# Lendl–McEnroe rivalry

The Lendl–McEnroe rivalry was a tennis rivalry between Ivan Lendl and John McEnroe, who met in 36 matches between 1980 and 1992. Their head-to-head is 21–15, favoring Lendl. It is one of the most notable tennis rivalries of the Open Era. Their most memorable match was the 1984 French Open final, when Lendl came from two sets down to win the championship, which McEnroe considered his worst loss.
McEnroe, although capable of holding his own from the back court against most players, struggled against Lendl. Thus he would use every opportunity to get to the net and take time away from Lendl, who was not the fastest mover and had loopier racket swings—which on faster surfaces did not serve him as well as on clay.
McEnroe served a variety of spins, speed and placements to keep Lendl guessing and adjusting. Lendl, on the other hand, had a simpler game plan: serve hard enough to keep McEnroe back from the net, and then pound away with his powerful topspin groundstrokes.
Both pushed each other to evolve—McEnroe adopted the Max200G racket to improve on his power, whereas Lendl hired a nutritionist, fitness advisor and Tony Roche as his coach to improve his known weaknesses: second serve, backhand and volleys.

## Head-to-head

| Legend | Lendl | McEnroe |
| Grand Slam | 7 | 3 |
| Masters Grand Prix | 3 | 2 |
| WCT Finals | 1 | 2 |
| ATP Masters Series | 1 | 0 |
| ATP International Series | 8 | 8 |
| Davis Cup | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 21 | 15 |

### Official matches (36)

Lendl 21 – McEnroe 15
| No. | Year | Tournament | Surface | Round | Winner | Score | Lendl | McEnroe |
| 1. | 1980 | Milan Indoor | Carpet | Semifinals | McEnroe | 6–3, 1–6, 6–2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2. | 1980 | US Open | Hard | Quarterfinals | McEnroe | 4–6, 6–3, 6–2, 7–5 | 0 | 2 |
| 3. | 1981 | French Open | Clay | Quarterfinals | Lendl | 6–4, 6–4, 7–5 | 1 | 2 |
| 4. | 1981 | Davis Cup | Hard | Quarterfinals | Lendl | 6–4, 14–12, 7–5 | 2 | 2 |
| 5. | 1981 | Masters Grand Prix | Carpet | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–4, 6–2 | 3 | 2 |
| 6. | 1982 | WCT Finals | Carpet | Final | Lendl | 6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3 | 4 | 2 |
| 7. | 1982 | Canadian Open | Hard | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–4, 6–4 | 5 | 2 |
| 8. | 1982 | US Open | Hard | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–4, 6–4, 7–6$^{(8–6)}$ | 6 | 2 |
| 9. | 1982 | Masters Grand Prix | Carpet | Final | Lendl | 6–4, 6–4, 6–2 | 7 | 2 |
| 10. | 1983 | US Pro Indoor | Carpet | Final | McEnroe | 4–6, 7–6$^{(9–7)}$, 6–4, 6–3 | 7 | 3 |
| 11. | 1983 | WCT Finals | Carpet | Final | McEnroe | 6–2, 4–6, 6–3, 6–7$^{(5–7)}$, 7–6$^{(7–0)}$ | 7 | 4 |
| 12. | 1983 | Wimbledon | Grass | Semifinals | McEnroe | 7–6$^{(7–5)}$, 6–4, 6–4 | 7 | 5 |
| 13. | 1983 | Pacific Coast Championships | Carpet | Final | Lendl | 3–6, 7–6$^{(7–4)}$, 6–4 | 8 | 5 |
| 14. | 1983 | Masters Grand Prix | Carpet | Final | McEnroe | 6–3, 6–4, 6–4 | 8 | 6 |
| 15. | 1984 | US Pro Indoor | Carpet | Final | McEnroe | 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 7–6$^{(7–3)}$ | 8 | 7 |
| 16. | 1984 | Brussels Indoor | Carpet | Final | McEnroe | 6–1, 6–3 | 8 | 8 |
| 17. | 1984 | WCT Tournament of Champions | Clay | Final | McEnroe | 6–4, 6–2 | 8 | 9 |
| 18. | 1984 | World Team Cup | Clay | Team Final | McEnroe | 6–3, 6–2 | 8 | 10 |
| 19. | 1984 | French Open | Clay | Final | Lendl | 3–6, 2–6, 6–4, 7–5, 7–5 | 9 | 10 |
| 20. | 1984 | US Open | Hard | Final | McEnroe | 6–3, 6–4, 6–1 | 9 | 11 |
| 21. | 1984 | Masters Grand Prix | Carpet | Final | McEnroe | 7–5, 6–0, 6–4 | 9 | 12 |
| 22. | 1985 | WCT Tournament of Champions | Clay | Final | Lendl | 6–3, 6–3 | 10 | 12 |
| 23. | 1985 | World Team Cup | Clay | Team Final | Lendl | 6–7$^{(4–7)}$, 7–6$^{(8–6)}$, 6–3 | 11 | 12 |
| 24. | 1985 | Volvo International | Hard | Final | McEnroe | 7–6$^{(7–4)}$, 6–2 | 11 | 13 |
| 25. | 1985 | Canadian Open | Hard | Final | McEnroe | 7–5, 6–3 | 11 | 14 |
| 26. | 1985 | US Open | Hard | Final | Lendl | 7–6$^{(7–1)}$, 6–3, 6–4 | 12 | 14 |
| — | 1987 | Volvo International | Hard | Final | (No Result) | 6–7$^{(3–7)}$, 4–1 Abandoned due to weather | 12 | 14 |
| 27. | 1987 | US Open | Hard | Quarterfinals | Lendl | 6–3, 6–3, 6–4 | 13 | 14 |
| 28. | 1988 | French Open | Clay | Last 16 | Lendl | 6–7$^{(3–7)}$, 7–6$^{(7–3)}$, 6–4, 6–4 | 14 | 14 |
| 29. | 1989 | Australian Open | Hard | Quarterfinals | Lendl | 7–6$^{(7–0)}$, 6–2, 7–6$^{(7–2)}$ | 15 | 14 |
| 30. | 1989 | WCT Finals | Carpet | Semifinals | McEnroe | 6–7$^{(4–7)}$, 7–6$^{(7–5)}$, 6–2, 7–5 | 15 | 15 |
| 31. | 1989 | Canadian Open | Hard | Final | Lendl | 6–1, 6–3 | 16 | 15 |
| 32. | 1989 | Masters Grand Prix | Carpet | Round Robin | Lendl | 6–3, 6–3 | 17 | 15 |
| 33. | 1990 | Toronto Indoor | Carpet | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–3, 6–2 | 18 | 15 |
| 34. | 1990 | Queen's Club Championships | Grass | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–2, 6–4 | 19 | 15 |
| 35. | 1991 | ATP Long Island | Hard | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–3, 7–5 | 20 | 15 |
| 36. | 1992 | Canadian Open | Hard | Quarterfinals | Lendl | 6–2, 6–4 | 21 | 15 |
* Note: WEA indicates a match canceled due to weather. There was no result in this final.

