Claim: John McEnroe was a tennis player in the 1980's.

John Patrick McEnroe Jr. -LRB- born February 16 , 1959 -RRB- is an American former World No. 1 professional tennis player , often rated among the greatest players of all time in the sport , especially for his touch on the volley . He won seven Grand Slam singles titles -LRB- three at Wimbledon and four at the US Open -RRB- , nine Grand Slam men 's doubles titles , and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title . He also won a record eight year-end championships , 19 Grand Prix Super Series titles , and finished his career with 77 ATP-listed singles titles and 78 in doubles .   McEnroe is known for his shot-making artistry and volleying skills ; for his rivalries with Björn Borg , Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl ; and for his confrontational on-court behavior , which frequently landed him in trouble with umpires and tennis authorities . In 1981 , 1983 and 1984 he was both the ATP player of the year and the ITF World Champion for Men 's singles . His match record of 82 -- 3 in 1984 remains the best single season win rate of the Open Era .   McEnroe is a former Captain of the United States Davis Cup team and as a player was part of five Cup-winning teams . He continues to play tennis and competes in senior events on the ATP Champions Tour . He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1999 and received the Philippe Chatrier Award in 2007 . After his tennis career he became a television commentator , a game show host and a chat show host . Additionally , he has appeared in several films and television shows as himself and has played music live . He has been married since 1997 to musician and former Scandal lead singer Patty Smyth ; they have six children between them -LRB- two together -RRB- .