Jimmy Connors... Just saying his name is giving me goosebumps. He's the most intense player I've ever seen on a court. When he would get there, of course you could see it was way more than just sports. It was personal, it was sweaty, it was nasty. It smelled blood and it was so fuckin' amazing. Ultimate tennis.
Thanks great to see. Connors one hander winner in '78 USO to me was the best ever. Mats Wilander hit a similar stroke in his '87 USO final defeat vs Ivan Lendl, in the 9th game of the 4th set as i recall. Great times for Tennis,
@@homeelectricco Considering she is 11-10 against Venus and 6-7 against Serena, and didn't play Maria until 2006 when she came back from retirement after 4 years, it doesn't look like she couldn't deal with their power, to be honest. And remember she managed to beat V and S back to back at the Aussie Open in 2001, a feat only few have accomplished.
Connors is always at the top of any discussion of all time greats because he played with such hunger. Terrible serve, very wobbly forehand and the T2000--which was only a shade better than a frying pan welded to a pair of car antennae, and he still won more tournaments than any other pro ever. I salute you, Jimbo!
I was at that Panatta/Connors match...it's great to know so many years later it's still marveled at. It was a terrific five set match...not a boring point to be played. McEnroe's shot was awesome here as well. What a point!!!
Connors is my 3rd Favorite Athlete of All Time : 1. 2. 3. Connors 4. Mike Gartner 5. Mark Messier 6. Evander Holyfield 7. Brian Leetch 8. George Foreman 9. Phil Mickelson 10. Chris Evert also ... Nicklaus, S Crosby, Lemieux, Piazza, McGwire, DWright, Seaver, KMalone, Stockton, Drexler...
He's not why I started, but was why I stayed...1980 Wimbledon final put me in a trance and for the rest of that summer I was playing tennis every day. But then I saw Jimmy play and got to learn about him and I would always cheer for him!
#3 illustrates why I wish the pros still used wood racquets. Yes, the game was slower, but you couldn’t just bash winners. You had to earn the point through angles, scrambling, and variety.
Dude youre so right. You had to be a surgeon to hit consistent and precise shots with wood. The heads were so small, and you almost always had to hit the ball in the center of the racquet to make the ball do what you wanted it to. Todays equipment is so cake. Great for the average club player, but im not so sure for pro tennis.
@@googoo-gjoob Trabert, Carillo, and Summerall were just awesome. People discount Mary, but for years she was IMO the best in the business, and knew both the mens AND womens game equally well. That being said, there was NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING like Enberg and Bud at Wimbledon. Yes, they threw in Evert, Connors, and Mac in later, but they were THE best without any of them. No booth has ever been better before or after IMO, and those two really added something special to what is an already majestic tennis tournament.
He said in interviews that when the pro tour started, you weren't sure if anyone was going to show up to watch. You HAD to put on a show...that was the source of a lot of his antics....
Amen. Funny thing is, as great of a showman as Connors was at the beginning of his career, he was MUCH better at it at the end. You remember how he worked the crowd on the Paul Haarhuis point. What would he have done with Pannata one? That shot was almost impossible lol.
This is so great ! Even the music remembers me of the time of Dallas and Dynasty :-) Tennis was so different then ...Smaller racket heads made the game more technical ... I really enjoy watching this again !
Connors is a national treasure, and in the early 70's, no other player is more responsible with bringing in the big prize money to the sport and CHANGING the culture of the sport from being a country club sport to a sport played by regular guys too....
Mmm... Maybe Ilie Năstase? No Djokovic and no other Eastern European champion without Năstase leading the way. Connors was still a guy from a rich country. To us mortals from the crappy part of Europe destroyed by the communists, Connors was an Arab oil prince, not a regular guy.
I definitely would have included one of the many great points from the 1984 semifinal between McEnroe and Connors. To this very day, it remains the best US Open match I have ever seen.
By far the most amazing player of all time. Supremely graceful, uniquely adroit, divinely inspired. He had a touch of "something" that neither Sampras nor Fed ever had. A magic touch.
Michael Rauch ummmmm no. The era that has the 3 greatest tennis players of all time is the greatest era in tennis. Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal
@@dadmaxx8641 I loved both eras. If you like sportsmanship and brilliant athletes, today's era is tops. If you liked nasty dogfights and guys with self-made games, the 80s were tops
I'd like to see an updated version of this. The 2 saved match points by Djokovic against Federer in 2010 (?) has to be in there somewhere. Also, there was a phenomenal point in Roberta Vinci's upset of Serena in 2015- which ended with Vinci pounding her chest and getting the crowd on its feet.
All of these points were in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, which in my opinion are the best decades in American tennis history. That’s how important the Us open was to Americans.
If you ever attended a Jimmy Connors Match, then you are a very lucky and privileged person, I was at the U.S. Open 1980, semifinal John McEnroe vs Jimmy Connors, I will never forget that in my life!
As exciting as the famous point between Connors and Paul Haarhuis was in their 1991 U.S. Open match, the reality is the Haarhuis unbelievably failed to put away 3 easy overhead smashes and 1 slightly difficult overhead smash during that point. Only the fourth overhead smash that he hit during that point was from a position fairly deep behind the service box line. He should have easily put away any of the first three overhead smashes during that point.
We have posters here who say Connors was not a complete player, so to the self proclaimed experts I remind of Connors beating complete players up until 39 years of age and being number one in the world for a record 160 weeks 1974 to 1977!
Connors is a fighter and a great tennis player. He did not allow Borg to win US open and Borg was an all time great. He beat Mc Kenroe in 1982 after 8 years when he won in 1974 when McKenroe was in his supreme. With two sets down and 0-4 down with a match with Penfors (big swedish Giant) he won the wimbledon match in 1987 which nobody would have done it and Only Connors can only do .He is called Jimbo . In 1991 when Sampras was defending US open title this man reached semifinals (if i am correct) and lost to Jim curier who is 13 yeras younger. He truely an alltime great and he has seen and played all time grets from RodLever, Kenrosewall, Arthur Ash, Borg, McKenroe, Becker, Edberg , Lendl, Sampras , Agassi etc. He won 105 titles which nobody has done so far. He is warrior and played impossible shots. Ageless wonder is the perfect word.
Well said, but Jim Courier was EIGHTEEN years younger than Jimmy C. Born 1952, born 1970. In that semifinal, Jimmy was 39, Jim was 21, and about to become world number one, reaching seven slam finals in two years, winning four. He lost the final here, to Edberg. @@pradeepkumar-vm5ue
Connors-Panatta point should be #1 because it came at such a crucial point in set 5. If Connors loses that incredible point (almost anyone else wouldn't have returned that incredible shot past Panatta), he probably loses that match, and no 78 us open for jimmy. The other points here are great, but not as important relative to winning or losing the match .
Panatta told that when matches were suspended because of rain in Flushing Meadows they used to show his match against Connors on the big screen to entertain the public... Connors himself once stated: "There are only two people who really know how to play tennis: me and Adriano Panatta...
Agreed. Connors was down, out, and virtually gone when he hit that incredible shot. Never seen one stroke completely change the momentum of a match and a tournament. Seems incredible that this happened 40 years ago.
Aging Baby Boomer & native NY'ER here .... every era brings something special to sports . I was a huge fan of Jimmy Connors and his unbelievably amazing win over Aaron Krickstein will forever be in my Top Ten of greatest sports moments. A few others that quickly come to mind are Ali knocking out big George Foreman in Round 8, October 74. Franz Klammer of Austria winning the Gold Medal in the 1976 Winter Olympics in the downhill in Innsbruck. Secretariat winning the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown of horse racing on June 9 1973. Chris Chambliss hitting a walk off home run at Yankee Stadium against the KC Royals in the playoffs. Villanova upsetting Georgetown for the NCAA College Basketball Championship. Anyway ..... back to tennis. Federer is the best ever and Nadal is only shade behind him. But the Connors/McEnroe/Borg era was so damn good.
