John McEnroe once revealed why he deliberately snubbed the Wimbledon Champions’ Ball after his victory at the grasscourt Major in 1981. The American made the move after being denied the perks typically afforded to the champion.
After suffering a heartbreaking 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7(16), 8-6 loss to arch-rival Bjorn Borg in the 1980 Wimbledon Championships final, John McEnroe was looking to redeem himself when he arrived at SW19 in 1981. The American delivered a stellar campaign to set up a rematch with Borg in the final, claiming a 4-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(4), 6-4 win over the five-time defending champion to secure his maiden title at the grasscourt Major.
John McEnroe’s run was not without controversy, as he racked up a $2,250 fine because of his frequent heated outbursts, including his infamous ‘You cannot be serious!’ tirade. The Wimbledon Championship commttee did not take kindly to the American’s controversial conduct and broke a 104-year tradition by denying him the honorary membership to the All England Club bestowed upon every singles champion.
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In a statement, the committee explained that they felt McEnroe had "brought the game into disrepute" with his volatile behavior. The American retaliated by choosing not to attend the Champions' Ball and forgoing the traditional dance with the women's champion, Chris Evert.
John McEnroe later explained that he preferred to celebrate his victory with his loved ones, instead of enduring the company of "stiffs" who would only criticize him for his behavior.
"I wanted to spend the evening with my family and friends and the people who had supported me, not a bunch of stiffs who are 70, 80 years old, telling you that you’re acting like a jerk," McEnroe said (via The Guardian).
The Wimbledon championship committee eventually relented and gave McEnroe an honorary membership to the All England Club after he lost to Jimmy Connors in the 1982 final.
"I've never seen Wimbledon so mad" - Arthur Ashe on the reaction to John McEnroe's controversial conduct
Arthur Ashe put the Wimbledon championship committee's decision to snub John McEnroe into perspective by revealing that he had never witnessed the All England Club be so furious over a player's behavior. Ashe explained that not even Jimmy Connors' decision to skip the 1977 centenary celebration elicited as much anger from the Major as McEnroe's outburst during his first-round match did.
"I've never seen Wimbledon so mad, I mean burning. Not even when Connors insulted the Queen by not showing up for the centenary celebration in 1977," Arthur Ashe said (via Sports Illustrated).
Despite his friction with the All England Club, McEnroe continued to achieve success at the grasscourt Major and took home the coveted trophy in 1983 and 1984.
John McEnroe has also become a regular fixture at Wimbledon in his role as a commentator, which has led to the American legend often courting controversy with his remarks at the Major.
