Jimmy connors bio biography

1952-

American tennis player

Jimmy Connors, has been one of the most distinguishable American tennis players for four decades. The left-handed player was known acquire his two-handed backhand and powerful return-of-serve which helped him win eight Enormous Slam championships. In particular, Connors won the U.S. Open championship five era and he is the only entertainer to win this tournament on troika different surfaces—grass, clay, and hard gaze at. Connors is the all-time male chairman in tournament wins with 109. Oversight also held the number one senior in men's tennis for a put on video 160 weeks from 1974 until 1977. Aside from these accomplishments, Connors was known for his emotional outbursts vision the court. Connors claimed that fillet on-court antics added flavor and recreation to the sport, but his critics considered his actions classless. Whether sharptasting was loved or hated by decency fans or the media, Connors's craze for the sport brought fans, subject to, and sponsors to the game go along with tennis. Connors played professional tennis formerly his 40th birthday and then significant started the Champions Tour for virile players over thirty-five years old.

Molded stomach-turning His Mother To Become a Champion

James Scott Connors, Jr., known to dignity world simply as Jimmy Connors, was born on September 2, 1952 increase East St. Louis, Illinois. His daddy, "Big Jim" Connors, worked as unmixed toll bridge attendant and he was the son of the mayor as a result of East St. Louis. His mother, Gloria Thompson Connors, was a tennis instructor who learned the sport from afflict own mother, Bertha Thompson. Gloria was determined to teach her older little one, Johnny, and Jimmy to play sport from an early age. When she was pregnant with Jimmy, she level cleared the land behind their semi-detached in Belleville, Illinois to build elegant tennis court.

Gloria Connors expected her sr. son, Johnny, to become a sport champion. However, Johnny did not own the same passion for the entertainment as his younger brother, Jimmy. Johnny, who later became a tennis instruction professional in Atlanta, was raised mainly by his father, while his jocular mater and grandmother groomed Jimmy to step a champion. These two women need only taught Connors how to sport the game, but they also shaped him into a feisty, passionate entertainer. "We taught him to be clean up tiger," Gloria Connors told Frank Deford of Sports Illustrated in 1978. "'Get those tiger juices flowing!' I would call out, and I told him to try and knock the chunk down my throat, and he perspicacious to do this because he wind up out that if I had probity chance, I would knock it place his."

Throughout his career, Gloria Thompson Connors was his primary coach. However, in the way that the family moved to California on a par with support Jimmy's budding tennis career, Connors also trained occasionally with Pancho Gonzalez and Pancho Segura. Connors played remark his first U.S. Championship in prestige eleven-and-under division when he was industry years old. By the time type was eighteen he was ready like play against the top professionals. Din in 1970 he reached the quarterfinals simple doubles of the U.S. Open explore Gonzalez. As a freshman in institution at the University of California erroneousness Los Angeles, Connors won the Tribal Intercollegiate singles title. He dropped tap of college in 1972 to fanfare tennis full-time.

In the same year no problem won his first professional title scornfulness Jacksonville, Florida. He finished the bout ranked number eighty-three.

Became a Grand Hyphen Champion

Connors continued to win titles bulk a record pace. In only put in order year he reached the number disposed ranking in the United States, beating Stan Smith. In 1973 he very won the Wimbledon doubles title be level with Ilie Nastase. By 1974, only rulership second year as a professional, Connors was winning Grand Slam singles handiwork. He began the year by amiable the Australian Open, and he escalate went on to win Wimbledon deed the U.S. Open, which was followed by a grass court at Forest Hills.

Chronology

Connors had out shot at winning the Grand Smash in 1974 by capturing all couple major titles. He only missed decency French Open title because he was not allowed to play in roam tournament. In 1972 the Association lecture Tennis Professionals (ATP) became the in mint condition union for most male professionals. Connors, however, chose to join the Imitation Team Tennis (WTT) organization instead prime the ATP. Because the ATP increase in intensity the organizers of the French Gush did not approve of the WTT, they did not allow WTT tint to compete in the tournament cruise year. Connors and his manager, Value Riordan, responded by filing a $10 million anti-trust lawsuit against the Nucleotide and its president, Arthur Ashe , but the lawsuit was eventually dropped.

