"John McEnroe kicked me off, I don’t talk to him much"- When Marcelo Rios believed he was removed from Champions Tour by American for being too good

Former tennis pro Marcelo Rios once expressed his frustration about being removed from the ATP Champions Tour. He suggested that John McEnroe did it because he believed the Chilean was simply too good of a player.

Rios had a remarkable career, making history in 1998 as the first Latin American player to become World No. 1. Although he never won a Grand Slam, he reached the final of the Australian Open that same year and secured a total of 18 career titles.

The 48-year-old retired in 2004 after enduring years of constant injuries, with his last competitive match taking place at a Challenger event in Mexico. Following his retirement, he made his debut on the Champions Tour for former players, having met the requirement of at least two years off the tour.

In a 2008 interview with the TV show Podemos Hablar on Chilevision, Marcelo Rios shared some intriguing insights, claiming that John McEnroe was the one who removed him from the ATP Champions Tour because he was "too young" and dominating his opponents.

"He kicked me off the tour, off the veterans tour, he was like the owner who organized it, and since I did well, he thought I was too young and everything, he told me I couldn’t play anymore. I was kicking everyone’s a**, so he said goodbye to me," Rios said.

"I don’t talk to him much when I see him, I don’t have a lot of things to say. It’s not that I don’t like him, but I hate that he talk on TV that I never won a Slam, he always insisted on that," he added.

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John McEnroe on Marcelo Rios' inclusion to ATP Champions Tour: "They've bastardised the whole thing"

John McEnroe pictured at Wimbledon 2024 | Image Source: Getty

John McEnroe expressed his strong opinions regarding Marcelo Rios' inclusion in the ATP Champions Tour, stating that he believes officials have "bastardized" the concept. He pointed out that this shift began after the age cutoff for including retired players was set at 35.

McEnroe told the Daily Telegraph in 2006:

"They've bastardised the whole thing. It started with the cut-off being 35, which seemed reasonable. I think we are losing credibility."

McEnroe had a stellar career, capturing seven Grand Slam titles before retiring at the end of 1992, ranked as the World No. 20. However, his last singles match on the main tour occurred two years later when he entered the Rotterdam Open as a wildcard, only to lose in the opening round.

Since hanging up his racket, McEnroe has frequently participated in the Champions Tour, spent time at his tennis academy in New York, and, most importantly, has served as a tennis analyst and commentator.