John McEnroe vows to turn up the volume if Milos Raonic shines at Queen’s and Wimbledon
Legend will coach the world no9 at SW19 - but insists he won't do it on the quiet like Andy Murray's ex-mentor Ivan Lendl
JOHN McENROE says he will let it all out if new employer Milos Raonic takes Queen’s and Wimbledon by storm.
Supermac will be in world No 9 Raonic’s corner at this week’s Aegon Championships in his role as a short-term grass-court consultant to the Canadian super-server.
And you cannot be serious if you expect him to keep his famous emotions in check like other coaches do.
Because even his own kids found it weird when he didn’t rant and rave on the sidelines.
McEnroe, who will move into the BBC commentary box for Wimbledon itself, said: “I used to take pride if my kids were playing basketball and I’d be there and I wouldn’t say anything.
“People were obviously expecting me to yell and scream at the ref and at them and everything.
“But one time one of my kids was at the free throw line. He was like Djokovic in the old days. He was bouncing, bouncing, bouncing. I was like: ‘Shoot the damn ball!’
“They were feeling pressure because I WASN’T saying anything.
“It’s difficult. You can be clapping and you’re like: ‘Don’t worry about it, you just double faulted, you just played a really dumb point, keep positive. ‘
“That would annoy me as a player. You can just picture it. ‘Be more aggressive.’ ‘Shut up, you don’t think I know that, dumbass?’ “Sometimes it’s fun though, when you get into it.
“If the right occasion comes up, I would feel more like I would be able to do that.,not just sit there like Ivan [Lendl].
“When Murray won Wimbledon, you wouldn’t have known it by what Ivan showed.
“But that doesn’t mean he didn’t do a great job, because he did.”
McEnroe knows three weeks is not long enough to revamp Raonic’s game, which in any case should be well-suited to tennis’ fastest surface.
But the three-time Wimbledon champion has the grass-court know-how that could help Raonic match or better his run to the semi-finals in 2014.
McEnroe, who admits he was probably “uncoachable” for much of his career, said: “If you make a one per cent difference at that level, possibly two but one even, it could pay some kind of dividend with a little bit of luck,
“He’s a good kid, very professional, very dedicated, wants to get better.
“Like Murray. He’s the same type of guy. He’s going to do everything possible to get as good as he can be.
“He hasn’t had a lot of good results. He’s only been in the third round besides the one semi.
“If you had called me two months ago and said: ‘Name six or seven guys that can Wimbledon’ – and I think that’s how many can win Wimbledon – I would put him as one of those guys who could win it.
“Obviously at the moment he’s the sixth or seventh likely guy to do it. But things can happen and you never know.
“Hopefully I’ll make a positive difference.”
Having McEnroe in the player’s box this week will surely make a positive difference to watching the action at Queen’s.
*John McEnroe is part of the BBC’s Wimbledon line up. Catch all the action across BBC TV, radio and online from 27 June.*
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