Editing Jimmy Connors (section)

==Career==
===Early years===
Connors grew up in [[East St. Louis, Illinois]], just across the [[Mississippi River]] from [[St. Louis|St. Louis, Missouri]], and was raised [[Catholicism|Catholic]]. During his childhood he was coached and trained by his mother and grandmother.<ref name="si1978"/> He played in his first U.S. Championship, the U.S. boys' 11-and-under of 1961, when he was nine years old. Connors's mother, Gloria, took him to Southern California to be coached by [[Pancho Segura]], starting at age 16, in 1968.<ref>Caroline Seebohm: ''Little Pancho'' (2009)</ref> But she remained part of the team as his coach and manager. He and his brother, John "Johnny" Connors, attended St. Phillip's grade school. Connors won the [[Junior Orange Bowl]] in both the 12- and the 14-year categories, and is one of nine tennis players to win the Junior Orange Bowl championship twice in its 70-year history.

===Early career (1970–1973)===
In August 1970, Connors recorded his first match win in the first round of the Haverford tournament, beating Jean-Baptiste Chanfreau.<ref name=":connorsatp1970">{{cite web|title=Jimmy Connors Player Activity|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/players/jimmy-connors/c044/player-activity?matchType=Singles&year=1970&tournament=all|publisher=Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)|access-date=September 29, 2024}}</ref> In his first US Open, Connors lost in round one to [[Mark Cox (tennis)|Mark Cox]].<ref name=":connorsatp1970" /> At [[Countrywide Classic|Pacific Southwest Open]] in Los Angeles, he defeated [[Roy Emerson]] before losing to Clark Graebner in the last 16, where he was described by the Los Angeles Times as the "Cinderfella of tennis" and "the kid with a magic wand for a backhand".<ref name=":congra1970">{{cite news|date=25 September 1970|title=Bell Tolls for the Cinderfella of Tennis|newspaper=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://latimes.newspapers.com/newspage/384741654/|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref> In 1971, Connors won the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] singles title as a Freshman while attending [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]] and attained All-American status. He reached his first ATP Tour finals at Columbus (losing to Tom Gorman) and Los Angeles (beating newly-crowned US Open champion Stan Smith before losing to 43 year old Pancho Gonzales).<ref name=":congon1971">{{cite news|date=27 September 1971|title=Billie-Jean and Rosemary Pull Own Version of Double-fault|newspaper=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://latimes.newspapers.com/newspage/385480002/|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref>

Connors turned professional in 1972 and won his first tournament, the [[Jacksonville Open (tennis)|Jacksonville Open]],<ref name=":connatp">{{cite web|title=Jimmy Connors: Titles and finals|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/players/jimmy-connors/c044/titles-and-finals?titleType=Singles&countType=Titles|publisher=Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)|access-date=September 29, 2024}}</ref> quickly followed by his second at Roanoke,<ref name=":connatp" /> third at Queen's Club,<ref name=":connatp" /> fourth at Columbus,<ref name=":connatp" /> fifth at Cincinnati<ref name=":connatp" /> and sixth at Albany.<ref name=":connatp" /> Connors was acquiring a reputation as a maverick in 1972 when he refused to join the newly formed [[Association of Tennis Professionals]] (ATP), the union that was embraced by most male professional players, in order to play in and dominate a series of smaller tournaments organized by Bill Riordan, his manager. However, Connors played in other tournaments and won the [[1973 U.S. Pro Tennis Championships|1973 U.S. Pro]] Singles, defeating [[Arthur Ashe]] in a five-set final, one of 11 tournaments Connors won that year.<ref name=":connatp" />

===Peak years (1974–1983)===
[[File:Jimmy Connors (1978).jpg|thumb|Connors at the 1978 ABN Tennis Tournament holding his Wilson T2000 steel racket]]

