John McEnroe has to eat own words after shooting down Clare Balding comment at Wimbledon

BBC commentator Clare Balding might be owed an apology from John McEnroe after he dismissed her prediction ahead of Iga Swiatek's Wimbledon final victory. The Polish player breezed past Amanda Anisimova in a historic 6-0, 6-0 win on Saturday to secure her first title at SW19.

Swiatek, 24, took a giant leap towards completing the career Grand Slam after and now needs only an Australian Open crown to complete her set. Meanwhile Anisimova looked overawed by the occasion of her maiden major final, something Balding potentially saw coming.

Saturday's result was even more dominant than the 6-2, 6-0 victory Swiatek achieved in her semi-final match against Belinda Bencic. However, McEnroe didn't foresee the final outcome at all.

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He boldly rejected Balding's suggestion that spectators could witness another clean sweep if Swiatek brought her A-game to Centre Court. Yet, that's exactly what transpired at the All England Club.

"And that match against Bencic, she [Swiatek] just didn't put a foot wrong," said Balding on BBC commentary (via the Daily Express) just before Saturday's final kicked off. "I mean, that was near-perfect tennis. And if she plays like that [against Anisimova], this could be over very quickly."

It's understandable why some might have thought Anisimova would provide a tougher challenge after defeating Aryna Sabalenka in her own semi-final. The New Jersey-born star went toe-to-toe with the world No. 1 and came out as a deserved finalist in the end.

But McEnroe seemed particularly affronted by the idea his fellow American could be so easily defeated. And he came out swinging to ensure he got that point across.

"Totally different matchup. Completely different," the three-time Wimbledon champion interjected. "That ain't gonna happen. If that happens, I'll eat one of those pastas!"

The grass court's latest gastronomic gossip centres around Swiatek indulging in a bowl of pasta and strawberries at Wimbledon. She championed the unique blend earlier in the tournament and invited sceptics to give the mix a try.

Balding cheekily anticipated McEnroe sampling the peculiar dish as she quipped: "The pasta with strawberry and yoghurt awaits!" And McEnroe might be forced to sample double dessert if he's served the humble pie coming his way as well.

Swiatek's emphatic victory in the final was even more jaw-dropping than her swift dismissal of Bencic in the semis. She dished out the first double bagel score in a Wimbledon final for more than a century, a testament to just how unbalanced the contest turned out.

Commentators noted in real time that Anisimova appeared utterly overwhelmed in her Grand Slam final bow. And her performance in the title decider paled in comparison to when she astonishingly ousted Sabalenka on Thursday.

Despite Swiatek's established Grand Slam prowess, Anisimova seemingly peaked in the semis. And this left her with little for the final act, except perhaps proving McEnroe wrong and ensuring he too gets a taste of the Wimbledon's curious culinary combo.