'But Seriously,' Tennis Great John McEnroe Says He's Seeking 'Inner Peace'
Known for his on-court outbursts, McEnroe famously yelled, "You cannot be serious!" at one official. Now, decades later, he says it's a "miracle" if he goes a full day without hearing that line.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, tennis great John McEnroe triumphed three times at Wimbledon and four times at the U.S. Open. But all his achievements on the court did not prepare him for life off of it. After his professional career ended, he dabbled as a talk show host and as an art collector and appeared in movies and TV shows.
Above all, McEnroe wanted to be a rock guitarist in his wife's band, but, he admits: "That was not going to happen."
His wife, singer Patty Smyth, told him, "I want to play mixed doubles with you at Wimbledon." To which he replied, "Well, you don't play tennis."
And she said, "Exactly."
During his tennis career, McEnroe became known for outbursts on the court when he thought umpires had missed a call.
