John McEnroe Respects Serena Williams But Stands By His Opinion 

There is nothing 'controversial' about McEnroe's opinion. If anything he was being generous.

Alternate Title: Former number 1 tennis player makes educated guess, gets booed at by people who have never touched a racket

This is like McEnroe saying,"The sky is blue" and people losing their minds.

McEnroe: engaging in honest dialogue. Colbert: engaging in double-speak to keep his job secure. Simple utter disgust for the hollywood elites.

Why is this guy getting ostracized for telling the truth?!? Kudos to the man who speaks his mind! Shame to the man who hides behind a network agenda!

Weird how even the facts offend people.

Serena lost to the 215th ranked man who smoked and drank during the match.

This whole situation was ridiculous. You ask an expert and former professional his opinion and then get mad at him and think you know better than him when he gives an answer you don't like. Childish beyond belief.

Even Serena said herself that she would get killed by the men pro's. Men's tennis is just a different game, they're faster, stronger, hit harder etc.

What is going on with the world, what he said is simply true, not demeaning in any way.

McEnroe being the boss that he is. Good for him to spell some truth.

I love how a crowd of ignorant people with regards to tennis is prepared to boo a hall of fame tennis player.

Does anyone actually believe that S Williams would even have a chance against a top 100 mens player? McEnroe was right.

Colbert: “You can’t be serious.” McEnroe: I’m dead serious.

Stephen Colbert made a fool out of himself in this interview

Wow, Colbert has really sold out. He is truly unwatchable these days. No personal opinions, only mainstream political correctness. I miss Dave. This sucks.

"But men can't cook as well as women" Gordon Ramsay - Hold my Olive Oil

If Serena wants to prove him wrong, let her move to the men's tournaments and we'll see how she handles 5 set matches and the talent of the top tennis players in the world!

As McEnroe has said in subsequent interviews; we could end all debate by merging men's and women's professional tennis into a single association. Let them compete together in all the same tournaments, and let's see how the women fare.

So the audience knows more than McEnroe about Tennis, noice.

Remember when ppl said Ronda rousey could fight in the men's division in UFC lol

Stephen sure knows his tennis 'after Wimbelton'

Colbert, as edgy as a butterknife.

Love how self-aware he is. I hope that in my lifetime I achieve this level of don't give AF what people think. Legend.

Serena Williams, 2013: _To me, men's and women's tennis are like two completely different sports. If I were to play Andy Murray, I would lose 6/0 6/0 in 5, maybe 6 minutes. It's a completely different sport. The men are a lot faster, they server harder, they hit harder. It's just a different game. I love to play women's tennis and I only want to play girls because I do not want to be embarrassed._ Source: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2cRIb63X_e0.html

The audience has a cumulative IQ of about 47.

Is Usain Bolt upset because he can't beat a cheetah?

Colbert makes makes me sick when he says 'the sharks are swimming around right now'. Essentially meaning that McEnroe shouldn't tell the truth, he should be like Colbert who's basis of opinion is purely based on ultra sensitive P.C culture people yelling loudly

Serena played the #203 pro male. . . and lost quickly. The extra power and speed translate into a very different kind of tennis.

I dont get what he said wrong? are we so disillusioned by feminism that we think women are physically equal to men in all ways? Im a woman but im not offended if my husband can open a jar and I cant. I dont get what people find so offensive here? Theres a reason why women and men dont compete against one another in most sports - there would be no competition at all.

Don't watch Tennis. No idea who this guy was til an hour ago. Love his "not going to apologize to your horseshit" attitude. Instant fan.

The guy with black hair was really just trying to get the crowds approval and claps rather than actually interviewing John McEnroe

Wtf, Colbert, "a life boat"? So in order for people to survive in this world, they should only say things they don't believe, backtrack, and apologize all the time? That's idiotic.

One thing with McEnroe he's is honest, and his honesty earns my respect!

Its WimbleDON not WimbleTON, Stephen.

Another event dubbed a "Battle of the Sexes" took place during the 1998 Australian Open between Karsten Braasch and the Williams sisters. Venus and Serena Williams had claimed that they could beat any male player ranked outside the world's top 200, so Braasch, then ranked 203rd, challenged them both. Braasch was described by one journalist as "a man whose training regime centered around a pack of cigarettes and more than a couple of bottles of ice cold lager". The matches took place on court number 12 in Melbourne Park, after Braasch had finished a round of golf and two shandies. He first took on Serena and after leading 5-0, beat her 6-1. Venus then walked on court and again Braasch was victorious, this time winning 6-2. Braasch said afterwards, "500 and above, no chance". He added that he had played like someone ranked 600th in order to keep the game "fun" and that the big difference was that men can chase down shots much easier and put spin on the ball that female players could not handle. The Williams sisters adjusted their claim to beating men outside the top 350.

its not just his opinion... its a simple fact he was even being generous saying Serena would be 700th

FACTS do not care about your feelings people...