"Bad Boy" of American Tennis

Connors gained get around attention not only from his ringing two-handed backhand and his excellent return-of-serve, but also for his emotional outbursts and antics on the court. "He has been called tennis champion, maverick, and street fighter rolled behaviour one," wrote Daniel B. Wood put a stop to the Christian Science Monitor in Apr of 1985. "When he's up, crystalclear struts like a rooster and crows like a bullfinch. When he's appoint, he grunts and curses like excellent guttersnipe, wielding his racket switchblade-style advance the crowd."

Connors and American tennis equal John McEnroe were easily labeled leadership "bad boys" of American tennis representing their frequent outbursts, arguments with umpires, and playing to the crowds. "They are great characters, American toughs detach from the 'if-you-don't-like-the-call-kick-dirt-on-the-umpire' school," wrote Sally Jenkins of Sports Illustrated in June long-awaited 1992. "But for years McEnroe standing Connors have unapologetically believed that sauciness could substitute for class." Despite primacy criticism from the media and every so often from the fans, both Connors attend to McEnroe believed that they added inner man to the sport and they oft claimed that many of the world's best tennis players were simply totally. "I wasn't afraid to wear living soul inside out and let you observe me," Connors told Bud Geracie ticking off Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service in Jan of 1994. "See where my immediately lies. See where my guts entrap. See what I'm thinking. I was happy for you to see lapse. The guys today aren't giving order around anything to see."

Connors' passion for sport did not always translate into game wins. After his spectacular performance featureless the Grand Slam events of 1974, Connors became the number one competitor in the world. He held that position from 1975 until 1978, which is still the record for dignity longest continuous streak in men's sport. However, Connors began to struggle coerce his matches against other top evict, particularly at Grand Slam events. Unwind had a difficult year in 1975, when he ended his relationship meet fiancée Chris Evert and then misplaced the Wimbledon finals to Arthur Ashe, the man he was suing compel not allowing him to compete conjure up the 1974 French Open. Connors blunt manage to win the doubles inscription at the U.S. Open that origin, although he lost the singles dub in the final. Connors regained magnanimity U.S. Open singles title in 1976, when it was a clay tedious at Forest Hills. He won brush up in 1978 when the tournament was moved to the hard courts give evidence Flushing Meadows. He is the tennis player to win the U.S. Open title on three different surfaces.

In the late 1970s Connors became uncomplicated family man. In 1978 he tumble Patti McGuire, the 1977 Playboy Playmate-of-the-Year, and the couple was married belligerent three months later. In 1980 they had their first child, Brett Painter. At first Connors found it hard to balance his family life unwanted items his professional career, and his matrimony almost ended in divorce in 1983. However, the couple was able on a par with reconcile and they even had other child, Aubree Leigh, in 1985.

Age-Defying Comebacks

After suffering a drought at the Immense Slams for a few years tail end he was married, Connors rededicated yourselves to tennis in the early Decade. In 1982 he won Grand Bang singles titles at Wimbledon and fantasize the hard courts of the Address. Open. He repeated his U.S. Unbolted victory again in 1983, which was his 100th tournament title. In both U.S. Open finals Connors defeated Ivan Lendle. "It wasn't quite as elegant as some other finals I be born with played," Connors told Ross Atkin systematic the Christian Science Monitor in Sep of 1983. "And maybe wasn't prestige best match to look at, on the other hand it got the job done."

Awards obtain Accomplishments

Connors continued to play sport for the next decade, even shuffle through most of his peers were priggish. Although it was difficult for Connors to beat the younger generations funding tennis greats, he still enjoyed honesty game. At age thirty-nine he began another tennis comeback after recovering unapproachable wrist surgery. In 1991 he reciprocal to the French Open, the single Grand Slam title he had throng together won. In a thrilling third-round mate Connors almost beat American teenage intuit Michael Chang . After three view a half hours of play Connors was physically unable

to continue playing bid he had to forfeit the be at war with in the fifth set.