## Breakdown of their rivalry

* All matches: (36) Lendl 21–15
* All finals: (18)* McEnroe 10–7, *(1 No Result)
** Grand Slam finals: Lendl 2–1
** Grand Slam matches: Lendl 7–3
** Masters matches: Lendl 3–2
** WCT Finals matches: McEnroe 2–1
** Davis Cup matches: Lendl 1–0
** Other tournament matches: Tied 8–8

## Other matches
### Invitational matches

Lendl–McEnroe (16–11)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Surface | Round | Winner | Score |
| 1. | 1981 | Rome | Carpet | Final | McEnroe | 7–6, 6–4 |
| 2. | 1981 | Suntory Cup | Carpet | Semifinals | McEnroe | 7–6, 6–4 |
| 3. | 1981 | Brooklyn Masters | Carpet | Final | Lendl | 6–4, 2–6, 6–4 |
| 4. | 1981 | Europe vs. Americas | Carpet | Round Robin | McEnroe | 4–6, 7–6, 6–1 |
| 5. | 1981 | Challenge of Champions | Carpet | Semifinals | McEnroe | 6–1, 7–6 |
| 6. | 1982 | Molson Light Challenge | Carpet | Final | Lendl | 7–5, 3–6, 7–6, 7–5 |
| 7. | 1982 | AKAI Gold Challenge | Carpet | Round Robin | Lendl | 7–5, 6–2, 1–6, 4–6, 6–1 |
| 8. | 1982 | Europe vs. Americas | Carpet | Round Robin | Lendl | 2–6, 7–5, 6–2 |
| 9. | 1982 | European Community Championship | Carpet | Final | Lendl | 3–6, 7–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 10. | 1982 | Challenge of Champions | Carpet | Round Robin | McEnroe | 6–3, 6–2 |
| 11. | 1983 | Luxembourg | Carpet | Final | Lendl | 6–4, 6–2 |
| 12. | 1983 | Rio Tennis Challenge | Carpet | Final | McEnroe | 6–3, 6–1 |
| 13. | 1984 | AKAI Gold Challenge | Carpet | Round Robin | McEnroe | 7–5, 6–2, 6–1 |
| 14. | 1984 | Suntory Cup | Carpet | Final | Lendl | 6–4, 3–6, 6–2 |
| 15. | 1985 | Forum Tennis Challenge | Carpet | Final | McEnroe | 6–4, 7–6 |
| 16. | 1985 | Suntory Cup | Carpet | Final | Lendl | 6–4, 6–2 |
| 17. | 1985 | Meadowlands Tennis Challenge | Carpet | Final | Lendl | 7–5, 6–4 |
| 18. | 1985 | European Community Championship | Carpet | Final | Lendl | 1–6, 7–6, 6–2, 6–2 |
| 19. | 1985 | Challenge of Champions | Carpet | Semifinals | Lendl | 7–6, 6–3 |
| 20. | 1986 | Forum Tennis Challenge | Carpet | Final | Lendl | 6–4, 3–6, 7–6 |
| 21. | 1986 | Norstar Bank Hamlet Challenge Cup | Hard | Final | Lendl | 6–2, 6–4 |
| 22. | 1986 | Challenge of Champions | Carpet | Semifinals | McEnroe | 6–4, 7–5 |
| 23. | 1987 | Barcelona | Clay | Final | Lendl | 6–3, 3–6, 6–2 |
| 24. | 1987 | Challenge of Champions | Carpet | Round Robin | Lendl | 5–7, 6–4, 7–6 |
| 25. | 1988 | Eurocard Classic | Carpet | Round Robin | McEnroe | 7–6, 7–6 |
| 26. | 1988 | Michelin Challenge | Carpet | Final | McEnroe | 7–5, 6–2 |
| 27. | 1989 | All Stars Tennis Classic | Carpet | Final | Lendl | 6–4, 7–5 |

## ATP rankings
### Year-end ranking timeline

| Player | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 |
| / Ivan Lendl | | 74 | 20 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 19 | 54 |
| John McEnroe | 21 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 4 | 13 | 28 | 20 | | |