Being compared to Tiger Woods doesn’t mean what it used to.
John McEnroe, who’s no stranger to recent controversies, once again was the talk of the tennis world over the past few days after he compared Novak Djokovic’s recent issues to Woods’ personal life.
“The person that comes to mind immediately with Novak is not a tennis player, it’s actually a golfer: Tiger Woods,” McEnroe said on the BBC Wimbledon broadcast, via ESPN.com. “… (Woods) had the issues with his wife, and then he seemed to go completely off the rails and has never been even close to being the same player.
“So we’re starting to say: ‘Wait a minute, is this possible with (Djokovic)?'”
And Djokovic had a chance to respond Thursday.
“Yeah, I have heard about it today,” Djokovic said, via ESPN.com. “Look, you know, John has a complete right to say — anybody, really, in the world — has a right to say what they want, and I respect that right. Especially coming from John, because he’s someone that has earned that right because of who he is and what he has meant to the sport and what he still is representing as a former player and still being very active on the tour.
“He’s very well-known for his kind of bold comments and not really caring too much about being politically correct, but saying whatever is on his mind. That’s all I can say. I really don’t take anything personal.”
Djokovic hasn’t won a Grand Slam since the 2016 French Open, and he also lost his No. 1 ranking and made a coaching switch. So, things have been better for one of the best tennis players on the planet.
But to compare those issues to Woods, who’s dealt with multiple scandals, seems like a bit much.
Thumbnail photo via Susan Mullane/USA TODAY Sports Images
