Serena Williams Slams McEnroe For Saying She'd Rank 700th On Men's Tour
"Dear John, I adore and respect you, but please, please keep me out of your statements that are not factually based," Williams responded on social media. "I've never played anyone ranked 'there' nor do I have time. Respect me and my privacy as I'm trying to have a baby. Good day sir." Williams comments were in response to an interview he did where an NPR reporter said of Williams: "She's the best player in the world." "Oh! Uh, she's not, you mean, the best player in the world, period?" McEnroe responded. "On the men's circuit, she'd be like 700 in the world." In an appearance on 'CBS This Morning' during which host Norah O'Donnell asked if he would be willing to apologize to Williams, he replied: "No. It's not necessary. I didn't know it would create controversy." "I respect Serena very much so and I was simply calling her on NPR... which supposedly this is where you can say it like it is and you're gonna get honest feedback." He then conceded: "But she's the greatest player, female player, that's ever lived." Serena Williams (photos
) is firing back after tennis legend and analyst John McEnroe said that if she played on the men's tour, she would rank no higher than 700.