John McEnroe was world No. 1 for four consecutive years from 1981 to 1984 and won 7 Grand Slam titles in singles, 9 in doubles and 1 in mixed doubles.

He is the only male tennis player in the world to have won over 70 titles in both men's singles (77) and men's doubles (79), and thus holds the men's tennis record in the Open Era for the number of total titles (singles and doubles) won: 162, including the mixed doubles title won at Roland Garros in 1977 and claims in the Davis Cup, which he won five times (in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1992) as a permanent member of the US team, of which he also served as a non-playing captain, after retiring from playing tennis.

Left-handed, famous for his style of play, for his hard-fought and spectacular matches against Björn Borg, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl, for his quick temper on the pitch, for his talent and personality, as well as for his results, he is considered among the greatest tennis players in history.

Defined by many as the best doubles player in tennis history, he played most of his career partnered with Peter Fleming, with whom he won 58 of his 79 doubles titles, forming one of the strongest couples of all time.

In 1999, McEnroe was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

On August 1, 1986 he married actress Tatum O'Neal, with whom he had children Kevin (1986), Sean (1987) and Emily (1991). The two separated in 1992 and divorced in 1994. In April 1997 he married Patty Smyth with whom he had daughters Anna (born in 1995, before marriage) and Ava (1999). He also fathered Ruby (daughter of Smyth and Richard Hell). In 2001 he visited Buckingham Palace at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II. He lives in New York with his wife and six children.