John McEnroe once opened up about the protective role his mother, Katherine “Kay” McEnroe, played in his career. The American also clarified why his mom was not a regular presence in his player’s box and only chose to attend certain matches.
McEnroe had a highly decorated tennis career, winning seven Grand Slam singles titles, clinching three year-end championships, and holding the World No. 1 ranking for 170 weeks. However, instead of witnessing his success, McEnroe’s mother only made an appearance for those matches she believed he would lose.
In a 2016 piece for The Guardian, John McEnroe shed light on his perfectionist nature, recounting how he would break down in tears when he didn’t ace his tests in school. He credited his mother for always providing unconditional support in such moments, revealing that she made sure to be present if she felt he might lose a match.
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"I pushed myself towards perfection. I used to cry when I didn’t get an A on my tests in middle school. Mum was always there for me, no matter what. She only came to my tennis matches if she thought I was going to lose. She wanted to be there for me if I was going to be upset, but it made me think, "Uh oh!"" McEnroe said.
McEnroe also said that his mother carefully watched over him, ensuring that nobody tried to exploit him under the guise of friendship.
"She looked out for me – she really didn’t like it if she thought someone was taking advantage of me and, in her mind, that would be the end of the friendship," he added.
Furthermore, John McEnroe had a unique relationship with his mother as the oldest of three siblings. The American legend has two younger brothers, Mark and Patrick.
"Mum was the glue of the family, but very strict" - John McEnroe on his upbringing
In the same piece, John McEnroe reflected on his upbringing, acknowledging that his mother, Katherine, held their family together. He also expressed his belief that she was far stricter with him compared to his brothers, simply because he was the oldest.
"Mum was the glue of the family, but very strict. As I was the firstborn, I think she was stricter with me than with my brothers," McEnroe said.
McEnroe recalled that his mother would often remind him and his brothers about their father's accolades in law school in order to push them to work hard and reach their potential.
"She told us that when my father went to law school and, out of 500 people, he finished second in his class, she said: “Why didn’t you finish first?” The next year he came out top. The moral was – she wanted us always to do our best and put the effort in because she knew what we were capable of," he added.
John McEnroe's mother, Katherine, passed away at the age of 81 in 2017. Her death occurred just six months after the former World No. 1 lost his father, John McEnroe Sr., who was also aged 81.
