Jimmy Connors
Jimmy Connors, also known as James Scott Connors, is an American professional tennis player who was born on September 2, 1952, in East Saint Louis, Illinois.
He held the ATP world number one position for 268 weeks, including 160 straight weeks between 1974 and 1977. During his very lengthy career (1972–1996), he won eight Grand Slam singles championships, including the US Open five times and Wimbledon twice. He is regarded as one of the best tennis players of all time with 149 trophies under his belt, including 109 singles titles classified by the ATP, the most ever in the Open era.
His position in the Top 3 of the world ranking at the end of the singles season for 12 years (from 1973 to 1984)—including five in a row in first place—is one of his most important achievements, perhaps one of the most underappreciated and yet noteworthy (from 1974 to 1978). Record is still unmatched today; neither Lendl nor the Big 3—Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic—have achieved it.
He was a strong-willed left-handed player who was among the first to overuse his two-handed backhand, which he loved to blast as hard as he could from the back of the court as soon as the service was reinstituted.
His unwavering competitiveness, charm, and sense of humor eventually helped him over the years to become one of the players most well-liked by the general public after he was once deemed to be excessively arrogant by the tennis community in the 1970s.
Jimmy Connors wed Playmate Patti McGuire, who was named Playmate of the Year in 1977 and Miss November 1976, and the couple had two children.
Gameplay style
One of the best players throughout the Open era may be Jimmy Connors. Only Bill Tilden, Pancho Gonzales, and Ken Rosewall—whom he defeated in the Wimbledon and US Open finals in his forties—have had careers as lengthy as his in terms of chronology. Jimmy Connors is regarded as one of the best raisers of all time. In addition to his tremendous combativeness, Jimmy Connors’ left-handed game is centered around his powerful two-handed backhand, played flat, and his service returns of exceptional quality. His other talents were defensive shots, including passing shots and lobs (he was one of the finest lobbers ever), all of which were paired with outstanding footwork.
On the other side, his forehand was thought to be his (relative) weak spot, occasionally drifting and inaccurate, particularly on a low, soft, and angleless ball. But in order to have the chance to shoot for it, he already had to be able to control the tremendous aggression emanating from the baseline of his two-handed backhand.
In the 1970s, this two-handed backhand was still not very common and was more or less “frowned upon,” but today, three-quarters of professional players use it. Together with Björn Borg, Connors contributed to its popularization and granted it its letters of nobility. He became a player because of his career’s extraordinary length , extremely popular in the United States. However, Connors went through several phases with American audiences. Unappreciated in the 1970s until the arrival of John McEnroe, who monopolized public grudges at the turn of the 1980s, Connors gained respect as he grew older.
His youthful conceit evolved into a combativeness that was revered by Americans and later admired by Europeans as well; one of his final encounters raised the spirits of the French audience. Connors battled Michael Chang in the 1/16 final of Roland-Garros 1991 for more than three hours before finally giving up in the fifth set, worn out but not before taking the fourth round and the first point on a backhand assault.
ATP singles titles: 109
• 109 listed by the ATP website
| Year | Tournament name and location | Surface | Finalist | Score | |
| 1 | 1972 | Jacksonville Florida International (États-Unis) | Dur (int.) | Guillermo Vilas | 7-5, 6-4 |
| 2 | 1972 | Roanoke Virginia International (États-Unis) | Dur (int.) | Vladimír Zedník | 6-4, 7-6 |
| 3 | 1972 | Queen’s (Londres) Grass Court (Angleterre) | Gazon | John Paish | 6-2, 6-3 |
| 4 | 1972 | Columbus Buckeye Classic (États-Unis) | Dur | Andrew Pattison | 7-5, 6-3, 7-5 |
