Wimbledon legend John McEnroe has piled pressure on Clare Balding ahead of hosting her first Championships for the BBC. Balding is replacing the long-serving Sue Barker as the corporation’s main Wimbledon host.
McEnroe has likened Barker’s absence to being like when Bjorn Borg did not play. The American was forced to raise his game to fill the shoes of the Swedish former World No 1, who won five consecutive Wimbledon titles.
Barker ended her 29-year career as the BBC’s Wimbledon presenter last year, claiming the ‘time was right’ to reject a contract extension. McEnroe was famously emotional as the 67-year-old former French Open winner waved goodbye to the Wimbledon crowd.
And McEnroe has insisted that Balding has big shoes to fill this year. “Yeah, that (Barker’s absence) is going to be a bummer. Sue is a legend. She was incredible at what she did, so it’s going to be a void,” the 64-year-old told i paper.
“It’s like when [Bjorn] Borg didn’t play. For us, it was a huge thing. So especially since I’ve been doing this, the other side, the commentary side, for as long as I have been doing it with her, she just makes it easier for everyone around her.
“And she did that for 25 years or something. So it’s a tough act to follow. The old cliche: all good things come to an end. She decided that this was enough, go out I guess on a high. And God bless her. Hopefully, she’ll come by and say hello.”
Barker announced prior to the 2022 Wimbledon edition that she would step down, while Balding’s appointment was confirmed soon after. The 52-year-old admits she will be nervous ahead of replacing her friend.
“It’s a tremendous honour. Sue is a good friend of mine and has been really supportive and I will try to do her proud without trying to do what she did,” Balding told the Telegraph.
“I’m really excited about it. Obviously I will be nervous, of course I will. It’s a big deal. This is one of the major sporting events in the world.”
Balding points out that she is starting her new job during a changing of the guard on the court as well as in the studio. She added: “What I’m really looking forward to this year, and over the next five or six years, is seeing who will become the major stars of the next decade.
“We have reached the end of Roger Federer’s reign here, and we are reaching the end of Novak Djokovic, who is still reigning supreme, but what next?”
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