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
World No. 1
8 Major singles
109 singles titles
John McEnroe
World No. 1
7 Major singles
77 singles titles

Connors and 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]

Head-to-head

Legend Connors McEnroe
Grand Slam 3 6
Masters Grand Prix 0 2
WCT Finals 1 2
ATP International Series 10 10
Total 14 20

Official Matches

Connors–McEnroe: 34 (14–20)

No. Year Tournament Surface Round Winner Score Connors McEnroe
1. 1977 Wimbledon Grass Semifinals Connors 6–3, 6–3, 4–6, 6–4 1 0
2. 1977 US Pro Tennis Championships Clay Last 32 Connors 5–7, 6–2, 7–5 2 0
3. 1978 US Clay Court Championships Clay Quarterfinals Connors 3–6, 6–1, 6–1 3 0
4. 1978 US Open Hard Semifinals Connors 6–2, 6–2, 7–5 4 0
5. 1978 Masters Grand Prix Carpet Round Robin McEnroe 7–5, 3–0 RET 4 1
6. 1979 Pepsi Grand Slam Clay Semifinals Connors 6–3, 6–4 5 1
7. 1979 Alan King Tennis Classic Hard Semifinals Connors 7–5, 6–4 6 1
8. 1979 WCT Finals Carpet Semifinals McEnroe 6–1, 6–4, 6–4 6 2
9. 1979 US Open Hard Semifinals McEnroe 6–3, 6–3, 7–5 6 3
10. 1980 US Pro Indoor Carpet Final Connors 6–3, 2–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4 7 3
11. 1980 US Indoor Championships Carpet Final McEnroe 7–6(8–6), 7–6(7–4) 7 4
12. 1980 WCT Finals Carpet Final Connors 2–6, 7–6(7–4), 6–1, 6–2 8 4
13. 1980 Wimbledon Grass Semifinals McEnroe 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4 8 5
14. 1980 US Open Hard Semifinals McEnroe 6–4, 5–7, 0–6, 6–3, 7–6(7–3) 8 6
15. 1981 Wembley Championships Carpet Final Connors 3–6, 2–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–2 9 6
16. 1981 Masters Grand Prix Carpet Round Robin McEnroe 6–2, 7–5 9 7
17. 1982 US Pro Indoor Carpet Final McEnroe 6–3, 6–3, 6–1 9 8
18. 1982 Queen's Club Championships Grass Final Connors 7–5, 6–3 10 8
19. 1982 Wimbledon Grass Final Connors 3–6, 6–3, 6–7(2–7), 7–6(7–5), 6–4 11 8
20. 1982 Pacific Coast Championships Carpet Final McEnroe 6–1, 6–3 11 9
21. 1983 Queen's Club Championships Grass Final Connors 6–3, 6–3 12 9
22. 1983 Cincinnati Open Hard Semifinals McEnroe 6–7, 6–1, 6–4 12 10
23. 1983 Wembley Championships Carpet Final McEnroe 7–5, 6–1, 6–4 12 11
24. 1984 WCT Finals Carpet Final McEnroe 6–1, 6–2, 6–3 12 12
25. 1984 French Open Clay Semifinals McEnroe 7–5, 6–1, 6–2 12 13
26. 1984 Queen's Club Championships Grass Semifinals McEnroe 6–2, 6–2 12 14
27. 1984 Wimbledon Grass Final McEnroe 6–1, 6–1, 6–2 12 15
28. 1984 Canadian Open Hard Semifinals McEnroe 2–6, 6–2, 6–3 12 16
29. 1984 US Open Hard Semifinals McEnroe 6–4, 4–6, 7–5, 4–6, 6–3 12 17
1985 Chicago Grand Prix Carpet Final (McEnroe) Walkover 12 17
30. 1985 Canadian Open Hard Semifinals McEnroe 6–2, 6–3 12 18
31. 1986 Pacific Coast Championships Carpet Final McEnroe 7–6(8–6), 6–3 12 19
32. 1987 Canadian Open Hard Quarterfinals Connors 6–3, 3–6, 6–3 13 19
33. 1989 Grand Prix de Tennis de Toulouse Carpet Final Connors 6–3, 6–3 14 19
34. 1991 Swiss Indoors Hard (i) Semifinals McEnroe 6–1, 6–3 14 20

Head-to-head tallies

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

  • All matches: (34) McEnroe 20–14
  • All finals: (15)* Tied 7–7 , (1 Walkover not included in the head to head results)
    • Grand Slam finals: Tied 1–1
    • Grand Slam matches: McEnroe 6–3
    • Masters matches: McEnroe 2–0
    • WCT Finals matches: McEnroe 2–1
    • Clay court matches: Connors 3–1
    • Grass court matches: Connors 4–3
    • Hard court matches: McEnroe 6–3
    • Indoor matches: McEnroe 10–4

Other matches

Invitational matches

Connors–McEnroe (6–9)

No. Year Tournament Surface Round Winner Score
1.1979FrejusCarpetFinalMcEnroe6–4, 6–3
2.1979Aix-en-ProvenceCarpetThird PlaceMcEnroe6–4, 6–3
3.1979MontpellierCarpetFinalConnors7–6, 2–6, 7–5
4.1979FrankfurtCarpetSemifinalsConnors7–5, 6–4
5.1980BrusselsCarpetSemifinalsMcEnroe6–1, 7–5
6.1980Suntory CupCarpetFinalConnors7–5, 6–3
7.1980Challenge of ChampionsCarpetFinalMcEnroe6–2, 6–4, 6–1
8.1981Suntory CupCarpetFinalConnors6–4, 7–6
9.1981Challenge of ChampionsCarpetFinalConnors6–7, 7–5, 6–7, 7–5, 6–4
10.1982Challenge of ChampionsCarpetSemifinalsConnors6–1, 5–7, 6–2
11.1984Suntory CupCarpetSemifinalsMcEnroe4–6, 6–3, 6–4
12.1984Challenge of ChampionsCarpetRound RobinMcEnroe6–3, 4–6, 6–2
13.1987Challenge of ChampionsCarpetSemifinalsMcEnroe6–4, 6–4
14.1988Challenge of ChampionsClayRound RobinMcEnroe7–5, 6–1
15.1989Scottish Grass Court ChampionshipsGrassFinalMcEnroe7–6, 7–6

ATP Rankings

Year-end ranking timeline

Player197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996
Jimmy Connors 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 2 3 2 4 8 4 7 14 936 49 84 370 672 419 1300
John McEnroe 21 4 3 2 1 1 1 1 2 14 10 11 4 13 28 20 1219

ATP Year-end ranking timeline by age

Age at end of season

Year-end ranking181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344
Jimmy Connors No ATP Rankings 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 2 3 2 4 8 4 7 14 936 49 84 370 672 419 1300
John McEnroe 21 4 3 2 1 1 1 1 2 14 10 11 4 13 28 20 1219

See also

References

  1. "Connors vs McEnroe Head-to-Head". Association of Tennis Profesionals (ATP).
  2. "Ten great tennis rivalries". The Independent. July 8, 2008. 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. Retrieved 2009-06-21.
  4. Douglas Robson (2007-08-27). "Will the U.S. embrace the Roger-Rafa rivalry at Open?". USAToday. Retrieved 2009-06-21.
  5. Tennis Confidential by Paul Fein pg. 98 Paul Fein. Tennis Confidential. Retrieved 2009-06-21.
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