John McEnroe: "Maybe one day a female tennis player will surpass the men"

John McEnroe, the former world No. 1, reflected on how he became a feminist after his controversial comments regarding the differences between men and women in tennis. The 7-time Grand Slam champion credited his four daughters for influencing his new perspective.

Back in 2017, McEnroe famously refused to consider Serena Williams as the best tennis player overall, stating that in his opinion, the 23-time Grand Slam champion would be ranked No. 700 if she competed on the men's tour.

McEnroe opens up about feminism and fatherhood

Following McEnroe’s comments, a debate ensued about the 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. King triumphed 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in front of over 30,000 spectators at the Houston Astrodome and 90 million viewers worldwide.

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At the time, McEnroe said King’s win was "great," but viewed it as an exception: “Yeah, it was no question. I think there was the most, the biggest attendance at the Houston Astrodome, and it was great that Billie Jean did that but...OK, but that doesn't mean, talk about other sports. If you go look at the times, for example, of the world's fastest females — and you know maybe it will change!" McEnroe commented.

"My daughter says, ‘You're a feminist, Dad.’ OK. I started with two boys, and now I have four girls, and I’m all for it. I’m trying to just understand and figure it out,” he added.

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When asked if he now considers himself a feminist, McEnroe admitted that while he believes a female tennis player could potentially surpass male players, it’s not something he has witnessed yet: "Maybe at some point a women's tennis player can be better than anybody. I just haven't seen it in any other sport, and I haven't seen it in tennis. I suppose anything's possible at some stage," he remarked.

"Thanks to my daughters, I now realize how important it is for young girls to have the same opportunities as boys in physical activities. I am proud to be a feminist," McEnroe concluded.