John McEnroe thinks the British royals should bow to tennis stars at Wimbledon.
The outspoken former player has rubbished the traditions that surround the royals and the royal box at the All England Club ahead of the start of this year’s Wimbledon tennis tournament.
In an extract taken from his new autobiography and published by MailOnline, McEnroe said: "As for all the bowing and the curtsying – and we’re not just talking about the Queen here, we’re talking about some pretty minor royals – what was that all about?
"This was the class system gone mad, the opposite of a meritocracy where hard work is rewarded and people are respected because they’ve actually done something, not because they’ve been born on the right side of the tracks."
McEnroe, 58, questioned the logic behind the tradition, saying that the tennis stars ought to be shown more respect by the watching crowd.
He wrote: "Who were the performers here? The players, right? So why were they bowing to someone else when they were about to provide the entertainment?
"Those people in the royal box should think about bowing to them."
During his trophy-laden playing days, McEnroe won three Wimbledon singles titles in 1981, 1983 and 1984.
However, McEnroe’s rebellious nature often served to overshadow his on-court achievements, which saw him become one of the sport’s greatest ever players.
John McEnroe blasts royal traditions at Wimbledon
