John McEnroe wanted to go home. He had watched and commented on the Australian Open in Melbourne and was simply trying to get to his flight so he could get back to the United States. The problem is that he was dogged by a fan who wanted to take a photograph.
At first, things went, well...fine. McEnroe didn't want to oblige as he had a flight to catch. The fan kept asking, until McEnroe allegedly turned to the fan and said, "Go f*** yourself." This was after the all-time great had told the fan, "Not right now," and "I need you to get away from me."
The truth is that John McEnroe lives in the United States (as do I), and gun control is not in control. If the former tennis player had any worries that the fan interaction might turn into something far more violent, he had a right to feel that way. As an American, being shot isn't out of the question.
Nick Kyrgios empathizes with latest viral moment from John McEnroe
Things might be different in Australia (hopefully, so), but McEnroe has been conditioned to a certain way of fear. He could have felt bothered simply as a human being trying to make his way through an airport, but he might have also thought something worse could occur.
Part of the issue for McEnroe is that his temper has always been questioned. He was often volatile as a player on the court, so maybe many assume his behavior at the airport in Melbourne was just an extension of his usual way of handling himself. Most likely, his reaction was the natural one and one we all would do.
Nick Kyrgios, himself an Aussie and maybe partially inclined to have empathy toward his fellow countryman in terms of chasing down John McEnroe for an autograph, felt solidly conflicted about the situation. Responding on Instagram to a video of the incident posted by the Daily Mail, Kyrgios wrote, "Not easy out here. Can understand both sides."
Well, sort of. Fans are going to fan, and that much is true. Still, McEnroe is also a human being, and none of us would want to be dogged by someone on our way to stand in line to catch a flight. Nothing McEnroe did was wrong. The fan just needed to leave him alone.