It was all smiles for John McEnroe on Wednesday evening in Paris, where he was awarded the French Legion of Honour by President Emmanuel Macron.
The American attended the ceremony in the Elysee Palace alongside guests Mats Wilander and Mansour Bahrami. Macron is an avid tennis fan and praised former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings McEnroe during his speech at the ceremony.
“You are a legend of world sport, one of the greatest of all time,” Macron said according to L’Equipe. “And since the start of the Open era, no other player has won as many titles as you: 155 including 17 Grand Slams in singles and doubles, as well as World No. 1 in singles and doubles simultaneously.
“But like Tyson in boxing, Jordan in basketball or Pele in football, legends are not defined solely by an extraordinary amount of accomplishments. It is also the emotions that they evoke, the mark that they leave in sport, their character, their personality, the vibrations of humanity and in this area too, dear John, you are one of the greatest..."
The Legion of Honour is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil.
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