'Secret training' doesn't save McEnroe

Former Honda Challenge champion John McEnroe’s “secret training” failed to pay off last night as he lost to Henri Leconte at the Royal Albert Hall.

McEnroe, who had beaten the Frenchman in both the 1997 and 1999 London finals, revealed he had been putting in some late secret practice in a bid to regain his title.

But he succeeded only in destroying a section of court banners and escaping warnings from umpire Jeremy Shales for bad language.

The American veteran managed to break back from 5-3 down in the second set before losing his serve (producing a double fault on the penultimate point) and the match 6-4 6-4.

“I think I just wrote a new book on not only playing badly but then trying to get my way out of it,” said McEnroe.