| 5 | 1972 | Cincinnati Western Championships (États-Unis) | Terre battue | Guillermo Vilas | 6-3, 6-3 |
| 6 | 1972 | Albany Golden Gate Pacific Coast (États-Unis) | Moquette (ext.) | Roscoe Tanner | 6-2, 7-6 |
| 7 | 1973 | Baltimore International Indoor (États-Unis) | Dur (int.) | Sandy Mayer | 6-4, 7-5 |
| 8 | 1973 | Roanoke Virginia International (États-Unis) | Dur | Ian Fletcher | 6-2, 6-3 |
| 9 | 1973 | Salt Lake City Utah International (États-Unis) | Dur (int.) | Paul Gerken | 6-1, 6-2 |
| 10 | 1973 | Salisbury U.S. National Indoor (États-Unis) | Dur (int.) | Karl Meiler | 7-6, 7-6, 6-3 |
| 11 | 1973 | Hampton Coliseum Mall International (États-Unis) | Dur (int.) | Ilie Năstase | 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-3 |
| 12 | 1973 | Paramus Garcia Tennis Classic (États-Unis) | Dur (int.) | Clark Graebner | 6-1, 6-2 |
| 13 | 1973 | Boston US Pro Championships (États-Unis) | Dur | Arthur Ashe | 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 |
| 14 | 1973 | Columbus City National Buckeye (États-Unis) | Dur | Charlie Pasarell | 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 |
| 15 | 1973 | Los Angeles Pacific Southwest Open (États-Unis) | Dur | Tom Okker | 7-5, 7-6 |
| 16 | 1973 | Québec Rothmans International (Canada) | Moquette (int.)? | Marty Riessen | 6-1, 6-4, 6-7, 6-0 |
| 17 | 1973 | Johannesburg South African Open (Afrique du Sud) | Dur | Arthur Ashe | 6-4, 7-6, 6-3 |
| 18 | 1974 | Australian Open (Melbourne) (Australie) | Gazon | Phil Dent | 7-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 |
| 19 | 1974 | Roanoke Virginia International (États-Unis) | Dur?(int.) | Karl Meiler | 6-4, 6-3 |
| 20 | 1974 | Little Rock Arkansas International (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Karl Meiler | 6-2, 6-1 |
| 21 | 1974 | Birmingham International Indoor (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Sandy Mayer | 7-5, 6-3 |
| 22 | 1974 | Salisbury U.S. National Indoor (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Frew McMillan | 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 |
| 23 | 1974 | Hampton Coliseum Mall International (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Ilie Năstase | 6-4, 6-4 |
| 24 | 1974 | Salt Lake City Utah International (États-Unis) | Moquette?(int.) | Vitas Gerulaitis | 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 |
| 25 | 1974 | Tempe Arizona International (États-Unis) | Dur | Vijay Amritraj | 6-2, 6-3 |
| 26 | 1974 | Manchester Northern Grass Court (Angleterre) | Gazon | Mike Collins | 13-11, 6-2 |
| 27 | 1974 | Wimbledon (Angleterre) | Gazon | Ken Rosewall | 6-1, 6-1, 6-4 |
| 28 | 1974 | Indianapolis U.S. Clay Court (États-Unis) | Terre battue | Björn Borg | 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 |
| 29 | 1974 | US Open (Forest Hills) (États-Unis) | Gazon | Ken Rosewall | 6-1, 6-0, 6-1 |
| 30 | 1974 | Los Angeles Pacific Southwest Open (États-Unis) | Dur | Harold Solomon | 6-3, 6-1 |
| 31 | 1974 | Londres Dewar Cup (Angleterre) | Moquette (int.) | Brian Gottfried | 6-2, 7-6 |
| 32 | 1974 | Johannesburg South African Open (Afrique du Sud) | Dur | Arthur Ashe | 7-6, 6-3, 6-1 |
| 33 | 1975 | Freeport International Tennis Open (Bahamas) | Dur?(o) | Karl Meiler | 6-0, 6-2 |
| 34 | 1975 | Birmingham International Indoor (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Billy Martin | 6-4, 6-3 |
| 35 | 1975 | Salisbury U.S. National Indoor (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Vitas Gerulaitis | 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 |
| 36 | 1975 | Boca Raton Boca West International (États-Unis) | Dur | Jürgen Fassbender | 6-4, 6-2 |
| 37 | 1975 | Hampton Coliseum Mall International (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Jan Kodeš | 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 |
| 38 | 1975 | Denver/WCT United Bank Classic (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Brian Gottfried | 6-3, 6-4 |
| 39 | 1975 | North Conway Volvo International (États-Unis) | Terre battue | Ken Rosewall | 6-2, 6-2 |
| 40 | 1975 | Hamilton Princess Tennis Classic (Bermudes) | Terre battue | Vitas Gerulaitis | 6-1, 6-4 |
| 41 | 1975 | Maui Island Holidays Pro Tennis (États-Unis) | Dur | Sandy Mayer | 6-1, 6-0 |