Jimmy Connors remains my 3rd favorite athlete of All Time. 1. Brett Favre 2. Reggie Jackson I was THERE, at the Stadium for that point at the 1991 U.S. Open. Reggie Jackson's 3 HRs. 5 At Bats, going back to Game 5. 4 Swings 4 HR's. Pitch 1 - HR run Pitch 2 - B Pitch 3 - B Pitch 4 - B Pitch 5 - BB run ( CC HR ) Pitch 6 - HR run Pitch 7 - HR run Pitch 8 - HR run Incredible !! Ohhh How this man has responded to Controversy ! 4 Pitches, 4 Strikes, 4 Pitchers, 4 Swings 4 Home Runs !! Evander Holyfield 28 : 1 Underdog, Knocking Out Tyson ! Foreman Knocking Out Moorer. Brett Favre on MNF Messier Game 6 in NJ 1980 US Olympic Hockey ( Pre-Socialist America ) Jimmy Connors was the Most Exciting Player in Tennis History. Electric Passion !! 🎾👍
Agreed about Connors/Borg/McEnroe. Borg walked away like Jim Brown, Bobby Jones, Sandy Koufax, Barry Sanders, Bobby Orr, Don Mattingly, Mike Bossy, David Wright ( the latter 4 to injury, sadly ) . I saw Federer live @ MSG. He is the greatest ball striker and shot maker ever and the Best of All Time. Nadal & Djokovic are there too, like you said. These modern tennis players were reared on Oversized Graphite Power Raquets. Try playing with a 1970 Wooden Racquet, like Connors, Borg, McEnroe & Chris Evert. See how they'd fare.... It's not fair to ask a lady like Chris Evert, with a wooden racquet to go up against 265 lb Serena full of rage & steroids & hate, with a Graphite Raquet.
@@elvisparker4691 .... that field of 8 was not weak. Sham was a great horse as demonstrated by his 3 2nd place finishes in the Triple Crown. And Secretariat's record times for the Derby, Preakness, and Belmont all still stand 47 years later. SECRETARIAT - GREATEST RACE HORSE EVER. PERIOD ! Don't bother replying because your post on this is foolish. Your other post I largely agree with and appreciate. I grew up with horses, my father and brother knew about horses and imparted much of their extensive knowledge with me.
@@LordofDublin4 - I meant the quantity of 8 was weak. What was it 25 lengths or 37 lengths ? It beat 7 horses. There wasn't 19 in the Race. Why was there only 8 ??
Tennis fans might not know this. But this was a historic moment. The match was great. But Jimmy hitting that shot, and winning that struggle, gave him the impetus to 7 Grand Slam wins eventually. The crowd went more nuts than even this replay shows.
@@artdifuria2731 Right again. He skipped the Aussie a lot and the French a couple of times......that's why slam count shouldn't be the only way to judge the GOAT....Chris Every played the Aussie only 6 times, won it twice, and got to the finals four other times....and these were not her most dominant years.....She also skipped the French 3 years in a row during her prime....Otherwise, she might have passed Steffi, Serena and Margaret Court for the most slams.....
Jimmy Connors INVENTED the fist pump....so when you see guys in all kinds of sports, including the clips of young Tiger Woods pumping his fist, it all started with JIMMY CONNORS.
As an Italian I want to remember the class of Adriano Panatta and in this match against Connors,Adriano was perfect at the top I still hope Adriano Panatta into The International Tennis Hall of Fame at Newport and I have wrote for this.For me,Adriano has had the most classical type of playng of tennis of all the times.ADRIANO!..ADRIANO!...ADRIANO ...MILLE VOLTE ADRIANO...GRAZIE ADRIANO PANATTA
Get a clue Sheeza Mann. Panatta won the French open and is the only man to ever beat Borg at the French open (twice). How dumb does your sarcasm feel like now?
Thanks musictend, I'm Italian too. I read on a tennis magazine that when matches were stopped in Flushing Meadows because of the rain the managment used to show on the display the highlights of the match Connors vs Panatta. Panatta defeated Connors in 1975 in the final of Stockholm Open and in first round of Houston WCT in 1977 6-1 7-5. I was and still I am a great supporter of Adriano who was one of the smartest and classiest tennis player. Jimmy Connors himself claimed: "There are only two people who really know how to play tennis: me and Adriano Panatta"...VAI ADRIANO !!!!!!!!!!
As gary nordstrom wrote he won the 76 French Open. In the same year he won Rome Open that was almost a Slam on the clay. Then he was a member of the Italian team that won Davis Cup in 1976 and reached final in 1977, 1979, 1980. As iantman1 wrote he was the one who won against Borg at the French open in 1973 and in 1976. He was a great double player too and he made a strong pair with Paolo Bertolucci winning among others tournments Montecarlo Open in 1980 when they defeated McEnroe - Gerulaitis. But of course these are only some scores of Adriano Panatta career. In any case the best way to describe Panatta was from Jimmy Connors himself. He claimed during an interview: "There are only two people who really know how to play tennis: me and Adriano Panatta."
I was there at the Connors vs Panatta match and the level of tennis was incredible. The pace, placement and anticipation was incredible. Despite what some say, Connors was a real nice guy and the true champion of the crowd. In his prime he would definitely out play the one dimensional players of today!
Who's one dimensional today?? Federer is the most complete player who ever lived. Rafa and Nole are baseliners, (like Connors), but can also volley when needed.
@@iamtman1 complete for today's pool but they were very common and better in the past! Don't let the technology fool you, they were better and could hit just as hard when need be.
@@iamtman1 McEnroe, Dick Stockton, Rod Laver, Nastase, Pannata, Manuel Oranges, Arthur Ash, John Newcomb, Stan Smith, Ivan Lendl, Tony Roche and many many more had a complete game. Complete game is serve, volley, lob and ground strokes. Federer is like Tyson was to boxing and that is great in his time but not of all time!
Orantes was a clay courted, Stockton serve / volley, Newcombe serve and volley, Connors baseline, McEnroe serve-volley. None of those guys all around players. Federer is the greatest and most complete player ever. Mike Tyson comparison is totally inaccurate. Federer is a boxer and a puncher. And btw laver, Sampras, Borg, McEnroe, all agree Federer is the best ever.
garrison 68---------yes...i agree......neither won that tournament in 1981...tracy austin....did........i don't think martina had started her "kill chrissy" mentality yet(83ish).........i think in womens tennis...that chrissy is the goat...but...my own personal opinion...i mean, not even martina can say 19 straight US open appearances with 17 semis or better...and wimbeldon 18 appearnces with 17 semis or better.....unbelievable.......everyone has their own opinion on who is the goat....and i have a funny feeling it would never be decided....
Jimmy, if you are reading this, I was a 'rent a cop' security guard for a tennis tournament down by Key Biscayne, FL around 1988 when I was a student at the University of Miami. I led you to a certain area, as I remember. Anyway, I am left-handed too, and also we have the same birthday. Quick question if you dont mind: when you were not on the defensive, what percentage of your shots were engineered or planned by you for a strategic purpose (vs. 'just' perhaps waiting for an unforced error from your opponent due to, perhaps, your fatigue, for instance, or 'just' returning the ball after a momentary lapse of concentration or whatnot? 60%, 90%? Finally, are you of the opinion that pros today need to put more thought into WHY she/he is hitting a shot with the power, spin (or lack thereof), depth, height, etc. that she/he is choosing? In other words, perhaps the player is tyring to create an angle to win the point within the next 4 or so shots versus just returning the ball without much SPECIFIC purpose besides just to crush it?
I think it depended on what surface he was playing and who he was playing. I'm sure his strategy differed with different players. Against a baseliner he would take his time coming to the net and pick the right moment because he could baseline too. Against a net attacker I'm sure he concentrated on his return of serve and passing shots. Most top players had a strategy for every top opponent.
