For twenty years, Jimmy Connors represented the absolute world leader in tennis. Once a bad boy, who constantly lashed out with referees and line judges, he not only matured with the years and the record of 109 tournament victories in the back, but fascinated the audience worldwide with his irrepressible use, when “almost to a coma “(Isk, 21.5.1992) fought for every ball.
Early Years
Jimmy Connors (whose real name is James Scott) was born September 2, 1952 in East St. Louis and grew up in Belleville, Illinois. Thanks to his mother’s teachings, he learned to play tennis, and in 1961 he took part in the US Boys 11-and-under.
Subsequently, he is brought by his mother to Pancho Segura, so that he can be followed by a professional.
Son of James and Gloria Connors. His mother was a tennis teacher in his city of birth. She taught him to play, printing the aggressiveness that would characterize his game.
Left-handed player, he played his first United States Championship for children under eleven years old in 1961, when he was nine. His mother took him to Southern California to be trained by Pancho Segura in 1968.
In 1970, he achieved his first significant victory in the first round of the Pacific Southwest Open in Los Angeles, in which he defeated Roy Emerson. In 1971, he won the NCAA singles while attending the University of California.
Career Path
He debuted in 1970, still an amateur, did not win tournaments, but managed to show off by playing some good games, especially the win over Roy Emerson in the opening round of the Southwest Pacific Open Los Angeles. Take part in the first US Open of his career, losing once against Mark Cox.
In 268 weeks after his first big success, Jimmy was in first place in the world ranking and celebrated at least eight victories in Grand Slam tournaments, including five triumphs at the US Open. Even after his departure from the professional scene, he remained connected to tennis as a player and organizer of his own senior tour and briefly as a coach of Andy Roddick.
Jimmy (actually James Scott) Connors started playing tennis at the age of three. His mother Gloria, a tough and ambitious tennis instructor, early on taught the boy to be aggressive and taught him…
Connors was ranked first in the world ranking in seventies and again in the eighties after the withdrawal of his great rival Bjorn Borg. During his career, he has won eight major single Slam tournaments (coming seven times in the final) and two doubles titles. It is believed to be among the greatest players in the history of tennis.
In 1971 Connors won the NCAA title attending the University of California and he reached the finals in Columbus and Los Angeles tournaments, but he was defeated by respectively Tom Gorman and Pancho Gonzales. He tried again in the Home Slam adventure, This time he won the first round against Alex Olmedo but he is removed Colin Dibley the next session.
Connors became professional in 1972 and immediately begins to reach the final tournament. In Roanoke he won his first minor title as a professional and the year reached nine other finals, winning six, beating among others Guillermo Vilas and Tanner Roscoe.
In big Slam start to get the first important results: a Paris He comes in second round against Harold Solomon, on ‘grass London draws attention to come to the quarterfinals overtaking Panatta, but he was eliminated Ilie Năstase. In American Slam He immediately goes out to work Tom Gorman. Thanks to these results is qualified for his first year Masters to reach the semifinals, beaten by still Ilie Năstase.
The following year was the first Connors played at high levels. He manages to win several minor tournaments, also beating at Năstase Hampton before winning the United States Pro Tennis Championships in Boston beating Arthur Ashe.
Again against Ashe he will win Johannesburg, in the meantime, had defeated Tom Okker in Los Angeles winning three of the category A group tournaments in a single year. In Roland Garros in the first round in singles but reached the final in doubles with Ilie Năstase but the pair will win. A Wimbledon confirms the previous year’s result to reach the quarter-finals by beating the Soviet Alex Metreveli, In contrast, he won the men’s doubles doubles tournament with Nastase.
Finally manages to impress the New York Slam reach the quarterfinals John Newcombe. To the masters He reaches the semi-finals, eliminated from Năstase. Thanks to these results finished the year in the third place little girl world ranking.
The 1974 was the best year of career for Connors. He is participating for the first time in ‘Australian Open winning the first Grand Slam of his career against Phil Dent. In the months that followed victories in the tournaments with ease in the Winning Roanoke uence (Third consecutive year).
Jump the French Open as a member of the World Tennis Team, but Wimbledon He won his second Grand Slam by beating along the way Phil Dent and Adriano Panatta, Dick Stockton’s semifinals and easily surpass the last act in three sets Ken Rosewall.
