To celebrate the 25th anniversary of John McEnroe's second-most famous tirade (this one will always be No. 1 ... seriously), Dave Seminara of The New York Times tracked down the chair umpire who was at the receiving end of one of the petulant star's tantrums. It's an interesting perspective to hear since normally all we get is McEnroe's side of the story. (He once said this was his most embarrassing tantrum.) 

Dr. Leif Ake Nilsson, now 66, was in the chair for McEnroe's match against No. 6 Anders Jarryd and recalls not responding to Johnny Mac because he didn't have an answer to his questions: 

Seminara writes:

"He totally lost his head," Jarryd recalled. "He was ready to lose the match."

Nilsson had issued McEnroe a warning in the second game of the match for firing a ball in anger at a spectator, so this second outburst cost him a point penalty. He lost his service game moments later; then steamed over to the sideline and smashed several glasses of ice water with a slice backhand that might have otherwise been a penetrating approach shot. He then sat down for a second before springing back up and taking a forehand swipe at the cups, sort of like a bowler attempting to salvage a spare.

"They were real glasses, not paper cups," Nilsson said.

McEnroe earned a $2,100 fine and a suspension of 21 days (which was for exceeding a pre-set fine cap, not for the outburst). Nilsson says he's seen McEnroe since then, but the pair have never acknowledged their infamous meeting.

And, no intrepid commenters, this is not at all similar to the Serena Williams incident. McEnroe may have been the pot calling the kettle black when he called Nilsson a jerk but, unlike Serena, Johnny Mac never threatened him with a tennis ball throat-stuffing.

Related: Serena Williams, John McEnroe