Lendl–McEnroe rivalry

This was a tennis rivalry between Czech Ivan Lendl, and American John McEnroe, who met in their careers 36 times on the regular between 1980 and 1992.^[1]^[2] They met over 60 times in total in tournament play. 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

Official matches (Lendl 21-15 McEnroe)

Legend (Lendl – McEnroe)
Grand Slam (7–3)
Masters (3–2)
WCT Finals (1-2)
Davis Cup (1–0)
ATP Masters Series (1–0)
ATP International Series (8-8)

Note: WEA indicates a match canceled due to weather, does not count as a victory.

Year	Tournament	Surface	Round	Winner	Score
1980	Milan	Carpet	SF	John McEnroe	6–3, 1–6, 6–2
1980	US Open	Hard	QF	John McEnroe	4–6, 6–3, 6–2, 7–5
1981	Roland Garros	Clay	QF	Ivan Lendl	6–4, 6–4, 7–5
1981	Davis Cup, New York City	Hard	QF	Ivan Lendl	6–4, 14-12, 7–5
1981	Masters, New York City	Carpet	SF	Ivan Lendl	6–4, 6–2
1982	WCT Finals, Dallas	Carpet	F	Ivan Lendl	6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3
1982	Canadian Open, Toronto	Hard	SF	Ivan Lendl	6–4, 6–4
1982	US Open	Hard	SF	Ivan Lendl	6–4, 6–4, 7–6
1982	Masters, New York City	Carpet	F	Ivan Lendl	6–4, 6–4, 6–2
1983	U.S. Pro Indoor, Philadelphia	Carpet	F	John McEnroe	4–6, 7–6, 6–4, 6–3
1983	WCT Finals, Dallas	Carpet	F	John McEnroe	6–2, 4–6, 6–3, 6–7, 7–6
1983	Wimbledon	Grass	SF	John McEnroe	7–6, 6–4, 6–4
1983	San Francisco	Carpet	F	Ivan Lendl	3–6, 7–6, 6–4
1983	Masters, New York City	Carpet	F	John McEnroe	6–3, 6–4, 6–4
1984	U.S. Pro Indoor, Philadelphia	Carpet	F	John McEnroe	6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 7–6
1984	Donnay Indoor Championships, Brussels	Carpet	F	John McEnroe	6–1, 6–3
1984	WCT Tournament of Champions, Forest Hills	Clay	F	John McEnroe	6–4, 6–2
1984	World Team Cup, Düsseldorf	Clay	F	John McEnroe	6–3, 6–2
1984	French Open	Clay	F	Ivan Lendl	3–6, 2–6, 6–4, 7–5, 7–5
1984	US Open	Hard	F	John McEnroe	6–3, 6–4, 6–1
1984	Masters, New York City	Carpet	F	John McEnroe	7–5, 6–0, 6–4
1985	WCT Tournament of Champions, Forest Hills	Clay	F	Ivan Lendl	6–3, 6–3
1985	World Team Cup, Düsseldorf	Clay	F	Ivan Lendl	6–7, 7–6, 6–3
1985	Volvo International, Stratton Mountain	Hard	F	John McEnroe	7–6, 6–2
1985	Canadian Open, Montreal	Hard	F	John McEnroe	7–5, 6–3
1985	US Open	Hard	F	Ivan Lendl	7–6, 6–3, 6–4
1987	Volvo International, Stratton Mountain	Hard	F	WEA	WEA
1987	US Open	Hard	QF	Ivan Lendl	6–3, 6–3, 6–4
1988	French Open	Clay	R16	Ivan Lendl	6–7, 7–6, 6–4, 6–4 ^[4]
1989	Australian Open	Hard	QF	Ivan Lendl	7–6, 6–2, 7–6
1989	WCT Finals, Dallas	Carpet	SF	John McEnroe	6–7, 7–6, 6–2, 7–5
1989	Canadian Open, Montreal	Hard	F	Ivan Lendl	6–1, 6–3
1989	Masters, New York City	Carpet	RR	Ivan Lendl	6–3, 6–3
1990	Toronto Indoor	Carpet	SF	Ivan Lendl	6–3, 6–2
1990	Queen's, London	Grass	SF	Ivan Lendl	6–2, 6–4
1991	Connecticut Open,Long Island	Hard	SF	Ivan Lendl	6–3, 7–5
1992	Canadian Open, Toronto	Hard	QF	Ivan Lendl	6–2, 6–4

