"Come on, what are you, chicken?" - When John McEnroe recalled conversation with ex-wife Tatum O'Neal about having third child

Former World No. 1 John McEnroe claimed that he was asked by his then-wife Tatum O'Neal if he was too scared to have a third child.

McEnroe married O'Neal in 1986, and the couple's first child, a son named Kevin, was born in 1986, a year before their second, another son named Sean.

The American wrote in his book "You Cannot be Serious" that during the summer of 1990, he was asked by O'Neal if he wanted a third kid. When McEnroe said he wasn't sure, the Oscar-winning actress asked him if he was "chicken" to have another child.

"One night in the summer of 1990, Tatum said, 'What about a third? Want to go for the girl?' I was back from another tournament. Kevin was four, Sean almost three. I felt as if we were just beginning to get a grip on our lives. 'I don’t know,' I said, hesitantly," McEnroe wrote.

"Come on," she said, adding, "What are you, chicken?" I said, "Chicken? You’re the one who’s got to go through it, not me. And you’re the one who’s always talking about how difficult it is to have a career. Do you think having another child is going to solve that problem?"

John McEnroe's third child, daughter Emily, was born in 1991, three years before his divorce with Tatum O'Neal. The American then married singer Patty Smyth in 1997, and the couple have two daughters.

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John McEnroe won seven Grand Slam singles titles throughout his career

John McEnroe is among the finest tennis players of all time and had an illustrious career that saw him win seven Grand Slam singles titles, the first of which came at the 1979 US Open by beating Vitas Gerulaitis in the final.

He successfully defended his title in 1980 with a 7-6(4), 6-1, 6-7(5), 5-7, 6-4 win over rival Bjorn Borg in the title clash.

McEnroe's third successive US Open triumph came in 1981 after a, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 victory over the Swede in the final. His fourth and final tournament win at the New York Major came in 1984 after a 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 win against Ivan Lendl in the title clash.

McEnroe also won Wimbledon thrice, the first of these coming in 1981 after beating Bjorn Borg in the final. His second title at the grass-court Major came in 1983 before successfully defending it in 1984.