Mac on the attack

Fighting talk from John McEnroe

John McEnroe has criticised Venus and Serena Williams, claiming they are "cold as ice" and lack respect for their opponents.

The US Davis Cup captain also implied that the sisters, who are competing at the Sydney Olympics, would get beaten by a good junior boy player.

Dismissing talk he had challenged the two to a match, McEnroe said: "I have no intention of getting involved, nor do I particularly want to have anything to do with them until they start to show people in the sport a little more respect.

"I repeat - let them take on any of the kids who competed in the junior boys at Flushing Meadow, let them take on Mel Purcell, who's ranked 15 in the seniors, I guarantee they won't be so cocky."

The American sisters were taken to task in McEnroe's column in The Sunday Telegraph newspaper.

The Williams are the hottest property in tennis, with Venus winning Wimbledon and the US Open this year, a title won by her younger sister in 1999.

No respect

"What they have achieved is great but they have no respect for anyone in the game. What people truly appreciate are those with a sense of history," McEnroe said.

Let them take on any of the kids who competed in the junior boys at Flushing Meadow, let them take on Mel Purcell, who's ranked 15 in the seniors, I guarantee they won't be so cocky.

  John McEnroe

"You just don't see their kind of behaviour in other sports. Serena started it when she said a year ago that she should play a couple of men's tournaments.

"Do women golfers say they could go out and beat Tiger Woods, do women boxers think they could knock Lennox Lewis out? Of course not.

"Venus Williams beats Nathalie Tauziat at the Open and says that even a really, really bad Venus is tough to beat. Where's their humility?"

Taking his attack further, McEnroe went on: "They are all as cold as ice. Would it kill them to say hello to people in the locker room? Is it that hard?"