John McEnroe is once again at the center of controversy during Wimbledon, with viewers demanding that ESPN remove him from its commentary team due to repeated mistakes and perceived disrespect toward lower-ranked players.
The former world No. 1, who has been a prominent voice in tennis broadcasting for decades, has come under fire for what fans call a lack of preparation and professionalism.
The latest wave of criticism was sparked during the third-round match between Ben Shelton and Marton Fucsovics, when McEnroe repeatedly mispronounced the Hungarian player’s name on air.
Viewers noted that he referred to him as “Fuskovitz” and “Fuksovitz,” neither of which was correct.
“Why does John McEnroe have so little respect for other, ‘lesser’ players that he does not bother learning how to pronounce their names?” one user posted on X.
Another added: “If ESPN won’t retire him, can we at least compromise and keep him off broadcasts until the semi-finals where he’ll actually know the players?”
The issue is not new. McEnroe has a long history of mispronunciations and giving the impression that he only closely follows the sport’s top-tier stars.
At last year’s Wimbledon, Australian pro John Millman blasted McEnroe for his commentary on Carlos Alcaraz’s match against Nicolas Jarry, saying, “How a commentator can say ‘we don’t know Jarry but we’ll get to know him’ is beyond ridiculous.”
Long-standing complaints resurface
McEnroe has also been criticized for his comments during other Grand Slams, including the Australian Open, where he struggled to pronounce Stefanos Tsitsipas‘ name correctly.
Social media users expressed frustration, calling it a recurring pattern and questioning his commitment to learning about the full spectrum of talent in the sport.
“McEnroe only knows the top players. He’s good to listen to but I doubt he follows the game outside the slams,” one user remarked.
Another added, “McEnroe not having a clue who Flavio Cobolli is but still being one of the main guys on a mic at slams for ESPN… Cooked.”
Despite these criticisms, McEnroe remains one of the most prominent-and highest-paid-commentators in the sport.
In addition to his ESPN duties, he also appears on the BBC’s Wimbledon coverage, where he reportedly earns nearly $19,000 per day during the tournament.
BBC salary reports from last year show McEnroe earned between $265,000 and $270,000 for the 2023/24 period, slightly down from his previous £278,000 paycheck.
“He is one of the most popular and respected pundits in tennis,” a BBC source told The Times in 2023. “And he provides a unique perspective to our coverage.”
McEnroe‘s commentary career began in 1992 with NBC, and he now earns an estimated $10 million annually from his broadcasting work.
While some fans still appreciate his candid style and insider perspective, others believe his lack of respect for emerging players is wearing thin.
As pressure mounts and criticism continues to build online, questions remain about whether ESPN will make changes ahead of the later stages of Wimbledon, or whether McEnroe will continue to call the shots, mispronunciations and all.
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