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John McEnroe once greatly offended Sheila Boden, the wife of former club chairman Ivar Boden, with his conduct at Queen's Club. The American was practicing for the 1985 Wimbledon Championships at the club when he had a run-in with Boden.
Amid his campaign at the grasscourt Major, McEnroe overshot his allotted training time at Queen's Club and caused a delay for Sheila Boden and her friend, who were scheduled to take the court. When Boden approached the American and requested him to vacate the court, he reportedly erupted into a profanity-laden tirade that shocked onlookers.
After Boden and her friends complained about John McEnroe's behavior, the membership committee reached out to the American for an explanation but received no response. As a result of McEnroe's "unprintable" words, club secretary Jonathan Edwards revealed that he was asked to "do the honorable thing" and give up his honorary membership at Queen's Club.
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Meanwhile, Sheila Boden opened up about being "appalled and shattered" by John McEnroe's offensive and expletive-filled rant. She expressed her belief that the American, who had a history of volatile and temperamental conduct, needed to be set straight.
"I am surprised you ask me to. It was something you would not hear in the gutter. It was as offensive as it could be. I was appalled and really shattered. It was something you just don't expect," she said. "Somebody has to put McEnroe in his place. He has to be taught a lesson by someone."
Ivar Boden was also upset over the "obscene" words McEnroe had said to his wife, lamenting that it was not the sort of behavior that was expected of a champion.
"He said the most vile things to my wife, the most obscene four letter words which is a great pity that a great champion should say things like that. In his words, it was the pits," he said.
John McEnroe had received his honorary membership to the prestigious club by triumphing at the Queen's Club Championships, having won the title in 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1984.
"It's not something I'm going to lose a whole lot of sleep over" - John McEnroe on being asked to give up his Queen's Club membership
John McEnroe was unfazed by the controversy about his behavior at Queen's Club, making it clear that he wouldn't lose any sleep over being asked to relinquish his honorary membership to the club.
"Let them do the things that they feel is necessary. It's not something I'm going to lose a whole lot of sleep over," McEnroe said at a press conference in Pittsburgh.
McEnroe also expressed relief at being back in the United States, pointing out that Americans were completely indifferent to the controversy.
"I don't think people even know what the Queen's Club membership is, much less care about it here. It kind of makes me angry that people ask about it. People don't even know what it is. It's just another story to them (reporters). Let's put it this way: I'm glad to be in America. That's about the only thing I can say," he added.
John McEnroe had returned home after his unsuccessful campaign at Wimbledon as the top seed and two-time defending champion. Although he reached the quarterfinals without dropping a set, the American suffered a crushing 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 loss to eventual runner-up Kevin Curren in their battle for a spot in the semifinals.
