Grumpy Mac lashes out at player sked complaints

John McEnroe has used a trip to Spain to come down hard on modern player complaints of a tennis schedule which is leaving players injured as an 11-month campaign drags on.

Mac, noted these days as a controversial tennis commentator, certainly gave “get off my lawn” vibes as he blasted the current ATP crop of competitors.

The ongoing Shanghai Masters is missing world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz through injury as the season hits the final sprint to the mid-November Finals in Turin.

“We used to play more than they’re playing now , just so you know,” the 67-year-old said of his career which began half a century ago..

“Maybe it’s physically harder, or maybe they get more tired, I don’t know. They say they play very fast. Perhaps they need to rest more.”

The American told radio Cadena Ser: “We used to play the Australian Open at Christmas, and now I get the feeling that tennis players play whenever they want.”

Mac said that today’s boatloads of prize money can apparently buy tennis happiness – as long as players keep plugging away on the tournament treadmill.

“Tournaments are all about money; there are a thousand competitions, so they earn more. They give you more days, and you keep making money.”

More and more players are joining the chorus of complaints about the expanded Masters 1000 series – formerly lasting the standard seven days.

Under the current ATP iteration, the event can now stretch to 12-13 days, draining players of energy and leaving little or no time between one event and the other on a chock-a-block calendar.