The 1981 U.S. Open semifinal point between Evert and Navratilova clearly is the greatest point in the history of the U.S.Open at Flushing Meadow's National Tennis Center (what is now called the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center). The Evert-Navratilova point was much more compelling to watch than the Connors-Haarhuis point from the 1991 tournament for two reasons: (1) the Evert-Navratilova point had a greater diversity of shots during the point including offensive underspin lobs (Evert), drop shot (Evert), underspin forehand approach shot (Navratilova), volleys (Navratilova) and a running passing shot (Navratilova) to end the point , whereas the Connors-Haarhuis point only had 3 flat defensive lobs (Connors), topspin backhand approach shot (Haarhuis), three weakly and poorly hit overheads (Haarhuis) and a not very difficult running backhand passing shot (Connors) to end the point. Haarhuis had three opportunities to win the point with an overhead and although Connors hit each succeeding defensive lob deeper, forcing Haarhuis to hit each succeeding overhead from further back in the court, Haarhuis should have easily put away the first overhead since Connors' first lob was so short! The Evert-Navratilova point was much more exciting to watch and was a much more complex point in it's superior diversity of shots displayed to that displayed in the Connors-Haarhuis point.
I forgot to type the words , "and (2)" before the words, "Haarhuis had three opportunities..... " in my above posted comment about the greatest point in the history of the U.S. Open tennis tournament at Flushing Meadow, NYC.
It is also important to point out that the Connors-Panatta point from the 1978 U.S. Open is an overrated point because the running one-handed backhand that Connors hit down -the-line against Panetta in that match was not that difficult a shot to make as evidenced by the fact that Connors hit the ball just as his left foot entered and landed in the doubles alley. In other words, Connors did not have to run outside the doubles alley to make that shot and Panatta's weak forehand volley on that point floated and sat up for Connors to block the ball down-the-line for a winner.
A much greater running backhand than the one pulled off by Connors against Panetta at the U.S. Open was demonstrated by Miloslav Mecir against Ivan Lendl at the Lipton International tournament many years after the 1978 Connors-Panatta U.S.Open point in which Mecir (1) had to run a much greater distance to retrieve Lendl's sharply-angled, heavy topspin crosscourt backhand than Connors had to run to retrieve Panatta's volley and (2) Mecir hit the backhand down-the-line right next to the spectator stands with BOTH hands on the racket with the ball barely above the court surface, whereas Connors hit his down-the-line passing shot with only one hand on the racket!
ça n'a plus rien a voir, le tennis de maintenant est aseptisé, tout le monde (H & F) jouent de la même façon, à savoir à celui qui tapera le plus fort et à attendre la faute de l'adversaire. Plus de service/volée (ou trés peu comme Roger Federer). les stars ne jouent plus le double. C'est dommage, j'adorai ce sport...
Couldn't be more fitting since conners has won more singles titles with 109 wins than anyone in history including Federer. Rosco tanner became a big player in the later 70s with serves well over 150 mph, he has the fastest service clocked in history in 1978. Conners routinely beat him. The faster people served, the faster conners returned it. Wish he wasn't banned from french open for signing a team tennis deal. It cheated him of 8 years of playing french open during his prime years , he had the grand slam locked up in 74 but couldn't play the french. He's the only player to win the us open on clay on grass and on hard court. They went from grass to clay to hard court in a matter of a few years in the late 70's.
No, not 150. No way. It was 142 mph. Like Bobby Hull shooting the Puck 118 mph. Way back in the 60's or 70's. McEnroe called Connors & Agassi the 2 greatest Service Returners Ever.
Absolutely incredible how much more athletic and powerful the ladies are today. Chris Evert was BAR NONEEE the greatest ball striker in womens history at that point, and her groundstrokes look like moon balls compared to todays players.
Bigger raquets and advanced training methods have a lot to do with more power, but I disagree that they are more athletic: they just stand at the baseline and hit it as hard as they can. Very boring and not very athletic. Give me serve and volley any day. And, Evert was incredibly accurate and and ALWAYS in the right spot to return; she didnt need to hit as hard as you'd like.
@@jjm2389 The ball is moving faster on each stroke than ever before. The 90s had oversized heads and graphite. The difference is clearly the strings. The more topspin I can generate, the harder I can swing. Thats just fact. Gut would impart spin, but you had to be more precise to be able to pound balls consistently and have it stay in. Also, I totally disagree about the athleticism. These guys absolutely move better than previous generations. I have heard countless pros like Agassi, McEnroe, Borg, and others talk about that fact. They know the game, and I trust their opinion. I do agree all baseline play is absolutely boring. I dont care if a point lasts three shots, I like variety of play and matchups.
@@tennsmoothie and less tournaments played then too! [Much less prize money and sponsorship deals began to be significant with Bjorn winning Wimbledon [$1M] (players can thank he & his manager)] Sincerely, 😏
McEnroe always exciting to watch. His style was great. Not a fan of the outbursts. Mens and womens tennis more distinct in this era. Today everyone hits hard from baseline. Very one dimensional.
His outbursts were childish and sometimes way over the line, but looking back, didnt it give an added level of interest? My dad hated Mac, but I loved him, and honestly, as great as the big three are today, and are better players than Mac and Connors, they just arent anywhere near as interesting to watch.
@@chocolatetownforever7537 The big difference was the line calling. Back when Connors and Mac started out, they used to take amateurs out of the stands to call the lines at some tournaments! The line-calling was just bad, and these were big-ego guys fighting for their livelihoods. Intimidating line judges became part of the game. A missed call here or there could cost you a tournament. Now that the electronic line calling is here, there are very few arguments. But they're fun when they happen....
@@joemarshall4226 Oh yeah. Mac discussed this in a documentary I saw once. The infamous, "You cannot be serious" rant was a prime example. Chalk indeed did flew up in the air. Tennis has done a great job with their line calling and especially their review system. The NFL could learn a lot from them. As far as the outbursts, I liked them and miss them, as well as the bad blood between rivals. It added something more than just tennis to the matches. It was personal. Sportsmanship and grace is ideal I suppose, but I like a lil heat in sporting events. I miss those days a lot, and I was at that 91 Open when Jimmy made his run. Amazing that a full year before that, Jimmy and Mac talked about teaming up with Connors being Macs coach after Mac lost in the first round to Rostagno at Wimbledon in 90. I remember Jimmy saying that coaching Mac would help get HIS game back. They never followed through with it, but Jimmy DID get his game back, despite NOBODY taking him very seriously.
Oui Panatta aurait pu battre Connors en huitième de finale de l'USOPEN 78..il menait 5/2 au cinquième set!!..mais aurait il battu Gottfried, McEnroe,pour jouer la finale contre Borg ?
The thing about the Connors point (the last one....number one), it happened on set point. He had lost the first set, and was down a set point in the second...He already had an incredible come from behind win against Pat McEnroe, down two sets and 0-3 in the first round. He won two matches in straight sets, then he played the heavily favored Dutch player, Paul Harhuis. This was the point that turned the match around. He went on to steal the second set, and then win the third and fourth. In the next match, he played Aaron Krickstein in the quarters, and got down 5-2 in the fifth, and came back and won five straight games! You couldn't believe what you were seeing. This 39 year old guy, coming back form a wrist operation, out-hustling the kids, winding the crowd into a frenzy, intimidating the umpires when they made bad calls...It was the most riveting tv sports you ever saw, along with Michale Chang's win at the French in '89, and the US Hockey Team in 1980...just one impossible comeback after another from an underdog who refused to lose.....
Wrong on a number of points. I watched the matches live, 1991 ... Krickstein match was 4th round (labor day). Harhuis was quarter finals, this point was break point to Jimmy, to level back up at 5-5 all in the second set. My memory recall is astronomical.
