John McEnroe was having none of it. The tennis legend, serving as a commentator for BBC's coverage of Wimbledon, bristled when asked to predict whether Serena Williams' first-round loss on Tuesday marked the end of her Grand Slam career.
Williams, 44, made her highly anticipated return to the grass courts at the All England Club, taking on Maya Joint in a three-set battle that ultimately went the way of the younger player. After the match, Williams declined to speak with reporters, leaving the media to seek answers elsewhere.
McEnroe, who has a well-documented history with the 23-time Grand Slam champion, was asked point-blank if he believed this was Williams' final professional match. His response was sharp and immediate.
“You think I know? Come on, don’t ask me a question that’s unanswerable,” McEnroe said sternly.
The same question was posed to fellow analyst Tracy Austin, but before she could answer, McEnroe interjected: “I never thought that she would come back in the first place, but go ahead Tracy…”
Austin wisely pivoted, saying, “I think we have got to celebrate Maya Joint now and celebrate Serena coming back.”
McEnroe's reluctance to engage likely stems from the pair's contentious history. In 2017, he ignited a firestorm when he told an NPR reporter that Williams would rank “like No. 700” in the world if she played on the men's circuit. He clarified that he considered her the greatest female player ever but not the greatest of all time regardless of gender.
“That doesn’t mean I don’t think Serena is an incredible player. I do, but the reality of what would happen on a given day is Serena could beat some players, I believe, because she is so incredibly strong mentally,” McEnroe said at the time. “But if she had to just play the circuit — the men’s circuit — that would be an entirely different story.”
Williams fired back, telling McEnroe to keep her name out of his mouth. The exchange has lingered, making any speculation from McEnroe about Williams' future a potential minefield.
For now, Williams' next move remains unclear. Her return to Wimbledon was a major story, especially after hints she dropped at Queen's Club about playing again. But the loss to Joint, combined with her silence afterward, has fueled speculation that this could be the end.
McEnroe, for his part, isn't touching that question with a 10-foot racket.
