Serena Williams Slams John McEnroe's Sexist Comments About Her Talent

Sorry John McEnroe, Serena Williams has no time for this nonsense

Hey, remember when Serena Williams won the Australian Open while pregnant? And how amazing that was? She’s arguably one of the greatest athletes of all time, she just posed for one of the most stunning magazine covers of all time, and she’s about to deliver her first child soon. Pretty impressive stuff. So, naturally, someone (ahem–a man) had to cut her down, because accomplished women just can’t have nice things.

On Sunday, John McEnroe–a man as famous for his own tennis accomplishments as he is infamous for being a complete douche bag–gave an interview to NPR, where he decided to use his backhand in the form of a shitty compliment. McEnroe sat down with Lulu Garcia-Navarro to discuss a statement he made in his book about Serena Williams being the “best female player” in the world. Nice, right? Sure, nice enough. But then McEnroe clarifies what exactly that means.

Garcia-Navarro: Some wouldn’t qualify it, some would say she’s the best player in the world. Why qualify it?

McEnroe: Oh! Uh, she’s not, you mean, the best player in the world, period? Garcia-Navarro: Yeah, the best tennis player in the world. You know, why say female player? McEnroe: Well because if she was in, if she played the men’s circuit she’d be like 700 in the world.

OH HELL NO. How do you go from praising her as the “best in the world” one second, but then completely invalidate her incredible achievements because she doesn’t have a penis? Are you freaking kidding us, John McEnroe?

We’re not the only ones confounded by the misogyny here. Twitter, as always, is not having any of this tomfoolery either.

PREACH.

For real though. And before anyone comes at us with the “it’s genetics” argument about male athleticism vs. female athleticism, we’re gonna just go ahead and stop you right there.

Has John McEnroe done anything noteworthy lately? We wouldn’t want to diminish his talent back in the day, but all we can conjure up is a cameo in Mr. Deeds.

Right. It’s all extremely condescending.

Just another product of the patriarchy. And because Serena Williams is the epitome of a bad ass with class, she responded to McEnroe personally.

“Good day sir.” LOL. Sheer perfection. Raise your racket if you’d dip into your kid’s college savings fund to pay for a Williams vs. McEnroe match!