Will AI Make Us All Line Judges?

In June of 1981, John McEnroe arrived at Wimbledon on a mission. The talented but volatile American tennis prodigy was hell-bent on avenging his epic, five-set finals loss from the previous year to his longtime rival, the stoic Swede Björn Borg.

The All England Club had announced the tournament’s draw. McEnroe—the second seed—would play his first-round match on Centre Court. He faced fellow American southpaw Tom Gullikson on June 22 of that year.

As it turns out, that date would live in tennis infamy.

Four Words That Would Define a Career

Early in the first set, McEnroe served from the deuce court. The lefty hit an apparent ace up the tee. Chair umpire Edward James waited a few seconds before ruling the ball out.

The questionable call infuriated McEnroe—and he was not shy about expressing his frustration. Tournament officials, fans, and local journos had seen this movie before. The British tabloids had previously dubbed him Superbrat for his vituperative on-court antics.

Mac didn't want to disappoint—or didn't care. He screamed at James, ultimately uttering perhaps the four most famous words in the history of the sport: You cannot be serious.

During his diatribe, Superbrat also called James “the pits of the world” and an “incompetent fool.” Before resuming play, he took some shots at tournament referee Fred Hoyles. McEnroe’s actions earned him a point penalty and a $1,500 fine for his unsportsmanlike behavior.