Colbert should show this individual more respect!!!! He did more in his respective career than Colbert will ever do

Love Colbert correcting John's grammar, and then follows up with two "Wimbleton"s. What a guy.

He's a very good tennis commentator. Doesn't talk too much or too little, makes fascinating points.

any tennis player would agree with mcenroe, any non tennis players would be offended

I'm a woman and a feminist and there's nothing wrong with what he said. Serena has said the same in the past. The game is different for men and women and it's not sexist to acknowledge that. He probably should have said it in a more elegant way, but I don't think it's a big deal.

Salute to the legend John McEnroe for standing his ground!!!

The reporter asked him why he wasn't calling Serena the best player in the world, instead of just the best female one. His reply was simple, because there are at least 700 players better than her. Is that too hard to understand? Feminist swine all over the place.

Anyone who disagrees with McEnroe on this knows nothing about tennis. There are probably plenty of female athletes in other sports in which an intersex division would be more evenly played out, but tennis is not one of them. Period.

We know she can't beat a player ranked 203rd in the world, remember when Venus and Serena Williams had claimed that they could beat any male player ranked outside the world's top 200, so Karsten Braasch, then ranked 203rd, challenged them both. The matches took place on court number 12 in Melbourne Park, after Braasch had finished a round of golf and two shandies. He first took on Serena and after leading 5-0, beat her 6-1. Venus then walked on court and again Braasch was victorious, this time winning 6-2. Braasch said afterwards, "500 and above, no chance". He added that he had played like someone ranked 600th in order to keep the game "fun". Braasch said the big difference was that men can chase down shots much easier, and that men put spin on the ball that the women can't handle. The Williams sisters adjusted their claim to beating men outside the top 350.

"John McEnroe speaking the truth...totally offends me" This is why safe spaces were created...

Damn he's gonna hurt someone's feelings with all those facts!! Madman!!

I love how all these people act like they know more than McEnroe.

Stehen Colbert is a fool.

It's funny no one is denying what he says but everyone is offended that he said that.

McEnroe was being generous when he said she would be ranked 700 in the world. In reality she would be outside the top 1,000. Even college level players would have no trouble returning her serve. On top of that she would be one of the slowest players on the men's tour. It's not chauvinist to say that men on average are much faster and have more muscle than women. Even her height would be a tremendous disadvantage on the men's tour. But hey, if she wants to prove all the naysayers wrong, she can play a match against someone ranked 500, but she won't because she knows she would lose.

Thank goodness he backs up his opinion and doesn't get in front of a podium to apologize for something he doesn't believe.

Anyone here after Serena Williams vs Osaka ?

I coach for a living and have worked at both IMG and Hopman academies where numerous tour players train. For match play against the #1 and #2 female players at the time, we placed them against the #1 15 year old boy in the country who would beat them often. Don’t kid yourselves folks, McEnroe is spot on. The great thing about female tennis is that they compete amongst others whose levels are close. It makes for great tennis.

wow, this is scary. The whole segment is geared to "re-educate" him. This is surreal !

Respect to the Mack from England, we love him over here, straight talkin no BS, what a legend !

Yeah, he won't apologise for his (correct) opinion because he has some self-respect Stephen, you might want to find yours.

She’d be ranked well out of the top 1,000. McEnroe was being nice

A whole lot of people are unnecessarily sensitive these days. The world is crumbling!!

Opinion? He stated facts. Facts don't care about your feelings.

3:15 I know he's half joking, but this moment right here kind of shows the difference between someone like Colbert v.s Mcenroe. Colbert seems to think you should just follow the mainstream cultural opinion and if people seem upset you should placate them, because that's more important than values and principles. That's how things like the Nazi party rise up.

For those of you that don’t know, McEnroe was must see back in his prime. He wasn’t just loud and quick tempered....his game was a work of art. Compared to his peers he had more finesse with attention to pace and shot placement, he had a strong serve and could play the net like none ever could. And don’t forget the big hair! IMO his era was the golden era of men’s tennis....Borg, Conners, McEnroe, Becker, Lendl. He’s had a great career as an announcer too...he’s just the best.

I'd be pretty pissed off with this interview if I were John. Colbert totally sold him out to pander to the SJW's and the professionally offended that watch the show. How sad.

classic SJW's

700 would be way too high. The best 15 years old male youth players would beat her.

Everyone is hating on this guy, but serena literally said in an interview with letterman that she could not compete in the men's game due to quicker serves and men being faster on the court

Men on average are taller, faster and stronger than women BTW I'm a woman

Political correctness is so nauseating.

You only need to watch a Mens tennis match and a Womens to see how vastly different the two are...

