John McEnroe faces backlash with comment about French Open winner Iga Swiatek ‘throwing on a little makeup’

John McEnroe upset some tennis fans with a comment he made about Polish tennis player and world No. 1, Iga Swiatek, while commentating the women’s final at the French Open Saturday.
Co-commentator Mary Carillo brought up an endorsement deal offered to the five-time Grand Slam winner by Lancôme that never came to be.
“A good story in the London Times by Stuart Fraser back in April, and he explained that Lancôme, which is a beauty company, came to her with an offer,” Carillo said. “And she said ‘I don’t really wear a lot of makeup.’ But she is such a winner, so humble.”

“Do you think if they offer her enough, Lancôme, then maybe she would consider throwing on a little makeup for the right price?” McEnroe responded with a chuckle to his colleague.
The comment garnered criticism online from angry fans who found it sexist.
“In 2024 why are we letting John McEnroe commentate on women’s tennis matches,” one fan wrote on X.
Another fan said coverage of the match was “insufferable” because of McEnroe, adding that it’s “Time for an upgrade.”
“Hey @NBCSports, I like John McEnroe but his time has passed as a commentator,” the fan wrote.
A representative for McEnroe did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Swiatek went on to win the match against Italian tennis player Jasmine Paolini, earning her third consecutive French Open win. At 23 years old, Swiatek is the youngest woman to win four total French Open titles.
The Polish tennis player posted a picture to her X account with her trophy following her win.

🇫🇷 Merci Paris. You’re my favorite place to play, smile and wear some nice outfits once in a while. 🫶🏼 @rolandgarros pic.twitter.com/uVWxdAbdb4

— Iga Świątek (@iga_swiatek) June 9, 2024

“Mercy Paris. You’re my favorite place to play, smile and wear some nice outfits once in a while,” Swiatek wrote.
Saturday wasn’t the first time McEnroe has upset fans with comments about a woman tennis player.
In an interview with NPR in 2017, McEnroe was asked why he quantifies Serena Williams as the best female player and not just the best player in the world.
“Well because if she was in, if she played the men’s circuit she’d be like 700 in the world,” McEnroe responded.

McEnroe began his professional tennis career in the late 1970s and went on to become one of the top-ranked male tennis players for more than 20 years. He dominated tennis in the 1980s with three Wimbledon titles and four U.S. Open titles.
He is also known for outbursts on the court during his professional tennis career, including his famous quote that he yelled at an official at Wimbledon: “You cannot be serious!”
In 1992, McEnroe began commentating for NBC during the broadcasting company’s coverage of the French Open and Wimbledon.