As the debate over Saudi Arabia’s growing involvement with tennis rages on, stories of John McEnroe and his boycott of an apartheid government have resurfaced. The American icon turned 65 recently. He had lost millions of dollars for refusing to play an exhibition in South Africa in 1980 but has no regrets.
The main concerns with Saudi Arabia making inroads into the ATP and the WTA are their alleged human rights violation and draconian laws that are not women and LGBTQ+ friendly. The Gulf nation is often accused of using sports to gloss over this, i.e. sportswashing. Many have voiced worries about the enforcing of certain rules upon WTA stars and female fans. Not to forget, the treatment and reception of homosexual athletes and fans is also a worry.
McEnroe, one of the leading dissenters of the increasing Saudi Arabian influence, had once refused to play tennis in a human rights-violating nation. Speaking with journalist Graham Bensinger in 2018, McEnroe revealed he had turned down an offer to face Bjorn Borg in an exhibition match in South Africa in 1980. He said he let go of about $1 million, which, he claimed would have been ’10 million’ today.
“A lot of people over the years have come up to me and thanked me for not going to South Africa when I was offered a lot. A million dollars that time was like, at least 10 million or more, to play an exhibition against Bjorn. So I feel proud that I made that decision at the time.”
$1 million in 1980, though, comes out to about $4 million today. Regardless, it is a huge sum for only one match, more so for a player hitting his peak. However, John McEnroe said he turned it down because of the apartheid practice. The government-institutionalised racial segregation saw many non-white people suffer and live through discrimination and harsh conditions.
Recently, Martina Navratilova, another leading critic of Saudi Arabia, revealed she had also received a similar offer. She said she and Chris Evert turned down millions to play in an exhibition in South Africa around the same time.
Chris and I got a big offer to go to SAfrica in the 80’s and also didn’t go.
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) August 25, 2023
John McEnroe net worth: Stunning number despite losing millions in 1980
Not taking up those millions of dollars during his peak playing years has not hurt McEnroe’s finances much. With 77 career titles, including seven Grand Slams, he minted $12,552,132 as career prize money.
The American has, or had, endorsement deals with HEAD, Dunlop, Penn Solinco, Sergio Tacchini, Nike, and Gold Coast. As one of the most popular tennis stars, he made a handful of cameo appearances in various shows, movies, and documentaries. John McEnroe is also one of the highest-paid analysts or commentators on the tour currently.
The retired World No.1 is a massive investor in real estate, along with wife, singer Patty Smyth. The most lavish among all their reported properties is a $21 million oceanfront home in Malibu’s exclusive Paradise Cove. The couple is said to hold over $50 million worth of real estate in Los Angeles. They also own an art gallery in Manhattan since 1993. Overall, the John McEnroe net worth is a cool $100 million (Tennis365).
McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, and Chris Evert remain the biggest critics of the Saudi Arabian takeover of tennis. Despite most top players of today like Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Ons Jabeur, and Aryna Sabalenka being complicit, the old guard has not let go of their beliefs. Even as more and more players accept the oil-rich nation’s riches, the trio has stood firm in opposing it and speaking up against it.