@@180goldenboy I stand corrected, but the main thing is that Jimmy pulled off three miraculous comebacks against much younger players in the same 11 days, at the age of 39, and he lit up the Open and the tv in a way that has never been replicated....even when Serena had her meltdowns.....
@@180goldenboy I stand corrected. Your memory is better than mine. But there were 3 unbelievable comebacks within 11 days....comebacks where you thought to yourself...."The old man can't do this AGAIN, can he?"
More Jimmy less all the clones playing today. Hit as hard as they can, no touch, can’t play net. Today boring (except for Fed and Nadel), yesterday mostly everyone had an all around game. Jimmy was the very best. Never missed watching him play. Loved rivalries that this sport created back then. .
nancy young - unfortunately I agree with you. The younger players today all hit the ball as hard as they can. No finesse, they never set up a point. Just power, power. However I do believe Federer does have finesse, plays the net and has many other ways to play other than just power. Djokovic is good example of boring.
I had a crush on Chrissy, always rooting for her to triumph over tough Martina. I then met Chrissy about 10 years later in a gym in Wesley Chapel, Florida. Minutes after being introduced to her (by her brother, I think), I tried to impress her by doing an extra intense ab workout while she was on a stationary bike (I believe) a few yards away! :) Hi, Chrissy, if you are reading this!!
The first case; Connors did 3 shots (the third was the winner) - but if he had done a lobb with the second shot, it would have been easier for him. Loobs are used to seldom...and stop-balls (sudden short balls) too.
Even playing subprime Mcenroe is a freak. His dissection of Lendl at 1:10 is shocking! Out of nowhere, Mac hits a winner so cold that Lendl can't get within 30ft of it!
His game is so good he's playing well even at 60. And it's complicated at odds with today's style. The short balls, the angles - flat groundstrokes - coming in off the opponent's serve which Federer has co-opted
As an club player I love watching old matches with McEnroe. I learn more watching his games than the modern ones where I can't apply shit to my game. :)
I disagree with you. Nowadays it's about flexibility, spin and athleticism. Less about natural talent, which produce more elegant strokes and footwork (but that's subjective). I don't find flat strokes pretty graceful because it gives the impression that the players really have to "force" in order to transfer racquet speed to the ball, a bit like female tennis.
Spin? Is that why there is such poor tennis with everyone using the western grip and hitting off balance and short? The athleticism comes from poor anticipation and nothing more!
Jimmy could have been one of sports all time entertainers. As much as I appreciate Federer and consider him the very best, Connors provided amazing skill and show man ship wrapped up in one. He put tennis in the map. Plus, doubt Fed will win over 100 tournaments. Jimbo!
Bram Valkenburg -- like I said, Fed is the greatest player and if anyone has s chance of winning over 100 it's him. But Jimmy will always be number 1 in guts, determination and showmanship.
One more observation. I enjoyed the way Connors openly showed his dislike for his opponents. It heightened the rivalries and made their matches more intense. Made his matches against McEnroe and Lendl incredible. Federer seems to be good friends with his opponents and that edge isn't there.
@Peter Florino - And this with a serve just a bit faster than my mom's and a forehand with absolutely zero room for error. That's why I love Jimmy and why he's my all time favorite player, because I believe he drained more talent out of his body than he possibly could and was the ultimate over achiever. He didn't have the talent of Mac or Borg but he had a huge heart and never gave up.
That last point, Jimmy Connors, his reaction, the crowd reaction, the music, it's so American that a 12 pack of Bud just popped next to me.
Theodor Dinu ...LOL!!!
Tears in my eyes now! Seeing & reliving all these fond & priceless memories , Old man in Socal wish to have it all again
Old man in Socal watching these sweet sweet memories, Wish i had it all again
Jimmy Connors... Just saying his name is giving me goosebumps. He's the most intense player I've ever seen on a court. When he would get there, of course you could see it was way more than just sports. It was personal, it was sweaty, it was nasty. It smelled blood and it was so fuckin' amazing. Ultimate tennis.
Johnny Mac ... used to pump himself up by looking in a mirror and asking...
"am i playing as hard as Jimmy Connors"
@@googoo-gjoob And then said no lol.
I love Jimmy......my favorite player of all time!
Thanks great to see. Connors one hander winner in '78 USO to me was the best ever.
Mats Wilander hit a similar stroke in his '87 USO final defeat vs Ivan Lendl, in the 9th game of the 4th set as i recall. Great times for Tennis,
And Martina Hingis hit a similar shot against Venus Williams in the 1999 semifinal.
@@fundhund62 ....Hingus was forced into doubles .... couldn't deal with the power of the william sisters and sharopova of the day
@@homeelectricco Considering she is 11-10 against Venus and 6-7 against Serena, and didn't play Maria until 2006 when she came back from retirement after 4 years, it doesn't look like she couldn't deal with their power, to be honest.
And remember she managed to beat V and S back to back at the Aussie Open in 2001, a feat only few have accomplished.
I think Mats won the Open in 88. Hell of a match though.
Connors is always at the top of any discussion of all time greats because he played with such hunger. Terrible serve, very wobbly forehand and the T2000--which was only a shade better than a frying pan welded to a pair of car antennae, and he still won more tournaments than any other pro ever. I salute you, Jimbo!
LMAO at the frying pan line. I was able to hit with that T2000 as a kid, and youre right, it was AWFUL. Really hard to have any feel with it at all.
I was at that Panatta/Connors match...it's great to know so many years later it's still marveled at. It was a terrific five set match...not a boring point to be played. McEnroe's shot was awesome here as well. What a point!!!
Great story.
Connors was my tennis idol growing up... He's the reason I got into the game.
Connors is my 3rd Favorite Athlete of All Time :
1.
2.
3. Connors
4. Mike Gartner
5. Mark Messier
6. Evander Holyfield
7. Brian Leetch
8. George Foreman
9. Phil Mickelson
10. Chris Evert
also ... Nicklaus, S Crosby, Lemieux, Piazza, McGwire, DWright, Seaver, KMalone, Stockton, Drexler...
He's not why I started, but was why I stayed...1980 Wimbledon final put me in a trance and for the rest of that summer I was playing tennis every day. But then I saw Jimmy play and got to learn about him and I would always cheer for him!
#3 illustrates why I wish the pros still used wood racquets. Yes, the game was slower, but you couldn’t just bash winners. You had to earn the point through angles, scrambling, and variety.
Dude youre so right. You had to be a surgeon to hit consistent and precise shots with wood. The heads were so small, and you almost always had to hit the ball in the center of the racquet to make the ball do what you wanted it to.
Todays equipment is so cake. Great for the average club player, but im not so sure for pro tennis.
Jimmy Connors è stato il giocatore più entusiasmante della storia del tennis. Una forza della natura
Tennis was fun to watch back then especially with Summerall announcing.
agreed..... i also love to listen to Mac & Mary Carillo. ooh, Bud Collins was fun, too.
@@googoo-gjoob Trabert, Carillo, and Summerall were just awesome. People discount Mary, but for years she was IMO the best in the business, and knew both the mens AND womens game equally well.
That being said, there was NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING like Enberg and Bud at Wimbledon. Yes, they threw in Evert, Connors, and Mac in later, but they were THE best without any of them. No booth has ever been better before or after IMO, and those two really added something special to what is an already majestic tennis tournament.
Connors was without doubt the greatest entertainer in the history of tennis.
He said in interviews that when the pro tour started, you weren't sure if anyone was going to show up to watch. You HAD to put on a show...that was the source of a lot of his antics....
Ok grandpa. I see you haven't been watching tennis lately.
@@HyperHorse He certainly won't find entertainment in watching Djokovic grinding his way to victory.
Amen. Funny thing is, as great of a showman as Connors was at the beginning of his career, he was MUCH better at it at the end.
You remember how he worked the crowd on the Paul Haarhuis point. What would he have done with Pannata one? That shot was almost impossible lol.
