John McEnroe missing in action, gets roasted as French Open final kicks off without him

John McEnroe became the unexpected punchline during TNT Sports’ coverage of the French Open final after failing to show up on time.

The broadcast opened with an empty seat where the outspoken tennis icon was meant to be, leaving host Rachel Stringer joined only by pundits Tim Henman and Chris Evert. The trio were set to launch coverage of the much-anticipated clash between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, but McEnroe was conspicuously absent.

Stringer kept things diplomatic, saying he was "running behind schedule." Evert retorted, however, stating, "He’s always late," with Henman joining in, joking that the show would carry on with or without him.

When McEnroe finally arrived minutes later, he was met with applause from the fans gathered behind the desk.

Instantly, Henman smiled and joked, "We’ve been waiting hours for you.". To which McEnroe fired back with a smile, "That’s your problem!".

The 66-year-old was quick to offer his version of events. He explained, stating: "We don't want to get into the weeds on this reasoning, there's an insinuation that I am coming in late. But the truth is that I was only asked to do the match, which I believe I am an hour and 10 minutes early for.

"Because I wanted to lay it all on the line for this, I was on the way and all of a sudden someone called from TNT UK and they said 'hey where's John?' and I am stuck in traffic because there is a marathon on, so I came later than I thought. I was planning on being here at 1.15pm just in case anyone needed me. Which clearly you don't! You have got Chrissy and Tim, my brother Andre [Agassi], Jim [Courier] who came over here, I mean come on.".

The panel’s playful jabs didn’t stop there. When asked if he had done his homework on the final, McEnroe fired back with a grin, “Since when have I not done my homework?”

Despite the lighthearted ribbing, McEnroe took it all in stride, noting with a chuckle that the broadcast was already stacked with top tennis talent.

Later in the show, McEnroe took a moment away from the tennis talk to send a heartfelt message. He spoke about recently watching a documentary on legendary musician Billy Joel, who has been diagnosed with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, a brain disorder. "I want to wish him a speedy recovery," McEnroe said sincerely. "He’s one of the greatest performers ever, and it’s tough news. I was watching TV pretty late last night and just wanted to send him all my best.".

With the banter behind them and McEnroe finally settled into his seat, the expert panel turned their full attention to the much-anticipated battle on the clay court between Sinner and Alcaraz, setting the stage for what promised to be a thrilling final.