Patty Smyth, wife of tennis legend John McEnroe, has revealed that maintaining a healthy sex life is the secret to their nearly three-decade marriage. The couple, who will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary next year, have been together since 1997 after McEnroe's divorce from actress Tatum O'Neal.
McEnroe Returns to BBC for Wimbledon
McEnroe, a three-time Wimbledon men's singles champion, will rejoin the BBC's live broadcasting team this summer. He will be part of a stellar lineup that includes Andre Agassi and Eugenie Bouchard, providing expert analysis from SW19. The former world No. 1, who turned 67 in February, is known for his fiery on-court behavior and distinctive commentary style.
The Golden Rule for a Lasting Marriage
In a 2020 interview with People, Smyth declared, "You've got to keep the sex going!" when asked about the secret to their long-lasting relationship. However, she also emphasized the importance of privacy. "For me, it was a superstition thing," the 69-year-old singer 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."
Smyth, who had a top-10 hit with her band Scandal in the 1980s, also revealed that the couple had considered a reality show around the turn of the century but were glad it never materialized. "That probably would have broken us up, I bet you," she added.
A Second Lease on Life
McEnroe has also spoken openly about his marriage. In a 2018 appearance on 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."
He added, "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."
Family Life and Previous Relationships
McEnroe has two children with Smyth and three from his previous marriage to Tatum O'Neal. Smyth confessed that her past relationships ended because she craved something new, but her marriage to McEnroe has been 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."
