Lendl–McEnroe rivalry

John McEnroe (7 Singles slams) dominated ATP in first half of 1980s.
Ivan Lendl (8 Singles slams) dominated ATP in second half of 1980s.

This was a tennis rivalry between Czech Ivan Lendl, and American John McEnroe, who met in their careers 36 times between 1980 and 1992.[1][2] They met 37 times in official matches, and over 60 times when invitational tournaments and exhibition events are included. It is one of the most notable tennis rivalries of the open era.[3] Their most memorable match was in Roland Garros in 1984, when Lendl came from two sets down to win the final.[3]

Head-to-head

Legend Lendl McEnroe
Grand Slam 7 3
Masters Grand Prix 3 2
WCT Finals 1 2
ATP Masters Series 1 0
ATP International Series 8 8
Davis Cup 1 0
Total 21 15

Official Matches

Lendl–McEnroe (21–15)

No. Year Tournament Surface Round Winner Score Lendl McEnroe
1. 1980 Italy Milan Indoor Carpet Semifinals McEnroe 6–3, 1–6, 6–2 0 1
2. 1980 United States US Open Hard Quarterfinals McEnroe 4–6, 6–3, 6–2, 7–5 0 2
3. 1981 France Roland Garros Clay Quarterfinals Lendl 6–4, 6–4, 7–5 1 2
4. 1981 United States Davis Cup Hard Quarterfinals Lendl 6–4, 14–12, 7–5 2 2
5. 1981 United States Masters Grand Prix Carpet Semifinals Lendl 6–4, 6–2 3 2
6. 1982 United States WCT Finals Carpet Final Lendl 6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3 4 2
7. 1982 Canada Canadian Open Hard Semifinals Lendl 6–4, 6–4 5 2
8. 1982 United States US Open Hard Semifinals Lendl 6–4, 6–4, 7–6(8–6) 6 2
9. 1982 United States Masters Grand Prix Carpet Final Lendl 6–4, 6–4, 6–2 7 2
10. 1983 United States US Pro Indoor Carpet Final McEnroe 4–6, 7–6(9–7), 6–4, 6–3 7 3
11. 1983 United States WCT Finals Carpet Final McEnroe 6–2, 4–6, 6–3, 6–7(5–7), 7–6(7–0) 7 4
12. 1983 United Kingdom Wimbledon Grass Semifinals McEnroe 7–6(7–5), 6–4, 6–4 7 5
13. 1983 United States Pacific Coast Championships Carpet Final Lendl 3–6, 7–6(7–4), 6–4 8 5
14. 1983 United States Masters Grand Prix Carpet Final McEnroe 6–3, 6–4, 6–4 8 6
15. 1984 United States US Pro Indoor Carpet Final McEnroe 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 7–6(7–3) 8 7
16. 1984 Belgium Brussels Indoor Carpet Final McEnroe 6–1, 6–3 8 8
17. 1984 United States WCT Tournament of Champions Clay Final McEnroe 6–4, 6–2 8 9
18. 1984 Germany World Team Cup Clay Final McEnroe 6–3, 6–2 8 10
19. 1984 France Roland Garros Clay Final Lendl 3–6, 2–6, 6–4, 7–5, 7–5 9 10
20. 1984 United States US Open Hard Final McEnroe 6–3, 6–4, 6–1 9 11
21. 1984 United States Masters Grand Prix Carpet Final McEnroe 7–5, 6–0, 6–4 9 12
22. 1985 United States WCT Tournament of Champions Clay Final Lendl 6–3, 6–3 10 12
23. 1985 Germany World Team Cup Clay Final Lendl 6–7(4–7), 7–6(8–6), 6–3 11 12
24. 1985 United States Volvo International Hard Final McEnroe 7–6(7–4), 6–2 11 13
25. 1985 Canada Canadian Open Hard Final McEnroe 7–5, 6–3 11 14
26. 1985 United States US Open Hard Final Lendl 7–6(7–1), 6–3, 6–4 12 14
– 1987 United States Volvo International Hard Final McEnroe 7–6(7–3), 1–4 WEA 12 14
27. 1987 United States US Open Hard Quarterfinals Lendl 6–3, 6–3, 6–4 13 14
28. 1988 France Roland Garros Clay Round of 16 Lendl 6–7(3–7), 7–6(7–3), 6–4, 6–4 14 14
29. 1989 Australia Australian Open Hard Quarterfinals Lendl 7–6(7–0), 6–2, 7–6(7–2) 15 14
30. 1989 United States WCT Finals Carpet Semifinals McEnroe 6–7(4–7), 7–6(7–5), 6–2, 7–5 15 15
31. 1989 Canada Canadian Open Hard Final Lendl 6–1, 6–3 16 15
32. 1989 United States Masters Grand Prix Carpet Round Robin Lendl 6–3, 6–3 17 15
33. 1990 Canada Toronto Indoor Carpet Semifinals Lendl 6–3, 6–2 18 15
34. 1990 United Kingdom Queen's Club Championships Grass Semifinals Lendl 6–2, 6–4 19 15
35. 1991 United States ATP Long Island Hard Semifinals Lendl 6–3, 7–5 20 15
36. 1992 Canada Canadian Open Hard Quarterfinals Lendl 6–2, 6–4 21 15
  • Note: WEA indicates a match canceled due to weather, does not count as a victory.

