Connors–McEnroe rivalry

The Connors–McEnroe rivalry was a series of competitive matches between American tennis players Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe, who played 34-times between 1977 and 1991.[1][2]

Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe played again in the late 1990s and the early 2000s. With regard to their matches, Connors has stated, "Something like that never goes away, especially between Mac and myself...To have carried on this rivalry for so many years, and for you still to be talking about it, must mean that we made our mark somewhere."[3] This rivalry is said to have been one of the most contentious and embittered in all of tennis history.[4][5]

Contents

Head to head

Connors 14 - 20 McEnroe

Year Tournament Surface Round Winner Score
1991 Basel Hard S John McEnroe 6-1, 6-3
1989 Toulouse Hard F Jimmy Connors 6-3, 6-3
1987 Montreal / Toronto Hard Q Jimmy Connors 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
1986 San Francisco Carpet F John McEnroe 7-6, 6-3
1985 Montreal / Toronto Hard S John McEnroe 6-2, 6-3
1985 Chicago Carpet F John McEnroe W/O
1984 US Open Hard S John McEnroe 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
1984 Montreal / Toronto Hard S John McEnroe 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
1984 Wimbledon Grass F John McEnroe 6-1, 6-1, 6-2
1984 London, Queen's Club Grass S John McEnroe 6-2, 6-2
1984 Roland Garros Clay S John McEnroe 7-5, 6-1, 6-2
1984 Dallas WCT Carpet F John McEnroe 6-1, 6-2, 6-3
1983 Wembley Carpet F John McEnroe 7-5, 6-1, 6-4
1983 Cincinnati Hard S John McEnroe 6-7, 6-1, 6-4
1983 London, Queen's Club Grass F Jimmy Connors 6-3, 6-3
1982 San Francisco Carpet F John McEnroe 6-1, 6-3
1982 Wimbledon Grass F Jimmy Connors 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4
1982 London, Queen's Club Grass F Jimmy Connors 7-5, 6-3
1982 Philadelphia Carpet F John McEnroe 6-3, 6-3, 6-1
1981 New York City Carpet RR John McEnroe 6-2, 7-5
1981 Wembley Carpet F Jimmy Connors 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
1980 US Open Hard S John McEnroe 6-4, 5-7, 0-6, 6-3, 7-6
1980 Wimbledon Grass S John McEnroe 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
1980 Dallas WCT Carpet F Jimmy Connors 2-6, 7-6, 6-1, 6-2
1980 Memphis Carpet F John McEnroe 7-6, 7-6
1980 Philadelphia Carpet F Jimmy Connors 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
1979 US Open Hard S John McEnroe 6-3, 6-3, 7-5
1979 Dallas WCT Carpet S John McEnroe 6-1, 6-4, 6-4
1979 Las Vegas Hard S Jimmy Connors 7-5, 6-4
1979 Pepsi Grand Slam Clay S Jimmy Connors 6-3, 6-4
1978 Masters Carpet RR John McEnroe 7-5, 3-0 RET
1978 US Open Hard S Jimmy Connors 6-2, 6-2, 7-5
1978 Indianapolis Clay Q Jimmy Connors 3-6, 6-1, 6-1
1977 Boston Clay R32 Jimmy Connors 5-7, 6-2, 7-5
1977 Wimbledon Grass S Jimmy Connors 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4

Head-to-head tallies

The following is a breakdown of their head-to-head results:

References

  1. ^ "Connors-McEnroe Head-to-Head". ATP World Tour. http://www.atpworldtour.com/Players/Head-To-Head.aspx?pId=C044&oId=M047. Retrieved 2009-06-20. 
  2. ^ "Ten great tennis rivalries". The Independent. July 8, 2008. http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/ten-great-tennis-rivalries-1429447.html. Retrieved 2010-12-08. "John McEnroe v Jimmy Connors. Time span: '77-91 (34 matches) Head to head: McEnroe 20, Connors 14. Grand Slam finals: Two; one win each. Wimbledon: Two finals, 1982, 84; One each. Two fierce personalities who fought like puppies in a sack on the court, and during points in a sporting sense. Fire and fire. And they didn't stop at playing each other when it was a Mac-Jimmy day. They played the umpire, the audience, the ball boys, you name it, in order to get any advantage going." 
  3. ^ John Roberts (1999-09-23). "Tennis: Connors still stirred by rivalry with McEnroe". London: The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis-connors-still-stirred-by-rivalry-with-mcenroe-1121299.html. Retrieved 2009-06-21. 
  4. ^ Douglas Robson (2007-08-27). "Will the U.S. embrace the Roger-Rafa rivalry at Open?". USAToday. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/tennis/2007-08-26-roger-rafa-rivalry_N.htm. Retrieved 2009-06-21. 
  5. ^ Tennis Confidential by Paul Fein pg. 98 Paul Fein. Tennis Confidential. http://books.google.com/books?id=o4e0VF6SYgYC&pg=PA97&lpg=PA97&dq=McEnroe+on+Connors+Rivalry&source=bl&ots=hX1lrBCS_z&sig=wWeADfTYtvldsGOZB7Nf6U1L1GI&hl=en&ei=d8Y9Su2vNcuptgeHh9wM&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8. Retrieved 2009-06-21.