Notwithstanding the fact that this was an exhibition event - there are moves to make it part of the Senior Tour next year - both players came out and played highly competitive tennis.

Or at least that was the case in the first set as the 1,500-strong crowd were treated to an intense struggle which was ultimately decided on a tiebreak. And Leconte seemed the more hungrier of the two.

'I had my chances in the first set but then my energy level dipped. I felt flat towards the end,' said McEnroe who dropped his serve on three occasions in the next set to tamely hand the match over to Leconte.

Like chastened schoolboys who had just been to see the headmaster, both McEnroe and Leconte were on their best behaviour yesterday.

If the crowd had come along expecting to see a repeat performance of the behaviour of a couple of nights ago when Leconte jumped over the net on to McEnroe's side of the court, and the duo traded insults and four-letter words over a disputed line call, then they went home disappointed. 'The other day we went too far,' admitted Leconte.

'But you could see that the atmosphere was very tense. You could hear a fly in the silence . . . everybody was expecting something to happen.' McEnroe was not going to satisfy those fans wanting blood, including a heckler who tried to egg the seven-time Grand Slam winner into his trademark disputes with the chair umpire.

'I had used up my quota for the week,' said McEnroe, explaining his lack of tantrums.

One could almost feel sorry for McEnroe at the weight he carries on his shoulders every time he walks out on to the court. Earlier last week he admitted that his reputation as the bad boy of tennis was partly his fault.

'Now people expect me to argue and question line calls.' But McEnroe, 40, seemed to have had enough of it yesterday.

Although he did stop and ruminate on a couple of occasions when marginal line calls went against him, the three-time Wimbledon and four-time US Open champion kept a lid on his temper.

Admittedly flat and hesitant physically, McEnroe seemed mentally out of sorts too.

'Perhaps things might have been a little bit different if there was more at stake like points or prize money,' said McEnroe.

The American was also critical of the format of the tournament.

'Five days is one day too long. And meeting the same guy twice in the same week is not good,' he said.

It certainly was not, as Leconte, using a superb cross court forehand on the run, time and again caught McEnroe stranded at the net.

'I was really focused today. The other day when we played it did not matter as win or lose I knew I was in the semi-finals already. I played some unbelievable tennis today,' Leconte said.

And although there was no prize money or points to take home, it was clear that Leconte was satisfied.

After all it is not every day of the week that you beat a McEnroe.