Overview
- BUDDS has listed the smashed racket and a second intact McEnroe Wilson Pro Staff in a timed online auction that closes on 19 July 2026 with estimates of £3,000 to £5,000 for each racket.
- The damaged racket, still held together by its strings, was used by McEnroe between 1977 and 1980 and was reportedly smashed at Wimbledon after a dispute over a call.
- Provenance rests on a 2012 Antiques Roadshow appearance by Linda’s son Sam Matthews where McEnroe confirmed he had played with and signed the smashed racket and left a handwritten note to Linda.
- The same sale lists Andy Murray’s Adidas trainers from his 2013 Wimbledon win with an estimate up to £1,500 and the pair of McEnroe rackets are offered by sports memorabilia specialist BUDDS.
- The televised confirmation and the rackets’ direct Wimbledon ties underline how provenance and nostalgia shape prices in the collectibles market and could push interest beyond headline estimates.