Tennis legend Patrick McEnroe is advocating for changes at the federal level in college athletics, addressing issues like transgender participation and a strange smell of marijuana that surfaced at this year’s U.S. Open.
During an appearance on OutKick’s “Tomi Lahren is Fearless,” McEnroe raised concerns about the dominance of foreign players in American college tennis, describing the situation as a “canary in the coal mine” for the sport. He pointed out that in a recent game between significant SEC and ACC teams, 21 out of the 24 players were international recruits.
McEnroe remarked, “I’ve been in tennis my whole life. I played college tennis, had an amazing experience, and I became, quite frankly, deeply concerned” about the increasing numbers of foreign players.
He is now fighting for more opportunities for American college athletes, which led him to write an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal and take his message to Capitol Hill, where he is advocating for a new bill currently in the House of Representatives.
He emphasized that the purpose of American universities and their athletic departments is to support and educate local students, stating that U.S. schools should prioritize homegrown talent over international athletes.
On the topic of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, McEnroe didn’t hold back. As a father of three daughters, he expressed his desire to safeguard young girls in sports, stating, “I’m not for a trans playing in female sports, no, I’m not.”
McEnroe also touched upon the cannabis aroma that disrupted matches at the U.S. Open. He suggested that players complaining about the smell might need to relax a little, attributing the issue to tournament staff taking breaks behind the venue.
In a humorous remark, he said, “Instead of taking a break and having some Gatorade, I guess they were taking a little puff.” Reflecting on past tournaments, he mentioned missing the smell of grilling burgers more than the recent weed scent, noting, “I kind of miss the smell of the burger.”
Ultimately, he concluded that players should get over the issue, saying, “Making a mountain out of a molehill, not that big of a deal.”