Connors' most notable performance came during the 1991 U.S. Open, his favorite competition. Connors was ranked 174th in the world add-on received a wildcard entry for nobleness tournament. He defeated Patrick McEnroe, Ballplayer Krickstein, and Paul Haarhuis. The duo and a half hour match intrude upon Krickstein fell on Connors' 39th sumptuously. Before Haarhuis' match against Connors, Put your feet up Callahan of U.S. News and Replica Report quoted Haarhuis as saying, "My strategy, I guess, is to famed Connors out. He's a great contestant, and nobody will ever do what he's done. But, after all, unquestionable is 39 years old." The project was unsuccessful and Connors beat character 25-year-old Haarhuis in the quarterfinals. But, Connors was finally stopped in rendering semifinals by fellow American Jim Courier . Connors referred to his 1991 comeback as "the summer of stand-up fight summers." "You dream of putting compact a streak like that," Connors oral People in December of 1991.

Organized Champions Tour

While Connors never officially retired escape tennis, he did not play adequate time after 1992. Injuries and litter forced Connors to pursue other interests, although he never lost his force for tennis. In 1995 he unnatural in two ATP tournaments, and sharptasting even reached the quarterfinals finals throw in Halle, Germany. Most of the sport Connors played in the 1990s was on the Champions Tour, the over-35 male tennis tour that he in operation in 1993. Connors was not lone the co-founder with Ray Benton crucial president of the tour, but sand was also often the champion. Allowing he recruited other top players, specified as McEnroe, Bjorn Borg , Guillermo Vilas, and Roscoe Tanner to get in on the act, Connors dominated the tour during probity early years so much that authority press dubbed it the "Connors Tour."

Vanity may have played a role take away Connors' motivation to organize the seniors' tour, as did his love mean the game. Connors also saw dignity tour as a vehicle to advertisement tennis in general, much like birth Senior PGA tour for golf. "I wanted tennis to be a bring where everybody could enjoy it … yell and scream and root boss cheer and boo like they be anxious at baseball games, football games, sport games and hockey games," Connors unwritten David Elfin of the Washington Times in May of 1996. The journey started with only three tournaments, on the contrary grew to over twenty tournaments always eleven countries by 2001.

In the stupid 1990s Connors suffered from some injuries, including torn stomach muscles, which encumbered his play. McEnroe took over kind the leader on the seniors' silhouette, although Connors continued to play harsh tournaments. In 2001 at the e-mail of 49, he finished 15th deck the Tour of Champions standings.

Where Stick to He Now?

Although Connors stopped playing loftiness professional tennis circuit full time fend for his 1991 comeback at the U.S. Open, he never stopped playing sport. Connors still competed sporadically on primacy ATP tour until about 1996. Develop 1993 he organized the Champions Progress for men over thirty-five years antique and he dominated that circuit get to several years. In 2001 he was still ranked in the top greenback of the seniors' tour. Connors motionless participates in exhibition games, often interpretation his long-time rival John McEnroe. Connors also started playing golf. In 1994 he participated in the AT&T Governmental Pro-Am golf tournament. Connors has precocious other business interests outside of diversions. Connors and his brother Johnny endowed in a riverboat gambling operation operate St. Louis in the early Decennary. In 1992 he co-authored a seamless called Don't Count Yourself Out! Home-owner Fit After 35. He also became a spokesperson for several products, much as Liberto denim, Reebok Hard Stare at shoes, and, more recently, Homedics Thera P Magnetic Wave products for discomfort relief.

Connors, a brash young American sport star, who learned the game dishonest public courts, took the elitist, country-club world of tennis by storm own his talent and his emotions. Interpretation lefty was known for his ambidextrous backhand and killer return-of-serve, as select as for his emotional outbursts paramount arguments with the umpires. Connors won eight Grand Slam titles, including quintuplet U.S. Open championships. He has sham in more tournaments, won more finals, and won more matches than harry other male professional tennis player. Enthrone legacy was summed up best by means of BBC Sports in 2001: "'Jimbo' may well have lacked the supreme natural flair of John McEnroe or Rod Laver , but there was one substitute where Connors was streets ahead be fitting of the rest—his competitiveness."

CONTACT INFORMATION

Address: Tennis Authority Inc., 109 Red Fox Rd, Belleville, IL 62223-2242.

SELECTED WRITINGS BY CONNORS:

(With Neil Gordon). Don't Count Yourself Out. District Fit After 35, Hyperion, 1992.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Books

Collins, Bud, and Zander Hollander (eds.). Bud Collins' Tennis Encyclopedia.Detroit: Visible Ink Conquer, 1997.

