John McEnroe has always been an entertainer on and off the court. Whether it be his artistry with the racket in his hand or his outspoken commentary after retirement, his legacy continues to inspire and entertain generations of fans, cementing his place among the greatest of all time in the game.

Talking about his legacy in the sport, apart from winning seven Grand Slam titles in his 16-year-long singles career, John McEnroe was ranked as the world number one in men’s singles by the ATP for 170 weeks. McEnroe was best known during his playing days for his incredible shot-making and volleying skills, and also for his insane rivalries with players like Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors. Other than that, there have been several occasions when he landed himself in troubled waters for his confrontational on-court behavior with umpires and tennis authorities.

So it’s only natural for him to have films based on his life. And in case you are wondering, there are already a couple—a 2022 documentary also named ‘McEnroe’ and a 2017 narrative film titled ‘Borg vs McEnroe.’ But the question is: Are we now going to witness another biopic featuring this tennis great? Well, the 29-year-old American-French actor, Timothée Chalamet, recently shared a tweet featuring John McEnroe, with the words “DREAM BIG” scribbled on it. And guess what? The post has sparked major speculations among fans. Could Chalamet be playing the seven-time Grand Slam champion on the big screen?

Needless to say, playing the role of John McEnroe is never going to be easy. The 2017 biographical sports drama film, named ‘Borg vs McEnroe,’ starring Shia LaBeouf as McEnroe, focused on their famous rivalry at the 1980 Wimbledon Championships, culminating in their encounter in the men’s singles final, one of the most dramatic matches of all time. Speaking about LaBeouf’s role, the writer, Ronnie Sandahl, had then said he “identifies strongly with the character of McEnroe, and felt that he is a misunderstood person.” Shia LaBeouf said that he “cried when reading it (script) for the first time.” 

However, when asked to give a reaction to the same, John McEnroe raised his eyebrows at the comparison with LaBeouf. He said, “Supposedly, he’s crazy. So maybe that works. I’ve never talked to him, so I don’t know how he could play me.” Now, after seeing Timothee Chalamet’s tweet, tennis fans wondered if he’s now ready to take up this challenging task.

Tennis fans’ wild reactions seeing Timothée Chalamet’s shoutout to John McEnroe

“Is he doing a McEnroe biopic ???” one netizen asked. “It never occurred to me that Chalamet could play McEnroe in a biopic one day…” wrote another, equally surprised. His biopic, ‘McEnroe’, covered everything from his upbringing in Douglaston, N.Y.,to his run to the Wimbledon semifinals as an 18-year-old qualifier and his Hall of Fame career that brought him seven Grand Slam titles.

While sharing his thoughts about the ‘McEnroe’ biopic, Stephen Espinoza, President Sport and Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc., stated, “The complexity, intensity, and depth of John’s multifaceted persona make this film transcend from sports documentary to character study. John McEnroe is not just a tennis great; he is a true icon whose career created cultural touchstones and captured the world’s fascination.” So Chalamet will have his work cut out for him. That is, of course, if he takes on the role at all. One fan, however, seemed quite sure: “This is gonna be how we find out Timmy starting in a John McEnroe biopic or smth.“

Chalamet’s accolades include a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards, three BAFTAs, and four Golden Globe Awards. Seeing this post from him raised multiple questions like “John McEnroe biopic?????“

Timothée Chalamet is a known tennis fan, and during the 2025 BNP Paribas Indian Wells Open, he was also spotted enjoying a match with Kylie Jenner. Interestingly, he also has a vast popularity in the tennis world. So, considering all of that, and his recent post, one of the fans even wrote, “I want to see you as a tennis player 🙂‍↔️”  What are your thoughts on seeing him play the role of John McEnroe in the near future?