John McEnroe’s spouse made telling ‘intercourse’ remark as he returns to BBC for Wimbledon

Tennis legend John McEnroe and wife Patty Smyth have been happily married for almost three decades and she has admitted that one factor is key

John McEnroe and rockstar wife Patty Smyth are approaching 30 years as a married couple and remain as solid as ever thanks in no small part to one factor.

The three-time Wimbledon men’s singles champion, who will be back as part of the BBC’s live broadcasting team this summer, wed singer-songwriter Patty in 1997 following the breakdown of his first marriage to actress Tatum O’Neal. The former world No. 1, who marked his 67th birthday in February, was notorious for his rebellious behaviour on court and has built a reputation for his distinctive commentary and analysis away from it.

He forms part of a stellar BBC line-up this year, with the likes of Andre Agassi and Eugenie Bouchard also poised to contribute their knowledge to the coverage from SW19. McEnroe has two children with Patty, who achieved a top-10 hit with her band Scandal in the 80s, plus three children from his earlier marriage. The couple’s enduring success stems largely from adhering to a crucial principle.

JOIN US ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page

Speaking to People in 2020, Smyth declared “you’ve got to keep the sex going!” when revealing the secret to their marriage. Nevertheless, she was equally eager to emphasise the significance of maintaining a low profile despite being a celebrity couple.

“For me, it was a superstition thing,” the singer, now 69, said. “I didn’t want to be like, ‘Hey, look at us, we’re this happy couple.’ I just thought if I kept it on the down-low, I had this gut feeling that we would stay together – if I threw it out to the world, that we wouldn’t – because I’ve seen that happen so many times.”

She also disclosed she and McEnroe had been in preliminary discussions over a reality show around the turn of the century but seemed thankful it never materialised. “That probably would have broken us up, I bet you,” she added.

The musician confessed previous relationships collapsed due to a craving for something fresh but said matters were always different when it came to her husband. “If you get to know somebody and get really intimate, it can get more exciting and just more of a real journey. That’s a gift,” she said.

“Twenty-something years later, I’m like, ‘Wow, I still have these feelings when I see him.’ Never did I think that I would ever be with somebody for this long… I think we got very lucky.”

McEnroe has also spoken openly about his marriage, including during an appearance on In Depth with Graham Bensinger in 2018. “I was 35 years old when we started to go out and at that time I thought I don’t want any more kids, I don’t want to have another marriage,” the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion said.

“I just want to go out with some young girls who don’t want to do anything but have a good time, and then Patty came along. It gave me a second lease on life and she doesn’t get thanked enough.

“[She] has allowed me to do my thing. She makes me more whole and a better person. I like to think we work as a team and we’ve made each other better, the sum of the two of us is better than individual parts.”