| 42 | 1976 | Birmingham/WCT International Indoor (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Roscoe Tanner | 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 |
| 43 | 1976 | Philadelphie/WCT U.S. Pro Indoor (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Björn Borg | 7-6, 6-4, 6-0 |
| 44 | 1976 | Hampton Coliseum Mall International (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Ilie Năstase | 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 |
| 45 | 1976 | Palm Springs American Airlines Tennis (États-Unis) | Dur | Roscoe Tanner | 6-4, 6-4 |
| 46 | 1976 | Denver/WCT United Bank Classic (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Ross Case | 7-6, 6-2 |
| 47 | 1976 | Las Vegas Alan King Classic (États-Unis) | Dur | Ken Rosewall | 6-1, 6-3 |
| 48 | 1976 | Washington Star International (États-Unis) | Terre battue | Raúl Ramírez | 6-2, 6-4 |
| 49 | 1976 | North Conway Volvo International (États-Unis) | Terre battue | Raúl Ramírez | 7-6, 4-6, 6-3 |
| 50 | 1976 | Indianapolis U.S. Clay Court (États-Unis) | Terre battue | Wojtek Fibak | 6-2, 6-4 |
| 51 | 1976 | US Open (Forest Hills) (États-Unis) | Terre battue | Björn Borg | 6-4, 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 |
| 52 | 1976 | Cologne Cup (Allemagne) | Moquette (int.) | Frew McMillan | 6-2, 6-3 |
| 53 | 1976 | Tournoi de tennis de Wembley (Londres) Indoor (Angleterre) | Moquette (int.) | Roscoe Tanner | 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 |
| 54 | 1977 | Birmingham/WCT International Indoor (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Bill Scanlon | 6-3, 6-3 |
| 55 | 1977 | Saint-Louis/WCT Classic (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | John Alexander | 7-6, 6-2 |
| 56 | 1977 | Las Vegas Alan King Caesars Palace (États-Unis) | Dur | Raúl Ramírez | 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 |
| 57 | 1977 | Dallas Finales/WCT (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Dick Stockton | 6-7, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 58 | 1977 | Maui Island Holidays Pro Tennis (États-Unis) | Dur | Brian Gottfried | 6-2, 6-0 |
| 59 | 1977 | Sydney Australian Indoor Championships (Australie) | Dur (int.) | Ken Rosewall | 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 |
| 60 | 1977 | Las Vegas/WCT Challenge Cup (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Roscoe Tanner | 6-2, 5-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-5 |
| 61 | 1978 | Masters New York (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Björn Borg | 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 |
| 62 | 1978 | Philadelphie/WCT INA. U.S. Pro Indoor (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Roscoe Tanner | 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 63 | 1978 | Denver United Bank Tennis Classic (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Stan Smith | 6-2, 7-6 |
| 64 | 1978 | Memphis U.S. National Indoor (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Tim Gullikson | 7-6, 6-3 |
| 65 | 1978 | Rotterdam/WCT ABN World Tennis (Pays-Bas) | Moquette (int.) | Raúl Ramírez | 7-5, 7-5 |
| 66 | 1978 | Birmingham John Player Tennis (Angleterre) | Gazon (int.) | Raúl Ramírez | 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 |
| 67 | 1978 | Washington Star International (États-Unis) | Terre battue | Eddie Dibbs | 7-5, 7-5 |
| 68 | 1978 | Indianapolis U.S. Clay Court (États-Unis) | Terre battue | José Higueras | 7-5, 6-1 |
| 69 | 1978 | Stowe English Leather Grand Prix (États-Unis) | Dur | Tim Gullikson | 6-2, 6-3 |
| 70 | 1978 | US Open (Flushing Meadows) (États-Unis) | Dur | Björn Borg | 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 |
| 71 | 1978 | Sydney Australian Indoor Championships (Australie) | Dur (int.) | Geoff Masters | 6-0, 6-0, 6-4 |
| 72 | 1979 | Birmingham International Indoor (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Eddie Dibbs | 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 |
| 73 | 1979 | Philadelphie INA. U.S. Pro Indoor (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Arthur Ashe | 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 |
| 74 | 1979 | Dorado Beach/WCT T.O.C. (Porto Rico) | Dur | Vitas Gerulaitis | 6-5, 6-0, 6-4 |