Jimmy Connors just rocked Tennis...
The volley he made against Connors to set up that crazy passing shot was also amazing. What a point.
This is so great ! Even the music remembers me of the time of Dallas and Dynasty :-) Tennis was so different then ...Smaller racket heads made the game more technical ... I really enjoy watching this again !
Chrissy vs Martina. What a fantastic rivalry.
Jimmy Connors MADE the U.S. Open great in his day.
Connors is a national treasure, and in the early 70's, no other player is more responsible with bringing in the big prize money to the sport and CHANGING the culture of the sport from being a country club sport to a sport played by regular guys too....
Mmm... Maybe Ilie Năstase? No Djokovic and no other Eastern European champion without Năstase leading the way.
Connors was still a guy from a rich country. To us mortals from the crappy part of Europe destroyed by the communists, Connors was an Arab oil prince, not a regular guy.
@@peter130476 ...American men are no longer the best .... happy now ??
Unbelievable shots....that shot by McEnroe, Jesus so much talent.
Thanks for the love and support you show me as a loyal fan of mine not withstanding how long have you been a fan of mine. 😉
No bigger heart than Jimbo
Jimmy is the KING!!!
I definitely would have included one of the many great points from the 1984 semifinal between McEnroe and Connors. To this very day, it remains the best US Open match I have ever seen.
For sure
I agree...although you could also pick some incredible points out of the McEnroe/Nyström quarterfinal in 1985...
McEnroe's point is just amazing! It's incredible what he can do! My fav tennis player ever :D
Mac est le plus grand joueur de tout les temps
By far the most amazing player of all time. Supremely graceful, uniquely adroit, divinely inspired. He had a touch of "something" that neither Sampras nor Fed ever had. A magic touch.
@@jeanfourcade he is a genius
I love tennis and played competively. The 1980's was the best era in tennis.
Michael Rauch ummmmm no. The era that has the 3 greatest tennis players of all time is the greatest era in tennis. Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal
Totally agree. Different surfaces. Serve and volley. Fast grass. No poly strings. Unfriendly rivalries. The 80's was easily the best era.
@@GaryLyons they are the 3 greatest of our time.
@@dadmaxx8641 I loved both eras. If you like sportsmanship and brilliant athletes, today's era is tops. If you liked nasty dogfights and guys with self-made games, the 80s were tops
I don't know ..... the '70's were damn good
Jimmy Connors, what a player 👏
I'd like to see an updated version of this. The 2 saved match points by Djokovic against Federer in 2010 (?) has to be in there somewhere. Also, there was a phenomenal point in Roberta Vinci's upset of Serena in 2015- which ended with Vinci pounding her chest and getting the crowd on its feet.
"Hope you all got that on your VCR"...classic
No, but wish someone could post it please!
Jimmy "Jimbo" Connors, il mio idolo di tanti anni fa....un grandissimo!!!
Condivido !! Grandissimo campione !!
All of these points were in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, which in my opinion are the best decades in American tennis history. That’s how important the Us open was to Americans.
Thanks for the love and support you show me as a loyal fan of mine not withstanding how long have you been a fan of mine. 😊
If you ever attended a Jimmy Connors Match, then you are a very lucky and privileged person, I was at the U.S. Open 1980, semifinal John McEnroe vs Jimmy Connors, I will never forget that in my life!
Thanks for the love and support you show me as a loyal fan of mine not withstanding how long have you been a fan of mine. 😉
Thanks God I was smart enough to put that one on my VCR...
As exciting as the famous point between Connors and Paul Haarhuis was in their 1991 U.S. Open match, the reality is the Haarhuis unbelievably failed to put away 3 easy overhead smashes and 1 slightly difficult overhead smash during that point. Only the fourth overhead smash that he hit during that point was from a position fairly deep behind the service box line. He should have easily put away any of the first three overhead smashes during that point.
We have posters here who say Connors was not a complete player, so to the self proclaimed experts I remind of Connors beating complete players up until 39 years of age and being number one in the world for a record 160 weeks 1974 to 1977!
Agreed, and the number of underachieving "complete players" is legion.
Connors is a fighter and a great tennis player. He did not allow Borg to win US open and Borg was an all time great. He beat Mc Kenroe in 1982 after 8 years when he won in 1974 when McKenroe was in his supreme. With two sets down and 0-4 down with a match with Penfors (big swedish Giant) he won the wimbledon match in 1987 which nobody would have done it and Only Connors can only do .He is called Jimbo . In 1991 when Sampras was defending US open title this man reached semifinals (if i am correct) and lost to Jim curier who is 13 yeras younger. He truely an alltime great and he has seen and played all time grets from RodLever, Kenrosewall, Arthur Ash, Borg, McKenroe, Becker, Edberg , Lendl, Sampras , Agassi etc. He won 105 titles which nobody has done so far. He is warrior and played impossible shots. Ageless wonder is the perfect word.
Fabulous player.One of my heros.
@@pradeepkumar-vm5ue Perfectly said!
Well said, but Jim Courier was EIGHTEEN years younger than Jimmy C. Born 1952, born 1970. In that semifinal, Jimmy was 39, Jim was 21, and about to become world number one, reaching seven slam finals in two years, winning four. He lost the final here, to Edberg.
@@pradeepkumar-vm5ue
Loved to watch Jimmy back in the day!
Connors-Panatta point should be #1 because it came at such a crucial point in set 5. If Connors loses that incredible point (almost anyone else wouldn't have returned that incredible shot past Panatta), he probably loses that match, and no 78 us open for jimmy. The other points here are great, but not as important relative to winning or losing the match .
Panatta told that when matches were suspended because of rain in Flushing Meadows they used to show his match against Connors on the big screen to entertain the public...
Connors himself once stated: "There are only two people who really know how to play tennis: me and Adriano Panatta...
Agreed. Connors was down, out, and virtually gone when he hit that incredible shot. Never seen one stroke completely change the momentum of a match and a tournament. Seems incredible that this happened 40 years ago.
Connors,the best player.The nicest stile.Connors is tennis artist!!!!!!
It stands the test of time. Still thrilling.
The background music takes away from the drama of Connors's incredible point.
Aging Baby Boomer & native NY'ER here .... every era brings something special to sports . I was a huge fan of Jimmy Connors and his unbelievably amazing win over Aaron Krickstein will forever be in my Top Ten of greatest sports moments. A few others that quickly come to mind are Ali knocking out big George Foreman in Round 8, October 74. Franz Klammer of Austria winning the Gold Medal in the 1976 Winter Olympics in the downhill in Innsbruck. Secretariat winning the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown of horse racing on June 9 1973. Chris Chambliss hitting a walk off home run at Yankee Stadium against the KC Royals in the playoffs. Villanova upsetting Georgetown for the NCAA College Basketball Championship. Anyway ..... back to tennis. Federer is the best ever and Nadal is only shade behind him. But the Connors/McEnroe/Borg era was so damn good.
Jimmy Connors remains my 3rd favorite athlete of All Time.
1. Brett Favre
2. Reggie Jackson
I was THERE, at the Stadium for that point at the 1991 U.S. Open.
Reggie Jackson's 3 HRs.
5 At Bats, going back to Game 5. 4 Swings 4 HR's.
Pitch 1 - HR run
Pitch 2 - B
Pitch 3 - B
Pitch 4 - B
Pitch 5 - BB run ( CC HR )
Pitch 6 - HR run
Pitch 7 - HR run
Pitch 8 - HR run
Incredible !!
Ohhh How this man has responded to Controversy !
4 Pitches, 4 Strikes,
4 Pitchers, 4 Swings
4 Home Runs !!
Evander Holyfield
28 : 1 Underdog,
Knocking Out Tyson !
Foreman Knocking Out
Moorer.
Brett Favre on MNF
Messier Game 6 in NJ
1980 US Olympic Hockey
( Pre-Socialist America )
Jimmy Connors was the Most Exciting Player in Tennis History.
