lost my marriage too and it really derailed me. Nearly 3years on and regretfully I’m still in the clouds. There are Rocky Mountains below them, and blue sky above. Where I end up is totally up to me because I hold the controls. John is one of the most interesting sports champions that has ever lived. I respect him immensely.

This is one of the very best interviews with an athlete I've ever seen. Ever. McEnroe's honesty.

As a tennis player, John was a complete genius, an artist with so much touch and feel. Not only was he a great singles player, but phenomenal at doubles as well. That’s something you don’t see in the mens game nowadays!

Good raw stuff. Thanks for sharing.

I absolutely love John.i use to b on my knees shouting at him on the telly. I loved his passion and determination..He's still a brilliant tennis commentator..

What I admire most about John McEnroe is his heart, competitive drive and his passion for his sport. So many times I see calls being made in basketball and football that are utter rubbish and back in the day we had Bobby Knight, Bo Schembechler and John McEnroe who held these officials accountable. John McEnroe appears to be a good man with a great heart. I'd love to meet him someday. He truly is an inspiration and as a U.S. citizen I thank him for his commitment to the Davis Cup.

McEnroe shows an intelligent mind here. And he is also well spoken

John was an exciting player. I liked to see him and Jimmy Connors go at it!

The young guy doing the interviews is absolutely great at his job Thankyou for your episodes From Australia

It's interesting to see him speaking at length and being reflective and self-aware, something we didn't see when he was on the tennis court.

Definitely the most exciting player of all times ...

What a great interview. Wow.

Since I watched that fenomenal Lauda interview I became a fan. You have a special way of making people open up and show their inner truth.

he touched on a component of competitiveness that has intrigued me for decades, since I have experienced the phenomena as well. the come-back so to speak. once you've been in a top level position, and experienced some form of a setback (injury, mental issue, etc) the desire to return is stressful as we attempt to regain that lofted position. what most competitors fail to acknowledge is that they aren't the same person who they used to be. taking a step back, and analyzing their current position, then plotting a "new" course as a new person, with a new strategy, having abandoned their past success is the key to any level of a return to success. a fairly difficult, yet not insurmountable path. this is easiest to see when you study some of the past golfers who after years of dominance, go through a "lag" where they seem incapable to achieve their past glory. then seemingly by a miracle, they return to the top, but not as they were, but as they are now......

He still has an amazing game today. Bigtime

As an ordinary person who just watches the end result of all the preparations.... it is inconceivable all the different parts of their lives that they have to simultaneously balance in order to be transcendent... never mind what is required to stay at that level. I remember watching Mac in his glorious prime. It was clear that he had taken himself right to the edge. And in retrospect, I am slightly embarrassed to admit that was thrilling to watch

watched john in his prime ,was a big fan,people confused his passion for his behavior,loved watching him play,always entertaining

Hated him as a player but love him as a commentator. Very sharp and knowing and not just tennis.

I continue to be a fan of yours, Tatum and your children. I saw you play at Stanford University. I was very sorry your marriage with Tatum didn't last. But I hope you found enduring happiness in your second marriage.

Just imagine the verbal fights between him and Tatum...two strong volatile personalities

This man is totally honest & full of passion & truth he’s a better man because he actually admits his faults & doesn’t place blame

It has been over 30 years since the epic Borg vs McEnroe matches. Great matches today are still compared to that rivalry. John displayed great talent on the court, a big personality no one will forget, and has also contributed much in the way of broadcasting tennis matches. As a fan, I thank you for all that you have done for the game.

This guy should have been an actor, not only a tennis player!

His temper back in the day was offputting but he kept it interesting. I was felt bad for the umpires he argued with. He seems very insightful now. I feel compassion for Tatum, she did not have a very secure upbringing. I wish them both the very best.

john thanks for the memories watching you play the game.the skill set and tennis IQ you are one of the finest to ever play the game continued success john

I met, and shook hands with John, when a band I was in had a gig at the same hotel where he and his family were staying. Short conversation, but I didn't want to take up too much of his time. This happened in the hotel gift shop at the register counter. Very special time for me.

McEnroe has been one of the compelling personalities in the game. Totally unique player and style. So smart on and off the court. Great commentator when he is the sidekick as opposed to the main commentator. No matter how long you live you will never see another one like him.

John talks about his life experiences in tennis and private life, with the same intensity as he was playing the game. He is a true artist in that regard, laying his body&soul on the court, as well as in this intervieuw. Thx mr. McEnroe for sharing!!

Thanks for the memories mac... your class 👏

He looks so different now. Loved watching McEnroe play and also giggled when he became very angry. He was certainly very entertaining.

Last man to ever win Wimbledon with a traditional wooden racquet. His finesse and touch was joyous to watch and I think the game was the poorer for racquet evolution favouring the power servers ( the 1994 final between Sampras and Ivanesevic was almost unwatchable with only 3 rallies more than 5 shots in the entire match)

An incredibly tough competitor, just watch the 1980 US Open between him and Borg. He was brilliant against the unbeatable Borg. McEnroe had such great style...fluid and aggressive

To win McEnroe's trust is great. And that is exactly what the interviewer Graham has done by asking the relevant questions then sitting back, allowing the interviewee ( in this case, McEnroe ) chance to reply. That, is the mark of a quality interviewer.

If a McEnroe match was on when I visited my parents, guaranteed my father would be watching him. He would call me over and say ‘watch this fella play’ he said he was a perfectionist and his outbursts were due to frustration on court. He is a vocal presenter and pundit now and slightly mellowed with age, but still fearsome. I seem to understand him even when I don’t necessarily agree with some of the comments he makes.My father is long gone, but McEnroe takes me back to my father and me laughing and bouncing in our armchairs watching him play the game, in every sense of the word.