John McEnroe was caught on camera arguing with a fan. (Image: Getty Images)
John McEnroe told a young fan to “go f*** yourself” after losing his patience whilst being pestered at an airport. McEnroe was travelling through Melbourne Airport following the Australian Open when his frustrations boiled over. The 66-year-old American was working at the Grand Slam tournament as a pundit, witnessing Carlos Alcaraz defeat Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s men’s singles final.
He made his way to the airport on Monday to depart Australia, though the journey concluded on a sour note. McEnroe was renowned for his fiery temperament as a player, establishing himself as one of the original bad boys of the 1980s, and it appears that aspect of his character remains intact. He was filmed having a tense exchange with a fan as he made his way through the airport.
The footage captured McEnroe retrieving his luggage from a vehicle before being guided through the airport by security. Throughout the clip, he is being bothered by a fan who keeps requesting an autograph and a photograph.
“Not right now mate,” McEnroe said when initially approached.
“Can I get a photo at least?” the fan responded.
The American moved away swiftly with his suitcase and a guitar on his back, adding “hold on, wait a sec” as the fan pursued him along the pavement.
“Do you need a hand with any of your bags?” the young fan offered. McEnroe responded sharply: “I need you to stay away from me, OK?”
Undeterred, the fan pursued the tennis legend through the airport, repeatedly requesting a photograph.
“Just get away, OK? Can we stop him? Everyone stop, time’s up,” McEnroe grumbled.
The fan then attempted to take a selfie with an irritated McEnroe in the background as someone can be heard saying to “respect his space”.
The fan failed to take the hint and asked once more: “Can I just get a photo, please?” McEnroe replied: “Will you stop!? Stop! Jesus Christ! Are you kidding me?”
EXPRESS SPORT ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page
John McEnroe was seething in the interaction. (Image: Getty Images)
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
As McEnroe finally made his escape, the fan said: “I still love you John.”
He replied bluntly: “Go f*** yourself!”
McEnroe remains one of tennis’s biggest personalities, having claimed seven Grand Slam titles during his illustrious playing career. However, he is best remembered for his fierce competitiveness and rivalries with Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors, as well as his on-court outbursts.
In 1984, he was disqualified from a match at the Australian Open after berating officials and repeatedly smashing his racquet. The same incident occurred at the 1987 Stockholm Open and McEnroe was consistently penalised throughout his career, which concluded in 1994 in singles.