John McEnroe sidesteps steroid question

Tennis great John McEnroe suggested on Wednesday that sour grapes over his best-selling book led his ex-wife, actress Tatum O'Neal, to accuse of him of steroid use, but he declined to directly address the issue.

In a conference call with reporters to help promote NBC's television coverage of Wimbledon, McEnroe said he wanted to avoid publicly discussing the particulars of O'Neal's allegations for the sake of their three children.

Instead, the 43-year-old tennis star turned TV sports commentator reiterated a previous statement that he was "disappointed" by the comments of his former spouse.

O'Neal, 38, said in an interview to air Friday on the ABC News program "20/20" that McEnroe had used cocaine and marijuana off the court and used steroids while on the pro tennis tour after the birth of their second son in the late-1980s. O'Neal said she "made him stop because he was becoming violent."

O'Neal, a recovering drug addict who lost custody of their children to McEnroe after their eight-year marriage ended in divorce in 1994, said she was angry at how McEnroe characterized their relationship without her permission in his new memoir, "You Cannot Be Serious."

In the book, which topped the New York Times bestseller list this week, McEnroe acknowledged using drugs but was vague about which ones. He also alluded to suspected steroid use by other tennis players.

STICKS TO STATEMENT

In a written statement released by ABC News on Tuesday with excerpts of the O'Neal interview, McEnroe said he was "disappointed in Tatum's statements" but did not directly dispute their accuracy.

"I had hoped that after all these years she would see things more accurately and that she would share my concern for the welfare of our children," he wrote in the initial statement.

Pressed by reporters on Wednesday about whether he ever used steroids, McEnroe said, "I think my statement makes pretty clear as to what my feelings are on that topic, as well as other ones, but unfortunately, it's not as simple as addressing this one issue, and I believe I'm better served, and my family and children are better served, by sticking with what I said."

The Association of Tennis Professionals, the governing body for men's pro-tennis, bans steroid use by its players.

McEnroe added: "It's sad, because I've been fortunate enough to have a successful book, that therefore that means that someone who is the mother of my three children should have to attack me in this manner. ... I don't think she's too happy about the fact that I'm happy and I'm in a good place."

McEnroe said his kids with O'Neal, two sons and a daughter, are now aged 16, 14 and 11. He has three other children, including two with his second wife, rocker Patty Smyth.

The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion said he was trying to take the controversy in stride, but added, "I don't want to be a distraction to the tournament or to Wimbledon." McEnroe is an on-air analyst for NBC and BBC coverage of the tournament and will host NBC's late-night Wimbledon updates. NBC is a unit of General Electric Co.

McEnroe said he hoped to eventually expand his television career to other sports and perhaps other forms of entertainment. He recently hosted a short-lived game show, "The Chair," which was cancelled due to low ratings.

Also read: Tatum O'Neal says ex-spouse McEnroe used steroids