H2H data updated: 2026-09-01 00:00 UTC

John McEnroe vs Arthur Ashe H2H: 2-0

John McEnroe holds a 2–0 lead over Arthur Ashe in their ATP head-to-head. Across 2 main-draw meetings, John McEnroe leads 2–0 on carpet. Most recently, John McEnroe won the 1978 ATP Finals final 6-7 6-3 7-5.

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John McEnroe
USA Age 67 Left-Handed 180 cm / 5'11"
H2H
2 – 0
2 main draw meetings
Arthur Ashe
USA Age 83 Right-Handed 185 cm / 6'1"

H2H Match Log

PlayerScorePlayerMatch DataDateRoundTournamentCategorySurface
John McEnroe 6-7 6-3 7-5 Arthur Ashe Match data Jan 18, 1979* F ATP Finals ATP Finals Carpet
John McEnroe #4 6-3 6-1 Arthur Ashe #13 Match data Jan 10, 1979 RR ATP Finals ATP Finals Carpet

Estimated match date where the exact historical date is unavailable. Arrows show an edition's recorded category and documented modern equivalent; unresolved editions keep their recorded category. Asterisked totals include editions mapped from documented historical predecessor categories. Mapping details.

Career Comparison

Player Current Peak Pts Elo W L Win % GS 1000 including documented historical predecessor categories Finals 500 including documented historical predecessor categories 250 including documented historical predecessor categories Titles
John McEnroe #1,219 #1 1,506 2,493 835 191 81.4% 7 0 3 3 64 77
Arthur Ashe #99 #2 0 2,259 792 256 75.6% 3 0 0 0 41 44

Career Progression by Age

Seasons are aligned by the age each player spent most of that calendar year. GS and Titles are cumulative career totals through that season.

Age John McEnroe Arthur Ashe
YrW-LWin %RankEloGSTitles YrW-LWin %RankEloGSTitles
17 1976 1–1 50.0% #264 1,516 0 0 — — — — — — —
18 1977 28–14 66.7% #18 1,854 0 0 — — — — — — —
19 1978 77–19 80.2% #4 2,152 0 5 — — — — — — —
20 1979 88–14 86.3% #3 2,294 1 15 — — — — — — —
21 1980 83–17 83.0% #2 2,270 2 24 — — — — — — —
22 1981 69–9 88.5% #1 2,278 4 34 — — — — — — —
23 1982 64–10 86.5% #1 2,291 4 39 — — — — — — —
24 1983 62–9 87.3% #1 2,310 5 46 1968 73–12 85.9% — 1,949 1 6
25 1984 71–2 97.3% #1 2,477 7 59 1969 77–24 76.2% — 1,959 1 7
26 1985 69–9 88.5% #2 2,300 7 67 1970 94–25 79.0% — 2,087 2 16
27 1986 22–5 81.5% #14 2,199 7 70 1971 70–28 71.4% — 2,096 2 19
28 1987 30–10 75.0% #10 2,101 7 70 1972 65–26 71.4% — 2,139 2 23
29 1988 29–9 76.3% #11 2,024 7 72 1973 69–30 69.7% #10 1,964 2 25
30 1989 45–11 80.4% #4 2,100 7 75 1974 79–26 75.2% #7 2,042 2 28
31 1990 33–15 68.8% #13 1,969 7 76 1975 99–22 81.8% #4 2,138 3 36
32 1991 32–18 64.0% #28 1,831 7 77 1976 64–23 73.6% #12 1,960 3 41
33 1992 32–18 64.0% #20 1,882 7 77 1977 6–4 60.0% #77 1,890 3 41
34 — — — — — — — 1978 66–25 72.5% #13 1,980 3 44
35 1994 0–1 0.0% #1219 1,871 7 77 1979 30–11 73.2% #7 1,947 3 44

Surface Results by Age

Seasons are aligned by the age each player spent most of that calendar year. Results cover completed main-draw matches. Bold green marks the higher win percentage when both players have at least 5 matches on that surface at the aligned age.

Age John McEnroe Arthur Ashe
Yr HardClayGrassCarpet Yr HardClayGrassCarpet
W L M Win % W L M Win % W L M Win % W L M Win % W L M Win % W L M Win % W L M Win % W L M Win %
17 1976 — — — — 1 1 2 50.0% — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
18 1977 1 2 3 33.3% 18 9 27 66.7% 6 2 8 75.0% 3 1 4 75.0% — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
19 1978 23 7 30 76.7% 17 6 23 73.9% 5 2 7 71.4% 32 4 36 88.9% — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
20 1979 22 3 25 88.0% 11 3 14 78.6% 9 1 10 90.0% 46 7 53 86.8% — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
21 1980 15 3 18 83.3% 12 5 17 70.6% 17 1 18 94.4% 39 8 47 83.0% — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
22 1981 25 1 26 96.2% 6 2 8 75.0% 13 0 13 100.0% 25 6 31 80.6% — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
23 1982 20 4 24 83.3% 4 1 5 80.0% 11 2 13 84.6% 29 3 32 90.6% — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
24 1983 16 4 20 80.0% 9 1 10 90.0% 16 2 18 88.9% 21 2 23 91.3% 1968 21 6 27 77.8% 8 3 11 72.7% 34 2 36 94.4% 10 1 11 90.9%
25 1984 17 1 18 94.4% 11 1 12 91.7% 13 0 13 100.0% 30 0 30 100.0% 1969 21 5 26 80.8% 29 10 39 74.4% 22 6 28 78.6% 5 3 8 62.5%
26 1985 25 2 27 92.6% 10 2 12 83.3% 7 2 9 77.8% 27 3 30 90.0% 1970 42 9 51 82.4% 17 4 21 81.0% 15 4 19 78.9% 20 8 28 71.4%
27 1986 15 3 18 83.3% — — — — — — — — 7 2 9 77.8% 1971 19 5 24 79.2% 17 8 25 68.0% 14 3 17 82.4% 20 12 32 62.5%
28 1987 12 4 16 75.0% 4 2 6 66.7% — — — — 14 4 18 77.8% 1972 14 7 21 66.7% 9 4 13 69.2% 6 1 7 85.7% 36 14 50 72.0%
29 1988 15 4 19 78.9% 3 2 5 60.0% 1 1 2 50.0% 10 2 12 83.3% 1973 17 6 23 73.9% 24 9 33 72.7% 3 2 5 60.0% 25 13 38 65.8%
30 1989 21 5 26 80.8% — — — — 5 1 6 83.3% 19 5 24 79.2% 1974 25 8 33 75.8% 15 8 23 65.2% 7 3 10 70.0% 32 7 39 82.1%
31 1990 21 7 28 75.0% — — — — 3 2 5 60.0% 9 6 15 60.0% 1975 20 6 26 76.9% 23 8 31 74.2% 10 1 11 90.9% 46 7 53 86.8%
32 1991 18 10 28 64.3% 0 2 2 0.0% 3 2 5 60.0% 11 4 15 73.3% 1976 14 5 19 73.7% 17 10 27 63.0% 3 3 6 50.0% 30 5 35 85.7%
33 1992 15 7 22 68.2% 2 3 5 40.0% 8 2 10 80.0% 7 6 13 53.8% 1977 — — — — 3 2 5 60.0% 3 2 5 60.0% — — — —
34 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1978 10 5 15 66.7% 18 5 23 78.3% 12 6 18 66.7% 26 9 35 74.3%
35 1994 — — — — — — — — — — — — 0 1 1 0.0% 1979 0 1 1 0.0% 5 3 8 62.5% 4 2 6 66.7% 21 5 26 80.8%
Career — 281 67 348 80.7% 108 40 148 73.0% 117 20 137 85.4% 329 64 393 83.7% — 203 63 266 76.3% 185 74 259 71.4% 133 35 168 79.2% 271 84 355 76.3%

Advanced Statistics Comparison by Age

Seasons are aligned by the age each player spent most of that calendar year. Metrics are precomputed from eligible main-draw results; point-stat values use the available detailed sample. Bold green marks the stronger value when both underlying samples are sufficient. Lower is better for Schedule because a negative value means a tougher schedule. Career Schedule is normalized per 100 matches.