Electric Passion !! 🎾👍
There was only like 8 Horses at the '73 Belmont Stakes. That was weak.
Agreed about Connors/Borg/McEnroe. Borg walked away like Jim Brown, Bobby Jones, Sandy Koufax, Barry Sanders, Bobby Orr, Don Mattingly, Mike Bossy, David Wright ( the latter 4 to injury, sadly ) .
I saw Federer live @ MSG. He is the greatest ball striker and shot maker ever and the Best of All Time. Nadal & Djokovic are there too, like you said. These modern tennis players were reared on Oversized Graphite Power Raquets. Try playing with a 1970 Wooden Racquet, like Connors, Borg, McEnroe & Chris Evert.
See how they'd fare....
It's not fair to ask a lady like Chris Evert, with a wooden racquet to go up against 265 lb Serena full of rage & steroids & hate, with a Graphite Raquet.
@@elvisparker4691 .... that field of 8 was not weak. Sham was a great horse as demonstrated by his 3 2nd place finishes in the Triple Crown. And Secretariat's record times for the Derby, Preakness, and Belmont all still stand 47 years later. SECRETARIAT - GREATEST RACE HORSE EVER. PERIOD ! Don't bother replying because your post on this is foolish. Your other post I largely agree with and appreciate. I grew up with horses, my father and brother knew about horses and imparted much of their extensive knowledge with me.
@@LordofDublin4 - I meant the quantity of 8 was weak. What was it 25 lengths or 37 lengths ? It beat 7 horses. There wasn't 19 in the Race. Why was there only 8 ??
Tennis fans might not know this. But this was a historic moment. The match was great. But Jimmy hitting that shot, and winning that struggle, gave him the impetus to 7 Grand Slam wins eventually. The crowd went more nuts than even this replay shows.
The unforced errors in those days were so much less than today.
8 grand slams!
8 slams...five US Opens, and three Wimbledons....you are talking about the first point of course, not the last.@@iamtman1
@@joemarshall4226 8 slams yes, but 3 Wimbledons? No. 5 US, 2 Wimbledons, and 1 Aussie in '74.
@@artdifuria2731 Right again. He skipped the Aussie a lot and the French a couple of times......that's why slam count shouldn't be the only way to judge the GOAT....Chris Every played the Aussie only 6 times, won it twice, and got to the finals four other times....and these were not her most dominant years.....She also skipped the French 3 years in a row during her prime....Otherwise, she might have passed Steffi, Serena and Margaret Court for the most slams.....
Jimmy Conners, the originator of Rock n Roll Tennis.
Always a fun guy to watch
Jimmy Connors, il tennis spettacolare, più di tutti.
Brilliant! Thank you
JIMMY CONNORS! A legend!!!
Jimmy Connors has 8 slams and he's the all time leader in singles titles with 109, that's who he is...
Jimmy Connors still the best ever IMHO.
Jimmy Connors INVENTED the fist pump....so when you see guys in all kinds of sports, including the clips of young Tiger Woods pumping his fist, it all started with JIMMY CONNORS.
The only thing missing from that Connors rally was his superman cape.
As an Italian I want to remember the class of Adriano Panatta and in this match against Connors,Adriano was perfect at the top
I still hope Adriano Panatta into The International Tennis Hall of Fame at Newport and I have wrote for this.For me,Adriano has had the most classical type of playng of tennis of all the times.ADRIANO!..ADRIANO!...ADRIANO ...MILLE VOLTE ADRIANO...GRAZIE ADRIANO PANATTA
musictend------so classical that he NEVER won a grand slam.....
Well actually he won the 76 French Open.
Get a clue Sheeza Mann. Panatta won the French open and is the only man to ever beat Borg at the French open (twice). How dumb does your sarcasm feel like now?
Thanks musictend, I'm Italian too. I read on a tennis magazine that when matches were stopped in Flushing Meadows because of the rain the managment used to show on the display the highlights of the match Connors vs Panatta.
Panatta defeated Connors in 1975 in the final of Stockholm Open and in first round of Houston WCT in 1977 6-1 7-5.
I was and still I am a great supporter of Adriano who was one of the smartest and classiest tennis player.
Jimmy Connors himself claimed: "There are only two people who really know how to play tennis: me and Adriano Panatta"...VAI ADRIANO !!!!!!!!!!
As gary nordstrom wrote he won the 76 French Open. In the same year he won Rome Open that was almost a Slam on the clay. Then he was a member of the Italian team that won Davis Cup in 1976 and reached final in 1977, 1979, 1980.
As iantman1 wrote he was the one who won against Borg at the French open in 1973 and in 1976.
He was a great double player too and he made a strong pair with Paolo Bertolucci winning among others tournments Montecarlo Open in 1980 when they defeated McEnroe - Gerulaitis.
But of course these are only some scores of Adriano Panatta career.
In any case the best way to describe Panatta was from Jimmy Connors himself.
He claimed during an interview: "There are only two people who really know how to play tennis: me and Adriano Panatta."
What made number 5 incredible is look at the size of the hitting area of Jimmy's T-2000 steel racket.
Thanks for the love and support you show me as a loyal fan of mine not withstanding how long have you been a fan of mine. 😉
I was there at the Connors vs Panatta match and the level of tennis was incredible. The pace, placement and anticipation was incredible. Despite what some say, Connors was a real nice guy and the true champion of the crowd. In his prime he would definitely out play the one dimensional players of today!
Who's one dimensional today?? Federer is the most complete player who ever lived. Rafa and Nole are baseliners, (like Connors), but can also volley when needed.
@@iamtman1 complete for today's pool but they were very common and better in the past! Don't let the technology fool you, they were better and could hit just as hard when need be.
Fed would be great in any era. Name a single player (I grew up in the 70's during the tennis boom) who was more complete than RF. None.
@@iamtman1 McEnroe, Dick Stockton, Rod Laver, Nastase, Pannata, Manuel Oranges, Arthur Ash, John Newcomb, Stan Smith, Ivan Lendl, Tony Roche and many many more had a complete game. Complete game is serve, volley, lob and ground strokes. Federer is like Tyson was to boxing and that is great in his time but not of all time!
Orantes was a clay courted, Stockton serve / volley, Newcombe serve and volley, Connors baseline, McEnroe serve-volley. None of those guys all around players. Federer is the greatest and most complete player ever. Mike Tyson comparison is totally inaccurate. Federer is a boxer and a puncher. And btw laver, Sampras, Borg, McEnroe, all agree Federer is the best ever.
Jimmy Connors best player in every time!!!
Jimbo # 1 .My respect Jimmy Connors.. Legend
The Martina and Evert point was really something.
garrison 68---------yes...i agree......neither won that tournament in 1981...tracy austin....did........i don't think martina had started her "kill chrissy" mentality yet(83ish).........i think in womens tennis...that chrissy is the goat...but...my own personal opinion...i mean, not even martina can say 19 straight US open appearances with 17 semis or better...and wimbeldon 18 appearnces with 17 semis or better.....unbelievable.......everyone has their own opinion on who is the goat....and i have a funny feeling it would never be decided....
yes it was! in the beginning I thought the footage was running in slow-mo until I realised their legs were actually pumping at normal speed.
The Connors point against Panatta was in the 5th set, 6-5 Connors, deuce. Best point of the group as far as how important it was to the match.
Depois daquele ponto, o Connors tinha mais é que ser o campeão do torneio de 78. E foi! Parabéns!
