Bad News for McEnroe: Blood, Sweat, and Backhands with John, Jimmy, Ilie, Ivan, Bjorn, and Vitas

by Bill Scanlon, Sonny Long, Cathy Long

In the golden age of tennis, when players were just learning how to become media personalities, men like McEnroe, Connors, Borg and Lendl ruled the court . Now in a tell-all memoir, former top 10 seeded tennis star and chief McEnroe rival, Bill Scanlon, presents an unfettered look at the good old days of tennis when some of the most colorful (and infamous) players in history went head-to-head and the game was changed forever.

Bad News For McEnroe is in part a revelation of the feud between McEnroe and the author that began when they were teenagers, but the essence of this book are the wonderful and surprising on- and off-the-court high jinks of such notable players as Vilas, Borg, McEnroe, Nastase and Connors, all of whom Scanlan played and knew intimately, from locker room fights to on-court breakdowns and blow-ups. A story that could not have come from anyone but a true insider, Scanlan's tale of life on the pro tennis circuit will shock and delight tennis fans everywhere.

Genres: Sports

240 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2004

Reviews

[Writemoves · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm very happy that I had the chance to read this book particularly at a discounted Kindle price. I vaguely remember Bill Scanlon, who was a journeyman tennis player primarily in the 80s. His dislike for John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors is very evident in this book and based on his anecdotes, pretty well justified. Scanlon has a lot of interesting stories about many of the top tennis players in the 1970s and 80s. He also describes a lot of the wheeling and dealing that was done within the tennis world and how for so many years, tennis players were treated unfairly, particularly when it came to prize money.

Scanlon describes the travel and the camaraderie among the pros. He obviously thinks a lot of Ivan Lendl, who was able to help Scanlon at various times in his career. That was a bit of a shock to this reader, as I never got the sense that Lendl was very forthcoming.

I'm surprised that I did not hear about this book before. It is a bit controversial, particularly with Scanlon's diatribes against McEnroe and Connors. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed it as I really followed professional tennis closely in the 1980s. This is one of the best tennis books that I have read.

[Jeffrey W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this is a neat time capsule with plenty of insight into tennis as it transformed into a global phenomenon, rife with superstars. It's a memoir that focuses more on the setting (the other players) than the subject. A lot of it feels either too gossipy or too in the weeds and it oscillates between the two so quickly it'll give your brain whiplash. It's like if Goldilocks only had the too hot and too cold porridges. If you like it hot or like it cold, it can really scratch an itch, but the other side is going to feel like a slog. He's really obsessed with the computer rankings and McEnroe. I enjoyed the history and insight -- just wish it was a little more consistent.

[Vickie Woelfel · Rating 5 out of 5]

S must read for those who let be tennis

If you life tennis, you will love this book. I can't believe how much I didn't know. Eye opening and hard to put down

[Dipra Lahiri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thoroughly informative book about the monumental events in pro tennis in the 70s and 80s, the Open Era, the formation of the ATP, the legendary personalities and rivalries. Reserves much text to diss McEnroe and his outlandish behaviour, unthinkable in today's times, and a pointed reminder that we should not glorify past icons without reservation.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious