Connors–McEnroe rivalry

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

The Connors–McEnroe rivalry was a tennis rivalry between Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe, who played 34 times between 1977 and 1991.[1][2] Their head-to-head was 20–14, favoring McEnroe.

Connors and McEnroe played again in the late 1990s and the early 2000s on the senior tour. 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 (34)

Connors 14 – McEnroe 20

No. Date Tournament Surface Round Winner Score Connors McEnroe
1. Jul 1977 Wimbledon Grass Semifinals Connors 6–3, 6–3, 4–6, 6–4 1 0
2. Aug 1977 US Pro Tennis Championships Clay Last 32 Connors 5–7, 6–2, 7–5 2 0
3. Aug 1978 US Clay Court Championships Clay Quarterfinals Connors 3–6, 6–1, 6–1 3 0
4. Sep 1978 US Open Hard Semifinals Connors 6–2, 6–2, 7–5 4 0
5. Jan 1979 Masters Grand Prix Carpet Round Robin McEnroe 7–5, 3–0 RET 4 1
6. Feb 1979 Pepsi Grand Slam Clay Semifinals Connors 6–3, 6–4 5 1
7. Apr 1979 Alan King Tennis Classic Hard Semifinals Connors 7–5, 6–4 6 1
8. May 1979 WCT Finals Carpet Semifinals McEnroe 6–1, 6–4, 6–4 6 2
9. Sep 1979 US Open Hard Semifinals McEnroe 6–3, 6–3, 7–5 6 3
10. Jan 1980 US Pro Indoor Carpet Final Connors 6–3, 2–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4 7 3
11. Mar 1980 US Indoor Championships Carpet Final McEnroe 7–6(8–6), 7–6(7–4) 7 4
12. May 1980 WCT Finals Carpet Final Connors 2–6, 7–6(7–4), 6–1, 6–2 8 4
13. Jul 1980 Wimbledon Grass Semifinals McEnroe 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4 8 5
14. Sep 1980 US Open Hard Semifinals McEnroe 6–4, 5–7, 0–6, 6–3, 7–6(7–3) 8 6
15. Nov 1981 Wembley Championships Carpet Final Connors 3–6, 2–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–2 9 6
16. Jan 1981 Masters Grand Prix Carpet Round Robin McEnroe 6–2, 7–5 9 7
17. Jan 1982 US Pro Indoor Carpet Final McEnroe 6–3, 6–3, 6–1 9 8
18. Jun 1982 Queen's Club Championships Grass Final Connors 7–5, 6–3 10 8
19. Jul 1982 Wimbledon Grass Final Connors 3–6, 6–3, 6–7(2–7), 7–6(7–5), 6–4 11 8
20. Sep 1982 Pacific Coast Championships Carpet Final McEnroe 6–1, 6–3 11 9
21. Jun 1983 Queen's Club Championships Grass Final Connors 6–3, 6–3 12 9
22. Sep 1983 ATP Championships Hard Semifinals McEnroe 6–7, 6–1, 6–4 12 10
23. Nov 1983 Wembley Championships Carpet Final McEnroe 7–5, 6–1, 6–4 12 11
24. Apr 1984 WCT Finals Carpet Final McEnroe 6–1, 6–2, 6–3 12 12
25. Jun 1984 French Open Clay Semifinals McEnroe 7–5, 6–1, 6–2 12 13
26. Jun 1984 Queen's Club Championships Grass Semifinals McEnroe 6–2, 6–2 12 14
27. Jul 1984 Wimbledon Grass Final McEnroe 6–1, 6–1, 6–2 12 15
28. Aug 1984 Canadian Open Hard Semifinals McEnroe 2–6, 6–2, 6–3 12 16
29. Sep 1984 US Open Hard Semifinals McEnroe 6–4, 4–6, 7–5, 4–6, 6–3 12 17
— Apr 1985 Chicago Grand Prix Carpet Final (McEnroe) Walkover 12 17
30. Aug 1985 Canadian Open Hard Semifinals McEnroe 6–2, 6–3 12 18
31. Sep 1986 Pacific Coast Championships Carpet Final McEnroe 7–6(8–6), 6–3 12 19
32. Aug 1987 Canadian Open Hard Quarterfinals Connors 6–3, 3–6, 6–3 13 19
33. Oct 1989 Grand Prix de Tennis de Toulouse Carpet Final Connors 6–3, 6–3 14 19
34. Sep 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. 1979 Frejus Carpet Final McEnroe 6–4, 6–3
2. 1979 Aix-en-Provence Carpet Third Place McEnroe 6–4, 6–3
3. 1979 Montpellier Carpet Final Connors 7–6, 2–6, 7–5
4. 1979 Frankfurt Carpet Semifinals Connors 7–5, 6–4
5. 1980 Brussels Carpet Semifinals McEnroe 6–1, 7–5
6. 1980 Suntory Cup Carpet Final Connors 7–5, 6–3
7. 1980 Challenge of Champions Carpet Final McEnroe 6–2, 6–4, 6–1
8. 1981 Suntory Cup Carpet Final Connors 6–4, 7–6
9. 1981 Challenge of Champions Carpet Final Connors 6–7, 7–5, 6–7, 7–5, 6–4
10. 1982 Challenge of Champions Carpet Semifinals Connors 6–1, 5–7, 6–2
11. 1984 Suntory Cup Carpet Semifinals McEnroe 4–6, 6–3, 6–4
12. 1984 Challenge of Champions Carpet Round Robin McEnroe 6–3, 4–6, 6–2
13. 1987 Challenge of Champions Carpet Semifinals McEnroe 6–4, 6–4
14. 1988 Challenge of Champions Clay Round Robin McEnroe 7–5, 6–1
15. 1989 Scottish Grass Court Championships Grass Final McEnroe 7–6, 7–6

ATP rankings

Year-end ranking timeline

Player 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
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 ranking 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44
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 Professionals (ATP).
  2. ^ "Ten great tennis rivalries". The Independent. July 8, 2008. Retrieved 2010-12-08.
  3. ^ John Roberts (1999-09-23). "Tennis: Connors still stirred by rivalry with McEnroe". The Independent. London. 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. ^ Fein, Paul (2003). Tennis Confidential. Washington D.C.: Brassey's, Inc. p. 98. ISBN 9781574885262.