Jimmy, if you are reading this, I was a 'rent a cop' security guard for a tennis tournament down by Key Biscayne, FL around 1988 when I was a student at the University of Miami. I led you to a certain area, as I remember. Anyway, I am left-handed too, and also we have the same birthday. Quick question if you dont mind: when you were not on the defensive, what percentage of your shots were engineered or planned by you for a strategic purpose (vs. 'just' perhaps waiting for an unforced error from your opponent due to, perhaps, your fatigue, for instance, or 'just' returning the ball after a momentary lapse of concentration or whatnot? 60%, 90%? Finally, are you of the opinion that pros today need to put more thought into WHY she/he is hitting a shot with the power, spin (or lack thereof), depth, height, etc. that she/he is choosing? In other words, perhaps the player is tyring to create an angle to win the point within the next 4 or so shots versus just returning the ball without much SPECIFIC purpose besides just to crush it?
I think it depended on what surface he was playing and who he was playing. I'm sure his strategy differed with different players. Against a baseliner he would take his time coming to the net and pick the right moment because he could baseline too. Against a net attacker I'm sure he concentrated on his return of serve and passing shots. Most top players had a strategy for every top opponent.
The 1981 U.S. Open semifinal point between Evert and Navratilova clearly is the greatest point in the history of the U.S.Open at Flushing Meadow's National Tennis Center (what is now called the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center). The Evert-Navratilova point was much more compelling to watch than the Connors-Haarhuis point from the 1991 tournament for two reasons: (1) the Evert-Navratilova point had a greater diversity of shots during the point including offensive underspin lobs (Evert), drop shot (Evert), underspin forehand approach shot (Navratilova), volleys (Navratilova) and a running passing shot (Navratilova) to end the point , whereas the Connors-Haarhuis point only had 3 flat defensive lobs (Connors), topspin backhand approach shot (Haarhuis), three weakly and poorly hit overheads (Haarhuis) and a not very difficult running backhand passing shot (Connors) to end the point. Haarhuis had three opportunities to win the point with an overhead and although Connors hit each succeeding defensive lob deeper, forcing Haarhuis to hit each succeeding overhead from further back in the court, Haarhuis should have easily put away the first overhead since Connors' first lob was so short! The Evert-Navratilova point was much more exciting to watch and was a much more complex point in it's superior diversity of shots displayed to that displayed in the Connors-Haarhuis point.
I forgot to type the words , "and (2)" before the words, "Haarhuis had three opportunities.....
" in my above posted comment about the greatest point in the history of the U.S. Open tennis tournament at Flushing Meadow, NYC.
It is also important to point out that the Connors-Panatta point from the 1978 U.S. Open is an overrated point because the running one-handed backhand that Connors hit down -the-line against Panetta in that match was not that difficult a shot to make as evidenced by the fact that Connors hit the ball just as his left foot entered and landed in the doubles alley. In other words, Connors did not have to run outside the doubles alley to make that shot and Panatta's weak forehand volley on that point floated and sat up for Connors to block the ball down-the-line for a winner.
A much greater running backhand than the one pulled off by Connors against Panetta at the U.S. Open was demonstrated by Miloslav Mecir against Ivan Lendl at the Lipton International tournament many years after the 1978 Connors-Panatta U.S.Open point in which Mecir (1) had to run a much greater distance to retrieve Lendl's sharply-angled, heavy topspin crosscourt backhand than Connors had to run to retrieve Panatta's volley and (2) Mecir hit the backhand down-the-line right next to the spectator stands with BOTH hands on the racket with the ball barely above the court surface, whereas Connors hit his down-the-line passing shot with only one hand on the racket!
OK, I got it on my VCR and won't call you.
This was before the behind the legs winner from Federer vs Djokovic in 2009.
No matter what field you work in , if you want to have a strong work ethic aspire to Jimmy connors work ethic
Jimmy Conors can actually jump really high
😂😁😋
C'était des matchs quand même beaucoup plus amusants qu'aujourd'hui. Surtout gardez en des copies !
ça n'a plus rien a voir, le tennis de maintenant est aseptisé, tout le monde (H & F) jouent de la même façon, à savoir à celui qui tapera le plus fort et à attendre la faute de l'adversaire. Plus de service/volée (ou trés peu comme Roger Federer). les stars ne jouent plus le double. C'est dommage, j'adorai ce sport...
Oh yes, Jimmy Connors invented the fist pump!!!!
Connors gritty and Warrior. John Mcknroe Elegant and tough. Only Connors can play that shot. Great
Panatta was FABOLOUS!
A strikingly handsome playboy of tennis - very similar to Nastase.
Couldn't be more fitting since conners has won more singles titles with 109 wins than anyone in history including Federer. Rosco tanner became a big player in the later 70s with serves well over 150 mph, he has the fastest service clocked in history in 1978. Conners routinely beat him. The faster people served, the faster conners returned it. Wish he wasn't banned from french open for signing a team tennis deal. It cheated him of 8 years of playing french open during his prime years , he had the grand slam locked up in 74 but couldn't play the french. He's the only player to win the us open on clay on grass and on hard court. They went from grass to clay to hard court in a matter of a few years in the late 70's.
No, not 150. No way.
It was 142 mph. Like Bobby Hull shooting the Puck 118 mph. Way back in the 60's or 70's. McEnroe called Connors & Agassi the 2 greatest Service Returners Ever.
this is perhaps best points of 80s.
Absolutely incredible how much more athletic and powerful the ladies are today. Chris Evert was BAR NONEEE the greatest ball striker in womens history at that point, and her groundstrokes look like moon balls compared to todays players.
Bigger raquets and advanced training methods have a lot to do with more power, but I disagree that they are more athletic: they just stand at the baseline and hit it as hard as they can. Very boring and not very athletic. Give me serve and volley any day. And, Evert was incredibly accurate and and ALWAYS in the right spot to return; she didnt need to hit as hard as you'd like.
@@jjm2389 The ball is moving faster on each stroke than ever before. The 90s had oversized heads and graphite. The difference is clearly the strings. The more topspin I can generate, the harder I can swing. Thats just fact. Gut would impart spin, but you had to be more precise to be able to pound balls consistently and have it stay in.
Also, I totally disagree about the athleticism. These guys absolutely move better than previous generations. I have heard countless pros like Agassi, McEnroe, Borg, and others talk about that fact. They know the game, and I trust their opinion.
I do agree all baseline play is absolutely boring. I dont care if a point lasts three shots, I like variety of play and matchups.
Jimmy Connors holds the record with more game wins in tennis history.
Looks like Roger is going to pass him, though...at a younger age. Only 39 more to go, going into the YEC in 2019.
Connors still holds the record for most men's tournament singles titles @ 109.
Imagine that, the guy won 109 tournaments.
@@tennsmoothie and less tournaments played then too!
[Much less prize money and sponsorship deals began to be significant with Bjorn winning Wimbledon [$1M] (players can thank he & his manager)]
Sincerely, 😏
And Connors would have Won the Grand Slam in 1974, if not for some BS with the French Open where didn't participate.
@@tennsmoothie - That's more than Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg etc...
McEnroe always exciting to watch. His style was great. Not a fan of the outbursts. Mens and womens tennis more distinct in this era. Today everyone hits hard from baseline. Very one dimensional.
His outbursts were childish and sometimes way over the line, but looking back, didnt it give an added level of interest?
My dad hated Mac, but I loved him, and honestly, as great as the big three are today, and are better players than Mac and Connors, they just arent anywhere near as interesting to watch.
@@chocolatetownforever7537 The big difference was the line calling. Back when Connors and Mac started out, they used to take amateurs out of the stands to call the lines at some tournaments! The line-calling was just bad, and these were big-ego guys fighting for their livelihoods. Intimidating line judges became part of the game. A missed call here or there could cost you a tournament. Now that the electronic line calling is here, there are very few arguments. But they're fun when they happen....
@@joemarshall4226 Oh yeah. Mac discussed this in a documentary I saw once.
The infamous, "You cannot be serious" rant was a prime example. Chalk indeed did flew up in the air.
Tennis has done a great job with their line calling and especially their review system. The NFL could learn a lot from them.