Invitational tournament matches (Lendl 16–11 McEnroe)

Year	Tournament	Surface	Round	Winner	Score
1981	Rome	Carpet	F	John McEnroe	7–6, 6–4
1981	Suntory Cup, Tokyo	Carpet	SF	John McEnroe	7–6, 6–4
1981	Brooklyn Masters, Milan	Carpet	F	Ivan Lendl	6–4, 2–6, 6–4
1981	Europe vs. Americas, Barcelona	Carpet	RR	John McEnroe	4–6, 7–6, 6–1
1981	Challenge of Champions, Chicago	Carpet	SF	John McEnroe	6–1, 7–6
1982	Molson Light Challenge, Toronto	Carpet	F	Ivan Lendl	7–5, 3–6, 7–6, 7–5
1982	AKAI Gold Challenge, Sydney	Carpet	RR	Ivan Lendl	7–5, 6–2, 1–6, 4–6, 6–1
1982	Europe vs. Americas, Barcelona	Carpet	RR	Ivan Lendl	2–6, 7–5, 6–2
1982	European Community Championship, Antwerp	Carpet	F	Ivan Lendl	3–6, 7–6, 6–3, 6–3
1982	Challenge of Champions, Chicago	Carpet	RR	John McEnroe	6–3, 6–2
1983	Luxembourg	Carpet	F	Ivan Lendl	6–4, 6–2
1983	Rio Tennis Challenge, Canberra	Carpet	F	John McEnroe	6–3, 6–1
1984	AKAI Gold Challenge, Sydney	Carpet	RR	John McEnroe	7–5, 6–2, 6–1
1984	Suntory Cup, Tokyo	Carpet	F	Ivan Lendl	6–4, 3–6, 6–2
1985	The Forum Tennis Challenge, Inglewood	Carpet	F	John McEnroe	6–4, 7–6
1985	Suntory Cup, Tokyo	Carpet	F	Ivan Lendl	6–4, 6–2
1985	Meadowlands Tennis Challenge, East Rutherford	Carpet	F	Ivan Lendl	7–5, 6–4
1985	European Community Championship, Antwerp	Carpet	F	Ivan Lendl	1–6, 7–6, 6–2, 6–2
1985	Challenge of Champions, Atlanta	Carpet	SF	Ivan Lendl	7–6, 6–3
1986	The Forum Tennis Challenge, Inglewood	Carpet	F	Ivan Lendl	6–4, 3–6, 7–6
1986	Norstar Bank Hamlet Challenge Cup, Jericho	Hard	F	Ivan Lendl	6–2, 6–4
1986	Challenge of Champions, Atlanta	Carpet	SF	John McEnroe	6–4, 7–5
1987	Barcelona	Clay	F	Ivan Lendl	6–3, 3–6, 6–2
1987	Challenge of Champions, Atlanta	Carpet	RR	Ivan Lendl	5–7, 6–4, 7–6
1988	Eurocard Classic, Stuttgart	Carpet	RR	John McEnroe	7–6, 7–6
1988	Michelin Challenge, Inglewood	Carpet	F	John McEnroe	7–5, 6–2
1989	All Stars Tennis Classic, Bologna	Carpet	F	Ivan Lendl	6–4, 7–5

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

ATP Rankings

Year-end ranking timeline

Player	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994
/ Ivan Lendl		74	20	6	6	3	2	3	1	1	1	2	1	3	5	8	19	54
John McEnroe	21	4	3	2	1	1	1	1	2	14	10	11	4	13	28	20

References

↑ "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.
↑ "Lendl-McEnroe Head to Head Rivalry". ATP World Tour. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
↑ 3.0 3.1 "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 all but one 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.
↑ "Lendl rekindles McEnroe rivalry on Champions Tour". New York Times. August 3, 2010. Retrieved 2010-12-08. Lendl's meeting with McEnroe will revive a rivalry with the man that he beat in the 1984 Roland Garros final which was the American's best chance of lifting an elusive French Open title.