Breakdown of their rivalry

  • All matches: Lendl, 37–26
  • Official matches (ATP website): Lendl, 21–15
  • Grand Slam finals: Lendl, 2–1
  • Grand Slam matches: Lendl, 7–3
  • Masters matches: Lendl, 3–2
  • WCT Finals matches: McEnroe, 2–1
  • Davis Cup matches: Lendl, 1–0
  • Other official tournament matches: Lendl, 9–8
  • Invitational tournament matches: Lendl, 16–11
  • Tournament Finals (Overall): Lendl, 20–15
  • Tournament Finals (Official): McEnroe, 11–8
  • Carpet (Overall): Lendl, 20–19
  • Carpet (Official): McEnroe, 8–6
  • Clay (Overall): Lendl. 6–2
  • Clay (Official): Lendl. 5–2
  • Grass: Tied, 1–1
  • Hard (Overall): Lendl, 10–4
  • Hard (Official): Lendl, 9–4

Other matches

Invitational Matches

Lendl–McEnroe (16–11)

No. Year Tournament Surface Round Winner Score
1. 1981 Italy Rome Carpet Final McEnroe 7–6, 6–4
2. 1981 Japan Suntory Cup Carpet Semifinals McEnroe 7–6, 6–4
3. 1981 Italy Brooklyn Masters Carpet Final Lendl 6–4, 2–6, 6–4
4. 1981 Spain Europe vs. Americas Carpet Round Robin McEnroe 4–6, 7–6, 6–1
5. 1981 United States Challenge of Champions Carpet Semifinals McEnroe 6–1, 7–6
6. 1982 Canada Molson Light Challenge Carpet Final Lendl 7–5, 3–6, 7–6, 7–5
7. 1982 Australia AKAI Gold Challenge Carpet Round Robin Lendl 7–5, 6–2, 1–6, 4–6, 6–1
8. 1982 Spain Europe vs. Americas Carpet Round Robin Lendl 2–6, 7–5, 6–2
9. 1982 Belgium European Community Championship Carpet Final Lendl 3–6, 7–6, 6–3, 6–3
10. 1982 United States Challenge of Champions Carpet Round Robin McEnroe 6–3, 6–2
11. 1983 Luxembourg Luxembourg Carpet Final Lendl 6–4, 6–2
12. 1983 Australia Rio Tennis Challenge Carpet Final McEnroe 6–3, 6–1
13. 1984 Australia AKAI Gold Challenge Carpet Round Robin McEnroe 7–5, 6–2, 6–1
14. 1984 Japan Suntory Cup Carpet Final Lendl 6–4, 3–6, 6–2
15. 1985 United States Forum Tennis Challenge Carpet Final McEnroe 6–4, 7–6
16. 1985 Japan Suntory Cup Carpet Final Lendl 6–4, 6–2
17. 1985 United States Meadowlands Tennis Challenge Carpet Final Lendl 7–5, 6–4
18. 1985 Belgium European Community Championship Carpet Final Lendl 1–6, 7–6, 6–2, 6–2
19. 1985 United States Challenge of Champions Carpet Semifinals Lendl 7–6, 6–3
20. 1986 United States Forum Tennis Challenge Carpet Final Lendl 6–4, 3–6, 7–6
21. 1986 United States Norstar Bank Hamlet Challenge Cup Hard Final Lendl 6–2, 6–4
22. 1986 United States Challenge of Champions Carpet Semifinals McEnroe 6–4, 7–5
23. 1987 Spain Barcelona Clay Final Lendl 6–3, 3–6, 6–2
24. 1987 United States Challenge of Champions Carpet Round Robin Lendl 5–7, 6–4, 7–6
25. 1988 Germany Eurocard Classic Carpet Round Robin McEnroe 7–6, 7–6
26. 1988 United States Michelin Challenge Carpet Final McEnroe 7–5, 6–2
27. 1989 Italy All Stars Tennis Classic Carpet Final Lendl 6–4, 7–5

ATP Rankings

Year-end ranking timeline

Player197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994
Czechoslovakia/United States Ivan Lendl 74 20 6 2 3 2 3 1 1 1 2 1 3 5 8 19 54
United States John McEnroe 21 4 3 2 1 1 1 1 2 14 10 11 4 13 28 20

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Ten great tennis rivalries". The Independent. July 8, 2008. Retrieved 2010-12-08. Ivan Lendl v John McEnroe. Time span: '80–92 (36 matches) Head to head: Lendl 21 McEnroe 15. Grand Slam finals: Three; Lendl won two. Wimbledon: Never met in a final. Away from court, Lendl would shoot his mouth off on any subject, saying he was the best. On court, to Mac's Mr Gobby he played Mr Say Nothing and let his tennis talk.
  2. ↑ "Lendl-McEnroe Head to Head Rivalry". ATP World Tour. Archived from the original on 2012-10-03. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
  3. 1 2 "Ivan Lendl and John McEnroe". Boston Globe. 2006-08-25. Retrieved 2010-12-08. They were hardly dining buddies and their 36 meetings (with the Czech winning 21) merely sharpened the animus, with Lendl winning 10 of their final 11 matches. Though they hooked up 10 times in Slams, only three came in finals, two of them at Flushing Meadow. Their most memorable meeting was at Paris in 1984, when Lendl came from two sets down to win.
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