Serena Williams disputes John McEnroe’s claims that she would struggle to be in the world’s top 700 if she was on the men’s circuit.
Speaking to US radio station NPR, seven-time Grand Slam champion McEnroe said of world number one Williams, who has won an Open-era record 23 Grand Slams:
“If she played the men’s circuit she’d be, like, 700 in the world.”
He qualified the comments by saying:
“That doesn’t mean I don’t think Serena is an incredible player, and I suppose anything’s possible; maybe at some point a women’s tennis player can be better than anybody.”
But McEnroe added:
“I just haven’t seen that in any other sport, and I haven’t seen it in tennis. If she had to just play the men’s circuit, it would be an entirely different story.”
Williams later responded on Twitter: “Dear John, I adore and respect you but please please keep me out of your statements that are not factually based.
“I’ve never played anyone ranked “there” nor do I have time. Respect me and my privacy as I’m trying to have a baby. Good day sir.”
Dear John, I adore and respect you but please please keep me out of your statements that are not factually based.
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) June 26, 2017
I’ve never played anyone ranked “there” nor do I have time. Respect me and my privacy as I’m trying to have a baby. Good day sir
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) June 26, 2017
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