John Still the Best of McEnroes : Tennis: Patrick wins first set, then bows to his older brother in Chicago final, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.

John found no particular joy in beating younger brother Patrick in the battle of the McEnroes on Sunday.

“I have incredibly mixed emotions right now,” John McEnroe said after his victory. “Every emotion you can imagine was there, from worrying how he’s doing, to worrying that he might beat you.”

Six years ago, John defeated Patrick, 6-2, 6-1, in a tournament at Stratton, Vt. This time, 32-year-old John, down a set, struggled to a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Patrick, 24, in the final of the Volvo Indoor.

Patrick was in charge after winning the first set but John called on his experience and an array of shots to square the match.

Patrick, ranked 51st in the world to John’s 19th, had another chance in the third set, when he took advantage of unforced errors to break John’s service to lead, 2-0.

John used passing shots to break back in the third game, however, held serve to even the match and took the lead with another break in the fifth game.

John won the title when, on match point, he converted Patrick’s service return into a passing shot.

At several points during the match John showed frustration over line calls. But he exercised unusual restraint, keeping his explosive temper in check.

“I felt it was very important in this situation not to take away from my victory or my defeat with an emotional outburst,” he said.

The opponents’ father, John Sr., said he was pleased by the pleasantness of the match.

“It was the kind of match I wanted them to have,” he said, adding that he wasn’t rooting for either son. “I meant what I said before the match, that there isn’t going to be a loser.”

Their mother, Kaye, stayed home in New York because she was too nervous to watch them play, John said. He said he asked her to come, but she said, “Are you kidding?”

John got his 77th career tournament victory, and denied Patrick his first, in the third men’s final involving brothers. Gene Mayer beat Sandy Mayer at Stockholm in 1981 and Emilio Sanchez beat Javier Sanchez at Madrid in 1987.

Patrick said he thought he played well in the match, adding he did not enjoy it much.

“I wasn’t nervous, but I never felt comfortable, either,” he said. “I never felt I wanted to win real bad, like I have at other tournaments.

“I tried to win each point, but overall I was not as intense. I do not hope to get another chance to beat him.”

The elder McEnroe, a former No. 1 player who counts four U.S. Open and three Wimbledon titles among his achievements, hadn’t won a North American tournament since the GTE Championships at Indianapolis in August, 1989.

Patrick had said the one consolation would be that, win or lose, his world ranking would improve.

Patrick broke John’s serve in the opening game of the match. John had a chance to even the match in the sixth game after taking a love-40 lead. But Patrick made it 30-40 with volleys at the net, got the advantage with consecutive service winners and jumped ahead, 4-2, when John put a service return into the net.

Patrick won the set when John double-faulted on set point. John broke Patrick’s service twice while winning the second set.