John McEnroe told to retire immediately as he's accused of 'disrespecting' Wimbledon stars

Legendary tennis firebrand John McEnroe is facing a fresh barrage of criticism from fans who are demanding he hang up his commentary mic for good. The American icon, known for his fiery on-court antics, has been accused of "disrespecting" players with his latest gaffe-ridden Wimbledon coverage on ESPN.

Viewers are growing increasingly fed up with McEnroe's habit of mispronouncing competitors' names or showing a lack of knowledge about them, prompting accusations of a lack of research. One X user wrote: "Why does John McEnroe have so little respect for other, 'lesser' players that he does not bother learning how to pronounce their names? During ESPN's coverage of the [Ben] Shelton vs. [Marton] Fucsovics third-round match, McEnroe, who was the lead commentator, referred to the Hungarian player multiple times as 'Fuskovitz' and occasionally as 'Fuksovitz'. Neither of these spellings was correct."

Another said: "I see John McEnroe is at it again. If ESPN won't retire him, can we at least compromise and keep him off broadcasts until the semifinals where he'll actually know the players?"

A third was left similarly baffled, writing: "John McEnroe not having a clue who Flavio Cobolli is but still being one of the main guys on a mic at slams for ESPN... Cooked."

This isn't the first time McEnroe has faced such criticism either. The 66-year-old's history of pronunciation blunders and lack of awareness about lower-ranked players has long irked fans. During the 2023 edition of Wimbledon, while commentating on Carlos Alcaraz's third-round win over Nicolas Jarry, Aussie pro-John Millman slammed McEnroe's "beyond ridiculous" remark, accusing him of undermining then-world No. 28 Jarry.

"How a commentator can say 'we don't know Jarry but we'll get to know him' is beyond ridiculous. 87million people play tennis worldwide and this guy is the 28th best at it currently. #Wimbledon," Millman fumed.

Then there was the 2023 Australian Open, where McEnroe's butchering of Stefanos Tsitsipas' name had fans raging online, with one quipping: "McEnroe's indifference to pronunciation is driving me bonkers." Another said: "McEnroe only knows the top players. He's good to listen to but I doubt he follows the game outside the slams."

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McEnroe's legacy as a seven-time Grand Slam champion remains untouchable, but his transition to the commentary box has caused a divide, with some labelling him box office. However, critics have often called out his cavalier attitude and controversial opinions.

The 66-year-old has also been working on the BBC's Wimbledon coverage this year and remains one of the broadcaster's highest-paid presenters just for his two-week gig at the tournament alone.

A report on BBC salaries last year revealed McEnroe earned between £195,000 and £199,000 for 2023/24. That's a slight dip from his £205,000 pay the previous year but still equates to roughly £14,000 per day across the two-week tournament.

"He is one of the most popular and respected pundits in tennis," a BBC insider told The Times in 2023, defending the decision to hand the American a pay increase at the time. "And he provides a unique perspective to our coverage."

Sue Barker, who recently retired as the BBC's main Wimbledon presenter, has also spoken glowingly about the seven-time slam winner. Writing in her 2024 autobiography, Wimbledon: A Personal History, she said: "Mac is the BBC's highest-paid employee pro rota, and with good reason. The public love him. He was great to work with, always up for fun."

Despite McEnroe's divisiveness, he has established himself as one of the sport's most well-recognised and highest-paid commentators since making his debut on NBC in 1992. He has a reported annual income from commentating of around £7.3m and shows no signs of retiring anytime soon.