| 75 | 1979 | Memphis U.S. National Indoor (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Arthur Ashe | 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 |
| 76 | 1979 | Tulsa Bank of Oklahoma Classic (États-Unis) | Dur (int.) | Eddie Dibbs | 6-7, 7-5, 6-1 |
| 77 | 1979 | Indianapolis U.S. Clay Court (États-Unis) | Terre battue | Guillermo Vilas | 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 |
| 78 | 1979 | Stowe English Leather Grand Prix (États-Unis) | Dur | Mike Cahill | 6-0, 6-1 |
| 79 | 1979 | Hong Kong Classic (Chine) | Dur | Pat Dupré | 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 |
| 80 | 1980 | Birmingham International Indoor (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Eliot Teltscher | 6-3, 6-2 |
| 81 | 1980 | Philadelphie U.S. Pro Indoor (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | John McEnroe | 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 |
| 82 | 1980 | Dallas Finales/WCT (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | John McEnroe | 2-6, 7-6, 6-1, 6-2 |
| 83 | 1980 | North Conway Volvo International (États-Unis) | Terre battue | Eddie Dibbs | 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 |
| 84 | 1980 | Canton Grand Prix (Chine) | Moquette (int.) | Eliot Teltscher | 6-2, 6-4 |
| 85 | 1980 | Tôkyô Indoor Seiko World Super Tennis (Japon) | Moquette (int.) | Tom Gullikson | 6-1, 6-2 |
| 86 | 1981 | La Quinta Grand Marnier ATP (États-Unis) | Dur | Ivan Lendl | 6-3, 7-6 |
| 87 | 1981 | Bruxelles Belgian Indoor Championships (Belgique) | Moquette (int.) | Brian Gottfried | 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 88 | 1981 | Rotterdam ABN World Tennis (Pays-Bas) | Dur (int.) | Gene Mayer | 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 |
| 89 | 1981 | Tournoi de tennis de Wembley (Londres) Indoor (Angleterre) | Moquette (int.) | John McEnroe | 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 |
| 90 | 1982 | Monterrey Copa Monterrey (Mexique) | Moquette (int.) | Johan Kriek | 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 |
| 91 | 1982 | Los Angeles Pacific Southwest Open (États-Unis) | Dur | Mel Purcell | 6-2, 6-1 |
| 92 | 1982 | Las Vegas Alan King Caesars Palace (États-Unis) | Dur | Gene Mayer | 5-2, ab. |
| 93 | 1982 | Queen’s (Londres) Grass Court (Angleterre) | Gazon | John McEnroe | 7-5, 6-3 |
| 94 | 1982 | Wimbledon (Angleterre) | Gazon | John McEnroe | 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 |
| 95 | 1982 | Columbus National Revenue Tennis (États-Unis) | Dur | Brian Gottfried | 7-5, 6-0 |
| 96 | 1982 | US Open (Flushing Meadows) (États-Unis) | Dur | Ivan Lendl | 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 |
| 97 | 1983 | Memphis U.S. National Indoor (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Gene Mayer | 7-5, 6-0 |
| 98 | 1983 | Las Vegas Alan King Caesars Palace (États-Unis) | Dur | Mark Edmondson | 7-6, 6-1 |
| 99 | 1983 | Queen’s (Londres) Grass Court (Angleterre) | Gazon | John McEnroe | 6-3, 6-3 |
| 100 | 1983 | US Open (Flushing Meadows) (États-Unis) | Dur | Ivan Lendl | 6-3, 6-7, 7-5, 6-0 |
| 101 | 1984 | Memphis U.S. National Indoor (États-Unis) | Moquette (int.) | Henri Leconte | 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 |
| 102 | 1984 | La Quinta Congoleum Classic (États-Unis) | Dur | Yannick Noah | 6-2, 6-7, 6-3 |
| 103 | 1984 | Boca West Paine Webber Classic (États-Unis) | Dur | Johan Kriek | 7-5, 6-4 |
| 104 | 1984 | Los Angeles Pacific Southwest Open (États-Unis) | Dur | Eliot Teltscher | 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 |
| 105 | 1984 | Tôkyô Indoor Seiko World Super Tennis (Japon) | Moquette (int.) | Ivan Lendl | 6-4, 3-6, 6-0 |
| 106 | 1988 | Washington Sovran Bank Classic (États-Unis) | Dur | Andrés Gómez | 6-1, 6-4 |
| 107 | 1988 | Toulouse Nabisco Grand Prix Olympia (France) | Dur (int.) | Andrei Chesnokov | 6-2, 6-0 |
| 108 | 1989 | Toulouse Grand Prix de Toulouse (France) | Dur (int.) | John McEnroe | 6-3, 6-3 |
| 109 | 1989 | Tel Aviv Riklis Tennis Center Classic (Israël) | Dur | Gilad Bloom | 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 |
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