Age John McEnroe Arthur Ashe
Yr Elo P+ Serve+ Return+ PD TPW% Hard Elo Clay Elo Grass Elo Set Win % Set Margin Dec. Set Tiebreak Pressure+ Schedule Yr Elo P+ Serve+ Return+ PD TPW% Hard Elo Clay Elo Grass Elo Set Win % Set Margin Dec. Set Tiebreak Pressure+ Schedule
17 1976 1517 111.8 — — — — — — — 50.0% +1.00 — 0–1 — +0.04 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
18 1977 1855 156.5 — — — — -222 -44 -147 64.9% +1.04 6–8 (43%) 7–4 (64%) — -0.87 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
19 1978 2153 163.5 — — — — +35 -221 -375 72.3% +1.45 22–9 (71%) 20–5 (80%) — -1.16 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
20 1979 2294 175.0 — — — — +111 -292 -360 79.5% +2.13 17–6 (74%) 13–12 (52%) — -4.92 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
21 1980 2271 176.2 — — — — +103 -287 -81 76.8% +1.92 16–5 (76%) 23–11 (68%) — -5.58 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
22 1981 2279 175.8 — — — — +77 -268 +21 82.9% +2.37 6–4 (60%) 11–9 (55%) — -3.31 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
23 1982 2292 171.0 — — — — +80 -281 +21 82.6% +2.16 6–2 (75%) 14–4 (78%) — -3.80 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
24 1983 2311 171.6 — — — — +96 -232 +54 79.7% +2.11 10–3 (77%) 13–9 (59%) — -3.92 1968 1950 130.8 — — — — -71 -329 +219 76.8% +1.63 15–3 (83%) — — +0.94
25 1984 2478 178.8 — — — — +59 -295 -2 90.9% +2.81 8–2 (80%) 13–2 (87%) — -2.77 1969 1959 138.0 — — — — +71 -129 +145 67.3% +1.17 15–13 (54%) — — +2.48
26 1985 2300 171.1 — — — — +156 -100 +103 80.9% +2.16 11–3 (79%) 16–7 (70%) — -1.30 1970 2088 149.9 — — — — +108 -157 +45 73.4% +1.50 16–7 (70%) 9–6 (60%) — +2.44
27 1986 2200 152.5 — — — — +121 — — 77.4% +1.82 3–3 (50%) 5–3 (63%) — -0.22 1971 2097 160.4 — — — — +69 -109 +41 66.5% +1.07 14–11 (56%) 21–15 (58%) — -6.37
28 1987 2101 163.1 — — — — +100 +29 — 67.6% +1.06 6–2 (75%) 7–4 (64%) — -1.58 1972 2140 159.8 — — — — +30 -127 +45 65.4% +0.93 19–12 (61%) 23–16 (59%) — -6.37
29 1988 2025 157.5 — — — — +93 +91 — 74.0% +1.73 4–6 (40%) 7–6 (54%) — -1.10 1973 1965 150.0 — — — — +80 +1 +154 64.3% +0.72 22–16 (58%) 23–9 (72%) — -3.02
30 1989 2101 168.5 — — — — +41 — +115 70.3% +1.37 11–1 (92%) 11–7 (61%) — -3.55 1974 2042 153.2 — — — — +95 -122 +32 69.2% +1.18 17–10 (63%) 23–12 (66%) — -2.59
31 1990 1970 152.1 — — — — +13 — +206 65.9% +1.12 10–5 (67%) 8–8 (50%) — -0.66 1975 2138 164.1 — — — — +44 -104 +56 73.5% +1.53 22–9 (71%) 17–10 (63%) — -6.11
32 1991 1832 148.2 +2.68 +1.47 1.148 52.3% +40 — +312 61.0% +0.89 7–6 (54%) 10–11 (48%) — +1.04 1976 1960 161.5 — — — — +205 -5 +137 66.7% +0.98 19–8 (70%) 13–6 (68%) — -1.81
33 1992 1883 154.7 +2.89 +2.22 1.132 52.2% +2 +89 +277 59.6% +0.83 10–4 (71%) 8–11 (42%) — -1.41 1977 1891 120.8 — — — — — +15 +149 62.1% +0.72 1–2 (33%) 4–2 (67%) — +0.42
34 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1978 1980 156.5 — — — — +115 +16 -17 65.7% +1.06 24–10 (71%) 18–9 (67%) — +0.43
35 1994 1872 108.6 +5.28 -0.41 0.613 42.4% — — — 0.0% -2.50 — 0–1 — -0.44 1979 1947 156.2 — — — — +219 -19 -12 63.6% +0.75 12–4 (75%) 10–4 (71%) — -0.71
Career — 2494 173.5 +2.82 +1.83 1.132 52.2% +74 -172 -3 75.4% +1.78 153–69 (69%) 186–115 (62%) 104.4 -3.49 — 2260 157.1 — — — — +84 -86 +99 68.7% +1.16 196–105 (65%) 161–89 (64%) 107.2 -1.95

Career Rivalries

Each player's five most-played main-draw opponents. The current matchup is highlighted when it appears in a player's top five.