The John and Steffi Show Is a Big Hit in First Match

WIMBLEDON, England —  The woman missed the first return of the match.

Her partner threw his racket to the grass.

He promptly netted the second return of the match.

She tossed her racket.

He is John McEnroe and she is Steffi Graf. Meet Wimbledon’s fun couple, who made their mixed doubles debut together and did not disappoint the crowded house at Court 1 on Friday.

The long-awaited pairing produced a victory--as McEnroe and Graf defeated Jeff Coetzee of South Africa and Eva Melicharova of the Czech Republic, 6-2, 6-4, in the first round. It was the 40-year-old McEnroe’s first match at Wimbledon since 1992. He won the mixed doubles with Mary Carillo at the 1977 French Open.

“It was meant to be,” McEnroe said. “We’re both not big mixed doubles players. It’s been 20 years for me, but I couldn’t have picked a better partner. Onward and upward.”

The ninth-seeded wild-card entrants had fun, and McEnroe was his usual theatrical self. They walked onto the court and he exhorted the crowd to make some noise.

“It was unbelievable, stepping out on the court, the two of us today, the response from the crowd,” said Graf, who turned 30 earlier this month.

McEnroe chimed in, saying: “I will never forget it.” Then he pretended to cry.

Melicharova had the toughest time with nerves, especially on her serve. The awkwardness of the motion, as well as her contorted expression, caused the crowd to laugh several times. On the next changeover, McEnroe and Graf shared a chuckle.

What did he say?

“I’m the greatest player of all time,” he said, smiling. “That brought a big laugh from her [Graf]. I think it was looking at that girl’s serve.”

Said Graf: “Don’t say it. I didn’t want to say it.”

McEnroe issued opinions about everything from the success of the senior tour to the Davis Cup. He called Great Britain’s loss to the United States in April a “debacle.”

And he spoke about Graf’s next opponent, 16-year-old qualifier Kim Clijsters of Belgium.

“Steffi is going to destroy another teenager mentally,” McEnroe said. “[Martina] Hingis is a basket case. . . . You see, it’s nice to be 30.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Today’s Featured Matches

* MEN: Thomas Enqvist, Sweden, vs. Patrick Rafter (2), Australia; Alberto Martin, Spain, vs. Andre Agassi (4), U.S.; Richard Krajicek (5), Netherlands, vs. Lorenzo Manta, Switzerland.

* WOMEN: Maria Antonia Sanchez Lorenzo, Spain, vs. Jana Novotna (5), Czech Republic; Lindsay Davenport (3), U.S., vs. Laura Golarsa, Italy; Elena Wagner, Germany, vs. Mary Pierce (9), France.