Tennis great John McEnroe: Novak Djokovic must 'recover' from 'bad guy' label

Novak Djokovic seemed prime to win his 18th career Grand Slam at the US Open with rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal out of the tournament, making his path significantly easier than past years. But Djokovic was disqualified from the tournament after he hit a line judge with a ball during a match. The Serbian tennis star apologized for his actions, but legend John McEnroe believes that Djokovic has earned the "bad guy" label that will follow him the rest of his career.

"The pressure just got to him, I think," McEnroe told ESPN. "I think a lot's been going on off the court, it's obviously affected him. And now, whether he likes it or not, he's going to be the bad guy the rest of his career. It'll be interesting to see how he handles it."

McEnroe is no stranger to being labeled a villain in the world of tennis, as he was the subject of much criticism during his own career due to his aggressive behavior and outbursts. McEnroe said that Djokovic, who said that the entire ordeal has left him feeling "sad and empty," could "recover" from the incident but that some will likely always judge him for what he did regardless of an apology.

"I didn't say he couldn't recover. If he embraces that role, I think he could recover, absolutely," McEnroe said.

Djokovic currently has 17 career Grand Slam titles, which places him just two titles behind Nadal and three behind Federer on the all-time men's list.