Fifty year old former world number one Ivan Lendl is to make a return to tennis this year, even though he has barely picked up a racquet during the last sixteen years, choosing to spend time with his family.
The Czech born player will be joined by the player he beat to win the first of his eight grand slam victories, way back in 1984, none other than John McEnroe.
The pair are among six former tennis stars who will come together for the ATP Champions Tour in Paris in October. While two of the competitors have yet to be announced, Lendl and McEnroe do know that they will be joined by Sweden’s seven time grand slam winner Mats Wilander and the French player Yannick Noah who has enjoyed a career as a recording artist since quitting tennis seven years ago.
John McEnroe has a long memory and is looking forward to turn the tables on Lendl given half a chance, he said;
“Oh boy, l’m looking forward to it. We had some great matches together but it’s been a long time and he hasn’t played for more than 15 years so I think we need to discuss a few things, both on and off the court. I know he’s been working most of the last year to get back into the type of shape he needs to be in, because it doesn’t get any easier as you get older. But we’ll be giving it our all, that’s for sure.”
The ATP Champions Tour takes place at Paris Racing Club in the Bois de Boulogne on October 1st-3rd.
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