Thanks to this victory July 29, 1974 become the new world number one. The season continues with the win in the AA Indianapolis tournament against Björn Borg and finally with the last slam season, the US Open where the Tanner Roscoe defeats in the semifinal Ken Rosewall in the final.
In New York also reached the final mixed doubles tournament paired with Chris Evert (Then his partner in life). Before the end of the season, he won three tournaments including AA Johannesburg against Arthur Ashe. He does not take part in the Masters end of the season, but despite that ends the year ranked number one in the world rankings with an eloquent season score of 93 wins and four losses during the season put a series of 33 consecutive victories.
The 1975 begins with the second and final participation in ‘Australian Open, This time Jimmy was defeated in the final act in four sets John Newcombe. In the months that followed, he won several tournaments beating many excellent players like Vitas Gerulaitis, Jürgen Fassbender, Brian Gottfried and Ken Rosewall.
As in the leap of the previous year and Parisian slam London he reached the final by defeating favorite without losing September Lloyd, Amritraj, hump, cox, Ramirez and tanner; However, the title was refused by surprise by thirty-two Arthur Ashe who beat him in four sets. After Wimbledon continues to reach the final and win tournaments, permanently maintain first place for the entire year.
In 1976 Connors skips the first two majors, but won the four-star Washington and five-star Indianapolis and various minor tournaments, also suffered three defeats in the final (all to work Ilie Năstase). At Wimbledon He was beaten by Tanner Roscoe in the quarterfinals, but all ‘US Open He managed to overcome the break Vitas Gerulaitis, Guillermo Vilas, and in the final Borg.
The 1977 adds eight more tournaments to his list by winning the Las Vegas Tournament. As in previous years skip the Australian Open twice (this year there were two tournaments in January and December). At Wimbledon face for the first time novice John McEnroe in the semifinals, beating in four sets. In the end, you have to give up the fifth set against defending champion Björn Borg.
The 1978 begins with the 1978 Pepsi Grand Slam final where is defeated by Borg, just days after winning the United Pro Tanner Indoor against and in February won Denver as Memphis. He has beaten twice in the final round in Rotterdam and Birmingham, then he faces and defeats the Mexican even in the Wimbledon neighborhoods, defeats in the semifinals with great authority Vitas Gerulaitis but in the Borg final it’s too strong.
The Swede focused his third straight win, beating Connors in straight sets. After wins at Wimbledon Washington Star International against Eddie Dibbs in July and August United States Championship.
Connors was hired Chris Evert, with whom he also played in mixed doubles tournaments. The two were supposed to get married, November 8, 1974, but the wedding was postponed and then canceled when the 1975 they gave the news of the end of their relationship, just before the Wimbledon tournament.
In 1976 it was held as No. 1, achieving 12 titles and in 1977 was booed by not participating in the party of former champions of Wimbledon to celebrate the centenary of the tournament. That year also lost the final of the US Open against the Argentine Guillermo Vilas, who surprised Jimmy in his unusual approaches to the network.
After several years winning and losing finals in the Grand Slams, in 1983 he obtained the last of his career by defeating Lendl in the US Open and in 1984 he reached the final of Wimbledon for the fifth time, although he lost to McEnroe.
His level declined quite a lot, although he continued to fight until he was 41 years old, where he reached his title number 109. In 1990 he played only three games in the year and lost them, falling to No. 936. His last game was for the semifinal of the US Open against Jim Courier, a game seen by millions of viewers around the world.
Jimmy has a net worth of around 12$ million. Most of the money comes from his tennis career and good investments he made in the past.
Personal life
In May 2013 Connors published his autobiography, claiming that the end of his previous relationship, with a fellow tennis player Chris evert, was due to the fact that Evert was pregnant and unilaterally made the decision to stop pregnancy. In 1977 he had a love affair with Miss World Marjorie Wallace.
In 1979 he got married to a playboy model Patti McGuire; the couple has two children and lives in California, Santa Barbara. On January 8, 2007 his mother and Connors’ first tennis teacher died at 82 years.
Quick summary
Full name: James Scott Connors
Date of birth: September 2nd 1952
Birthplace: Santa Barbara, California
Age: 67
Profession: Professional tennis player
Height: 1.78 m
Weight: 80 kg
Net Worth: 12$ million
