kevin mcenroe
Kevin McEnroe, Patti Smyth and husband John McEnroe at the premiere of 'The Art of The Steal' at MOMA on February 9, 2010 in New York City. Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images

The son of tennis champion John McEnroe has been arrested for allegedly possessing cocaine, prescription pills and other "unidentified substances".

Kevin McEnroe, 27, was stopped by police after they saw him conducting a suspected drug deal in East Village, a neighbourhood in Manhattan, New York.

Police said he was carrying six envelopes of cocaine and had more than two dozen prescription pills on him.

He also allegedly had in his possession "an unidentified blue pill, 20 white loose pills and 10 orange pills, all unidentified substances," according to a NYPD spokesman.

He was later released without bail after being charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance.

A second man, Niro Meneses, 22, has been charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, a felony or serious offence.

McEnroe's parents have both admitted to having drug problems in the past.

In his 2002 memoir, John McEnroe, winner of seven Grand Slam titles, confessed to using narcotics when married to actress Tatum O'Neal. They divorced in 1994 after an eight-year marriage.

O'Neal has battled with heroin addiction since 14 and lost custody of her three children to the tennis legend over her drug problems in 1995.

She was also arrested in 2008 for buying cocaine near her Manhattan home.

There has been no comment from the family.