WATCH: John McEnroe’s expletive outburst at ‘fan’ who wouldn’t leave him alone after Australian Open

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John McEnroe Australian Open
John McEnroe on court at the Australian Open

Tennis great John McEnroe directed an angry outburst at a teenager who would not leave him alone at the airport before he left Australia.

McEnroe was in Melbourne to cover the Australian Open in his role as a commentator and analyst for broadcasters including TNT Sports and ESPN.

The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion’s arrival at Melbourne airport was captured by Australian media agency Media Mode.

As McEnroe walked away from a car with his luggage, a boy — who claimed to be a fan — asked if he needed help with his bags.

The American made it clear he wanted to be left alone, but despite his repeated pleas, the fan followed him through the terminal and asked for a photo.

McEnroe grew increasingly frustrated as the fan continued to walk with him and shouted “Will you stop?! Stop!” before adding “Go f*** yourself.”

Here is the full exchange:

Fan: “Do you need a hand with any of your bags?”

McEnroe: “I need you to stay away from me, okay?”

Fan: “A photo?”

McEnroe: “This guy… just get away, okay? Can we stop him? Woah, woah, woah, hold up. Everyone stop. Time’s up.”

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Fan: “Can I just get a photo?”

McEnroe: “Will you stop?! Stop! Jesus Christ. Are you kidding me?!”

Fan: “You’re my hero, man. I still love you, John.”

McEnroe: “Go f*** yourself.”

During his outstanding career, McEnroe was known for his angry on-court outbursts, with his “you cannot be serious” rant at Wimbledon the most famous, while he was disqualified at the 1990 Australian Open after committing multiple code violations.

This airport incident has drawn controversy, and McEnroe has already faced some criticism, but his frustrated reaction was understandable given he had already repeatedly asked the fan to stop following him and appeared to be in a rush.

McEnroe’s status as a sporting icon does not make it acceptable for people to follow him around in public and ignore his desire to be left alone.

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