Tennis great and former world No.1 John McEnroe’s recent comment on Serena Williams, saying “if she played the men’s circuit she would be like 700 in the world ranking”, is totally unwarranted, and sounds very embarrassing. (“Serena asks McEnroe for ‘respect’,” June 28). Williams’s list of accomplishments, which includes 23 Grand Slam titles, and still counting, doesn’t actually need wins over male players to justify its greatness. McEnroe may well turn the pages of tennis records to know that women tennis players in the past had indeed defeated men.
Two of such ‘battle-of-sexes’ matches were: Billie Jean King trouncing Bobby Riggs in a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 three-setter in 1973 and Helen Wills Moody toppling her doubles partner Phil Neer in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 in an exhibition match in 1933.
R. Sivakumar,
Chennai