Colbert is so unfunny not one time have I ever even smiled at one of his "jokes"

John may be dumb to say this, but it really isn't sexist. You just have to be on the inside of the sport to truly get what he is saying. I played high school and college tennis. And I was nationally ranked in another racket sport. In high school, here in NJ, Caroline Stoll, a top player, got permission to play on the boys team. My buddy played her. And yeah, she destroyed him. But we were an average team. Caroline eventually went on to be ranked about 20th in the world. But just a few years before that, she couldn't even beat the best male NJ high school players. When Venus was in her prime, she was clocking serves at 118 mph, the best in the game. I was a mediocre high school player and I hit a few balls over 100. And I am sure, in my day, one or two broke 110. I also played a guy in high school who regularly could hit serves at 120 and accurately. And I beat that guy, because the rest of this game wasn't that great. You can look this stuff up online. The 700th ranked player in the world is still basically a top notch college player. I am sure you can find video of some of the players ranked at that level and compare their play to the top women. And, just looking at those videos, any top player or coach, can easily see who is better. It's biology, not sexism. John has a rep as a "bad" guy. But that is really more of a joke than anything else. He is a very very cool person. Married rock star Patty Smyth, who is hardly some wallflower who would take a sexist husband. Hung around rock guys, very cool. Opened an art gallery in NYC. I know someone who showed there. Very open, very cool. Did Yoga. This is not some sexist dude...at all. If you want to know who he really is...they did a movie about his friendship with Bjorn Borg. Rivals on the court, but when Borg developed serious mental health issues and was suicidal, John wasted no time and went to help and support his friend. And really, that love and support helped lift Borg out of a funk that could have killed him. And aside from the media and having fun with a guy who had some outbursts decades ago....that is who McEnroe really is. And a guy who has been not only incredibly devoted to tennis, to the Davis Cup, but to America itself, as a very very patriotic guy who definitely wanted American tennis to honor America itself. So, no, he is not some loud-mouthed lunatic. That is just PR.

Karsten Braasch beat both Williams sisters at a rank of 203, while he was drinking and heavily smoking, so...

Stephen is so rude and on top of John during this interview, honestly he needs to shut up about a game he doesn't know and probably has never played seriously. I was hoping John would flip out on Stephen for his attitude, but John handled all the questions with complete class!👏🏻 (Also wtf Wimbletin??? It's Wimbledon! Lmao I'm dead!)

I find it incredible that Stephen Colbert, a man who has never played professional tennis, thinks he can lecture a multi-grand slam winning tennis player about tennis! McEnroe knows what he's talking about!

what a disappointing interview by colbert.

He was very diplomatic in his answers if you ask me. Political correctness does have its use... _sometimes_. But people getting upset over this are just being flat out intellectually dishonest. Women just aren't as proficient as men in physical activities - it's just fact, and it's based off sexual dimorphism. Look at serve speeds; look at reflexes - male tennis players just lead at everything statistically, *because they are built that way*. Props to Stephen for "you cannot be serious though"

I love how John doesnt apologize for stating his expert, but politically incorrect, opinion.

This pc bubble is gonna burst soon. Thanks, John McEnroe

I don't trust what an expert would say about tennis. I read a few things my college professor wrote about feminism. That makes ME the tennis expert.

Stephen, please come back to reality. It's not too late.

He's bang on, and should never say sorry for speaking the truth, well done John...

"I was just giving you the out." No, fuck that. Stand by your opinion. Be firm in the shit that you believe. Don't cower because people disagree with you. I don't even give a shit about tennis, but don't back down because someone challenges you. Good on John.

Colbert's audience is toxic. And he has become TV's PC king. God, I miss Dave...

They're really questioning the expertise of a formerly #1 Ranked Singles Men Tennis Player.

You can’t compare men and woman, we are different in so many ways. World is going mad

2017: the year in which you can no longer call a cat, a cat. This whole fuss is about some people doing boohoo over a biological fact, awfully repressive climate we live in today.

Colbert can't even pronounce Wimbledon right.

if men and women played on the same tour you would never see another woman playing tennis on tv again....they wouldn't qualify for any tournaments

I love John. Straight forward, honest, and fearless! They just don't make em like THIS anymore. Don't ask him questions you don't really want the answer to.

So glad that people are pointing out that this is PC crap. McEnroe is absolutely correct.

John doesn't give a fuck !!!! much respect fot that !!!!

Colbert is intolerable.

this is literally the joker movie. Invited him on the show just to make fun of him. With that being said, I wish Colbert had shared the same fate as Murray Franklin

When Colbert said “Wimbelton” I change to another video.

Lost a lot of respect for Stephen the way he pandered to the pc crowd here

There are probably over 2,000 men who could beat Serena, even if she could get a ranking of 700. Because you've got lots of former top 100 men who are now retired and in their late 30's or early 40's. They would all beat Serena. Then you've got the top few hundred college players who don't have any professional ranking. They would all beat Serena.

the amount of disrespect he showed to a tennis legend along with the crowd is staggering

The thing I like about womens' tennis more than mens' is that it contains more and longer rallies, which are exciting to watch. The men oftentimes just ace each other to death, and that gets boring.