John McEnroe and his wife Patty Smyth have been married for 29 years, and the couple credits their enduring relationship to a golden rule: keeping their private life low-key and maintaining intimacy. The three-time Wimbledon champion, who returns as a BBC pundit this summer, married singer-songwriter Smyth in 1997 after his divorce from actress Tatum O'Neal. McEnroe, now 67, is known for his on-court antics and sharp commentary, and he joins a star-studded BBC lineup including Andre Agassi and Eugenie Bouchard for Wimbledon 2026.
The Golden Rule: Keep Sex Going and Stay Low-Key
Speaking to People in 2020, Smyth revealed the secret to their marriage: “You’ve got to keep the sex going!” But she also emphasized the importance of avoiding the spotlight. “For me, it was a superstition thing,” she 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.”
Near Miss with Reality TV
The couple almost broke their rule in the early 2000s when they discussed a reality show. Smyth admitted that if it had gone ahead, “That probably would have broken us up, I bet you.” She noted that previous relationships ended due to a desire for novelty, but with McEnroe, things were different. “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's Perspective on Their Marriage
McEnroe has also spoken candidly about their relationship. In a 2018 interview with In Depth with Graham Bensinger, he said: “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. 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. [Smyth] 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.”
Family and Career
The couple has two children together, and McEnroe has three children from his previous marriage. Smyth, now 69, had a top-10 hit with her band Scandal in the 1980s. McEnroe will be part of the BBC's live broadcast team for Wimbledon 2026, covering the tournament from SW19.