As far as the outbursts, I liked them and miss them, as well as the bad blood between rivals. It added something more than just tennis to the matches. It was personal. Sportsmanship and grace is ideal I suppose, but I like a lil heat in sporting events.
I miss those days a lot, and I was at that 91 Open when Jimmy made his run. Amazing that a full year before that, Jimmy and Mac talked about teaming up with Connors being Macs coach after Mac lost in the first round to Rostagno at Wimbledon in 90. I remember Jimmy saying that coaching Mac would help get HIS game back. They never followed through with it, but Jimmy DID get his game back, despite NOBODY taking him very seriously.
as far as #5 goes,some of Connors greatest shots came off balance with only one hand on the backhand side.
Thanks for the love and support you show me as a loyal fan of mine not withstanding how long have you been a fan of mine. 😉
Adriano Panada & Jimy Canor ... :-)
Oui Panatta aurait pu battre Connors en huitième de finale de l'USOPEN 78..il menait 5/2 au cinquième set!!..mais aurait il battu Gottfried, McEnroe,pour jouer la finale contre Borg ?
What a shot by McEnroe.
That Connors shot was sensational, up there with the very best - the rest, not so much
The thing about the Connors point (the last one....number one), it happened on set point. He had lost the first set, and was down a set point in the second...He already had an incredible come from behind win against Pat McEnroe, down two sets and 0-3 in the first round. He won two matches in straight sets, then he played the heavily favored Dutch player, Paul Harhuis. This was the point that turned the match around. He went on to steal the second set, and then win the third and fourth. In the next match, he played Aaron Krickstein in the quarters, and got down 5-2 in the fifth, and came back and won five straight games! You couldn't believe what you were seeing. This 39 year old guy, coming back form a wrist operation, out-hustling the kids, winding the crowd into a frenzy, intimidating the umpires when they made bad calls...It was the most riveting tv sports you ever saw, along with Michale Chang's win at the French in '89, and the US Hockey Team in 1980...just one impossible comeback after another from an underdog who refused to lose.....
Wrong on a number of points. I watched the matches live, 1991 ... Krickstein match was 4th round (labor day). Harhuis was quarter finals, this point was break point to Jimmy, to level back up at 5-5 all in the second set. My memory recall is astronomical.
@@180goldenboy I stand corrected, but the main thing is that Jimmy pulled off three miraculous comebacks against much younger players in the same 11 days, at the age of 39, and he lit up the Open and the tv in a way that has never been replicated....even when Serena had her meltdowns.....
The other thing about Jimmy was his artistry....he changed the direction of the ball beautifully, and seemed to massage most shots....
@@180goldenboy I stand corrected. Your memory is better than mine. But there were 3 unbelievable comebacks within 11 days....comebacks where you thought to yourself...."The old man can't do this AGAIN, can he?"
@@joemarshall4226 I remember the '91 US open vividly. He won the sports illustrated man of the year that year due to his heroics.
More Jimmy less all the clones playing today. Hit as hard as they can, no touch, can’t play net. Today boring (except for Fed and Nadel), yesterday mostly everyone had an all around game. Jimmy was the very best. Never missed watching him play. Loved rivalries that this sport created back then. .
Fed and Nadal are boring also, all tennis is,Today.
nancy young - unfortunately I agree with you. The younger players today all hit the ball as hard as they can. No finesse, they never set up a point. Just power, power.
However I do believe Federer does have finesse, plays the net and has many other ways to play other than just power. Djokovic is good example of boring.
#1 is awesome
*James Scott Connors*
Thanks for the love and support you show me as a loyal fan of mine not withstanding how long have you been a fan of mine. 😊
we should go back to wooden rackets
Then Federer will add nicely to his GS tally
WOW NOAH'S SHOT WAS EPIC
@Hotsteppa Nator yes Gael does have similar athletic skills and abilities with Yannick. 😏
2:31 "the great Willy" for Guillermo Vilas.
As with so many of these vids, the music is diabolical!
Paul McCartney vs J Connors
hahah... True! Panatta was Italian McCartney:)
I had a crush on Chrissy, always rooting for her to triumph over tough Martina. I then met Chrissy about 10 years later in a gym in Wesley Chapel, Florida. Minutes after being introduced to her (by her brother, I think), I tried to impress her by doing an extra intense ab workout while she was on a stationary bike (I believe) a few yards away! :) Hi, Chrissy, if you are reading this!!
i _had_ a sweet spot for her too.... then i learned why Jimmy broke it off with her.
she aborted his child.
It’s me honey buns. I liked your abs that day. 😘
@@byoung4310 you should see them now!
@@overkillblackjack2910 I can't wait!
1:10 : simply incredible...!
Jimbo number one frever.
Labor Day just isn't the same without the Jerry Lewis Telethon and the United States Open on CBS.
Yep. I miss the soothing voices of Tony Trabert and Pat Summerall.
The first case; Connors did 3 shots (the third was the winner) - but if he had done a lobb with the second shot, it would have been easier for him. Loobs are used to seldom...and stop-balls (sudden short balls) too.
Thanks for the love and support you show me as a loyal fan of mine not withstanding how long have you been a fan of mine. 😉
Even playing subprime Mcenroe is a freak. His dissection of Lendl at 1:10 is shocking! Out of nowhere, Mac hits a winner so cold that Lendl can't get within 30ft of it!
His game is so good he's playing well even at 60. And it's complicated at odds with today's style. The short balls, the angles - flat groundstrokes - coming in off the opponent's serve which Federer has co-opted
As an club player I love watching old matches with McEnroe. I learn more watching his games than the modern ones where I can't apply shit to my game. :)
Connors was a prick but he was box office big time.
Thanks for the love and support you show me as a loyal fan of mine not withstanding how long have you been a fan of mine. 😉
funny i thought it was Pat Summerall not Tim Ryan
I love 1:40...just another lovely Saturday on the court. Just hitting the ball back to each other
Tennis was more interesting to watch in those days. Now it's all about power, which is a little boring in my opinion.
I disagree with you.
Nowadays it's about flexibility, spin and athleticism.
Less about natural talent, which produce more elegant strokes and footwork (but that's subjective).
I don't find flat strokes pretty graceful because it gives the impression that the players really have to "force" in order to transfer racquet speed to the ball, a bit like female tennis.
Spin? Is that why there is such poor tennis with everyone using the western grip and hitting off balance and short? The athleticism comes from poor anticipation and nothing more!
you're showing your age, John...
Yes, it was much more interesting back then. Today is a borefest, I can hardly sit through a full match.
Jimmy could have been one of sports all time entertainers. As much as I appreciate Federer and consider him the very best, Connors provided amazing skill and show man ship wrapped up in one. He put tennis in the map. Plus, doubt Fed will win over 100 tournaments. Jimbo!
Well, he has 93 right now and the indoor season is coming after the US open....I would not bet against it
Bram Valkenburg -- like I said, Fed is the greatest player and if anyone has s chance of winning over 100 it's him. But Jimmy will always be number 1 in guts, determination and showmanship.
One more observation. I enjoyed the way Connors openly showed his dislike for his opponents. It heightened the rivalries and made their matches more intense. Made his matches against McEnroe and Lendl incredible. Federer seems to be good friends with his opponents and that edge isn't there.
@Peter Florino - And this with a serve just a bit faster than my mom's and a forehand with absolutely zero room for error. That's why I love Jimmy and why he's my all time favorite player, because I believe he drained more talent out of his body than he possibly could and was the ultimate over achiever. He didn't have the talent of Mac or Borg but he had a huge heart and never gave up.
sweetrobertos -- well said. He definitely got every ounce of talent out of his body and then some. Federer is the GOAT but love Jimbo.
The background music during points ruins it.
Chrissy Martina was the best one imo
obviously before 1991
I don't have VCR, I have youtube!
Grandissimo gesto atletico di Connors ma è Panatta a non aver chiuso in ben due occasioni