John McEnroe has barely needed a tennis racket to make headlines at this year’s US Open. The seven-time Grand Slam champion has once again found himself at the center of fan frustration, this time after his commentary during Learner Tien’s five-set battle against Jakub Mensik left viewers openly questioning whether ESPN should turn his microphone down.

Tien eventually prevailed 6-3, 1-6, 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-4, but much of the conversation afterward was not about the dramatic comeback. Instead, viewers were talking about McEnroe, with some openly asking ESPN to turn his microphone down.

During Tien vs. Mensik, the frustration was less about one outrageous remark and more about McEnroe’s tone and apparent preference for Mensik. After the ESPN booth declared “this is over” when Mensik won the third-set tiebreak, Tien went on to force a fifth and win the match. Reacting to McEnroe’s commentary, one fan wrote, “John McEnroe never beating the most annoying man alive allegations.”

The reaction comes after a tournament in which ESPN’s broadcast booth has produced two very different narratives. Andy Roddick, making his debut calling matches in New York, has largely won viewers over, while McEnroe has repeatedly found himself on the receiving end of criticism.

Earlier in the tournament, fans took issue with his commentary during Alexander Zverev’s marathon victory over Lorenzo Sonego.

McEnroe’s repeated interruptions and difficulty pronouncing Zverev’s name became a talking point. Then came his remark after Mariano Navone stunned Novak Djokovic.

“You’ll be playing your second round on Court 21. We wish you the best,” McEnroe told Navone.

The problem? There is no Court 21 at the US Open.

McEnroe is not unaware of the criticism that follows him.

In 2021, after backlash over his comments about Emma Raducanu, he admitted that past experiences had made him more conscious of how he talks about players and their journeys. But he also made it clear that he has no intention of completely changing his style, saying, “I still believe I should be myself and that’s what I’m hired to do.”

He even acknowledged that some criticism is deserved: “I’ve said far worse, believe me, some things that I’m sure I deserve to be criticized for.”

That history made his latest commentary even easier for fans to scrutinize.

After McEnroe compared the American to Jalen Brunson, one viewer wrote, “John McEnroe just called Learner Tien the Jalen Brunson of tennis. He’s about to piss me off.”

Another fan went even further: “Is John McEnroe a paid agent of Czechia? tbh I HOPE there are bribes behind the way he talks about Menšik, bc otherwise I’m kind of concerned that he wants to wear that boy’s skin.”

And this is hardly the first time McEnroe’s commentary has caused backlash. His comments about Nicolas Jarry drew criticism in 2023, while his 2024 French Open remark about Iga Swiatek and makeup was slammed as sexist.

Reacting to his commentary, one fan questioned, “Is John McEnroe drunk or something?”

His tendency to speak his mind is hardly new. McEnroe built much of his playing career around that very personality, earning the “Super Brat” reputation through explosive emotions and relentless intensity.

But that same personality does not always land behind the microphone. “Are the commentators and John McEnroe on ESPN pronouncing Jakub Mensik’s name correctly?? lol It sounds so awkward when they say it….. 😂,” another fan wrote.

Others were even more direct, simply asking ESPN to get McEnroe “off the air” at the US Open.

Commentary comes with a different responsibility. What made McEnroe fascinating on court can become frustrating behind the microphone. And as fans made clear during the Tien-Mensik match, they do not mind McEnroe talking.

They just want him to know when to stop.