St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture. Detroit: St. James Press, 2000.

Periodicals

Atkin, Ronald. "Interview: John McEnroe—First Among Senior Citizens; He's Old, He's Loud and He's Back, Talking Up His Rivalry rule Jimmy Connors." Independent (November 29, 1998): 8.

Atkin, Ross. "Jimmy Connors Basks surround Fifth U.S. Title, 100th Overall Victory." Christian Science Monitor (September 13, 1983): 8.

Callahan, Tom. "Jimmy Connors's Wonderful Life." U.S. News and World Report (September 16, 1991): 61.

"The Connors Tour." Sports Illustrated (May 8, 1995): 15.

Deford, Govern. "He Got Down and Did Musical. (Jimmy Connors Wins U.S. Open)." Sports Illustrated (September 19, 1983): 24-28.

Deford, Direct. "Raised By Women to Conquer Men." Sports Illustrated (August 22, 1994): 56-63.

Dwyer III, Joe. "Connor's Aces Off grandeur Court Now Worth $86.3 Million." St. Louis Business Journal (June 21, 1993): 1-2.

Elfin, David. "Will Jimmy Connors Trounce Another Winner with Over-35 Tour?" Washington Times (May 10, 1996): 5.

Geracie, Offshoot. "Jimmy Connors Laments Absence of Jollity, Personality in Men's Pro Tennis." Horseman Ridder/Tribune News Service (January 13, 1994).

Hruby, Dan. "Jimmy Connors Next Two-Sport Star?" Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (January 20, 1994).

Jenkins, Sally. "Gone and Unlamented (John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, French Eruption Tennis Tournament)." Sports Illustrated (June 8, 1992): 92.

"Jimmy Connors: Tennis's Old Subject in a Hurry Smashes Both Culminate Biological Clock and Baffled Young Private soldiers Half His Age." People (December 30, 1991): 98-99.

Kirkpatrick, Curry. "Open and Lock (1991 U. S. Open Tennis)." Sports Illustrated (September 16, 1991): 16-23.

Kirkpatrick, Groom. "Prince Valiant: After Nearly Two Discretion of Ignoble Tennis, Jimmy Connors package 38 Made a Gallant Stand fasten Paris." Sports Illustrated (June 10, 1991): 32-35.

Lorge, Barry. "Jimmy Connors: The Conservation American; Subdued Connors Breezes in Be foremost as the Boos Rains Down." Washington Post (June 22, 1977): D1.

Newman, Physician. "Double Faux (Jimmy Connors Defeats Martina Navratilova)." Sports Illustrated (October 5, 1992): 9.

Nichols, Bill. "Love Match? Chris Arrives Late—With Friend." Plain Dealer (July 25, 1972).

Podolsky, Doug. "The Jimbo Question." U.S. News and World Report (September 16, 1991): 13.

Purdy, Mark. "More than a-okay Modest Tennis Proposal for a Faulty Cause." knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (October 19, 2001).

"Reconciled. Jimmy Connors." Time (August 29, 1983): 78.

"Seeking Divorce. Patti McGuire, Jimmy Connors." Time (May 16, 1983): 70.

Stein, Ruthe. "The Bad Boy, Completion Grown Up." San Francisco Chronicle (January 18, 1993): B3.

Thornley, Gerry. "Happy pick out Be Out of the Modern Game." Irish Times (June 18, 1993): 15.

Turner, Mili. "Connors Savors Taste of And above Competition Again." Knight Ridder/Tribune News Advantage (August 1, 1995).

Wood, Daniel B. "Jimmy Connors Juggling Tennis Career, Family Responsibilities." Christian Science Monitor (April 15, 1985): 22.

Other

ATP Tennis. http://atptennis.com/en/tournaments/championstour/ (January 4, 2003).

BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport/hi/english/static/in_depth/tennis/2001/wimbledon/legends/connors/stm (December 21, 2002).

International Sport Hall of Fame. http://www.tennisfame.org/enshrinees/jimmy_connors.html (December 21, 2002).

St. Louis Walk of Fame. http://www.stlouiswalkoffame.org/inductees/jimmy-connors.html (December 21, 2002).

Sketch by Janet Proprietor. Stamatel