McEnroe: Williams would be ranked ‘like 700’ on men’s tour

By Abbey Westbury
June 26 2017 06:21 AM

CP895215308 — FILE - In a Saturday June 18, 2016 file photo, John McEnroe, Coach to Canada\'s Milos Raconic, looks across the court as Raconic plays Australia\'s Bernard Tomic during their semifinal tennis match on the sixth day of the Queen\'s Championships London. McEnroe wants to see players get fed up that they can\'t break through against Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, that they remain stuck behind Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray heading into Wimbledon.(AP Photo/Tim Ireland, File)

LONDON – John McEnroe says Serena Williams would be “like 700” in the world tennis rankings if she played on the men’s tour.

McEnroe, speaking to NPR about his memoir “You Cannot Be Serious,” says Williams is the best female player ever, “no question.” But when asked about her being the best ever, without gender qualifiers, McEnroe was clear that he didn’t think so.

McEnroe says “if she played the men’s circuit she’d be like 700 in the world.”

The former tennis bad boy added that he thought Williams could beat some male players, “but if she had to just play the circuit — the men’s circuit — that would be an entirely different story.”

McEnroe won seven Grand Slam titles in his career. Williams has won 23.

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