In 1974, Connors was the dominant player. He had a 93–4 record that year and won 15 tournaments of the 21 he entered,<ref name=":connatp" /> including three of the four Grand Slam singles titles. Connors won the [[1974 Australian Open|Australian Open]], which began in late December 1973 and concluded on January 1, [[1974 Australian Open – Men's singles|1974]], defeating [[Phil Dent]] in four sets. He beat [[Ken Rosewall]] in straight sets in the final of [[1974 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]] losing six games.
He allowed Rosewall just two games in the [[1974 US Open (tennis)|US Open]] final in the most one-sided men's singles final in the tournament's history. "From the moment I took the court and hit the first ball, I felt I was gliding. I was on a cloud. It was a terrific feeling” said Connors afterwards.<ref name=":conros1974">{{cite news|date=10 September 1974|title=Connors, Mrs. King win titles in U.S. Open tennis|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/09/10/archives/connors-mrs-king-win-singles-crowns-in-us-open-tennis-connors.html|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref> Connors did not participate in the [[French Open]] during his peak years (1974–78), as he was banned from playing by the event in 1974 due to his association with [[World Team Tennis]] (WTT).<ref>{{cite book|title=World of Tennis '75|year=1975|publisher=Queen Anne Press|location=London|isbn=978-0-362-00217-1|pages=15–17|editor=John Barrett}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Connors, Goolagong 'Can't Play'|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PsoqAAAAIBAJ&dq=connors%20goolagong%20french%20tennis&pg=3375%2C4022177|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|date=May 22, 1974}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and in the other four years chose not to participate. His exclusion from the French Open denied him the opportunity to become the second male player of the Open era, after [[Rod Laver]], to win all four major singles titles in a calendar year. Connors is one of thirteen men to win three or more major singles titles in a calendar year. He chose not to participate in the season-ending Masters Cup between the top eight players of the world and was not eligible for the World Championship Tennis (WCT) finals because he did not compete in the WCT's regular tournaments. Connors finished 1974 at the top of ATP Point Rankings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Singles ranking 1974.12.20|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/rankings/singles?rankDate=1974-12-20&rankRange=0-100|publisher=Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)|access-date=December 19, 2021|archive-date=April 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220417112901/https://www.atptour.com/en/rankings/singles?rankDate=1974-12-20&rankRange=0-100|url-status=live}}</ref> He also was the recipient of the ''Martini and Rossi'' Award, voted for by a panel of journalists<ref>{{cite web|title=Statesman Journal (Salem), 25 February 1975|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/198760221/|website=newspapers.com|date=February 25, 1975|access-date=December 19, 2021|archive-date=November 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110180923/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/198760221/|url-status=live}}</ref> and was ranked world No. 1 by Rex Bellamy,<ref>The Times (London), January 3, 1975, p. 6</ref> ''Tennis Magazine'' (U.S.),<ref>{{cite web|title=Hartford Courant, 16 December 1974|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/237124958/|website=newspapers.com|date=December 16, 1974|access-date=December 19, 2021|archive-date=April 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422100822/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/237124958/|url-status=live}}</ref> Rino Tommasi,<ref name="Almanacco1989 694">Almanacco illustrato del tennis 1989, Edizioni Panini, p.694</ref> ''World Tennis'',<ref>{{Cite news|date=December 18, 1975|title=Tennis Rankings: In With New, Out With Old|page=73|work=[[Fort Lauderdale News]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/231615727|access-date=December 19, 2021|archive-date=November 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111135501/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/231615727/|url-status=live}}</ref> Bud Collins,{{sfnp|Collins|Hollander|1997|p=651|ps=}} Judith Elian<ref name="quidet1989">{{cite book |last1=Quidet |first1=Christian |title=La Fabuleuse Histoire du Tennis |date=1989 |publisher=Nathan |location=Paris |isbn=9782092864388 |page=772 |language=French }}</ref> and Lance Tingay.<ref name=":9">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/worldoftennis1990000unse/|title=World Of Tennis|publisher=Collins Willow|year=1990|isbn=9780002183550|editor-last=Barrett|editor-first=John|editor-link=John Barrett (tennis)|location=London|pages=235–237}}</ref>

In 1975, Connors reached the finals of Wimbledon (losing to Arthur Ashe), the US Open (losing to Manuel Orantes) and Australia (losing to John Newcombe), but he did not win any of them, although his loss to Newcombe was close as Connors lost 9–7 in a fourth set tiebreak. He never played in the Australian Open again. He won nine of the tournaments he entered<ref name=":connatp" /> achieving an 82–8 record. While he earned enough points to retain the ATP No. 1 ranking the entire year and was ranked number one by Rino Tommasi,<ref name="Almanacco1989 694"/> all other tennis authorities, including the ATP, named Arthur Ashe, who solidly defeated Connors at Wimbledon, as the Player of the Year. He once again did not participate in the Masters Cup or the WCT Finals.

In 1976 Connors lost in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon to Roscoe Tanner. 
At the [[1976 US Open – Men's singles|US Open]], Connors captured the title once again (defeating Björn Borg). After the match, Borg said “it was a very good match. It was the best Jimmy has ever played against me. He hit everything on the lines, everything in the corners. I couldn't do anything. Usually, you play like that for one and a half sets and start missing. But he was very consistent."<ref name=":conborg1976">{{cite news|date=13 September 1976|title=Connors defeats Borg for Open crown|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/09/13/archives/connors-defeats-bong-for-open-crown-fiiebreaker-in-3d-set-is-high.html|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref> He won 12 events, including the U.S. Pro Indoor in Philadelphia, Palm Springs and Las Vegas,<ref name=":connatp" /> he achieved a record of 90–8 and defeated Borg all four times they played. He was ranked No. 1 by the ATP for the entire year and was ranked number one by ''World Tennis,<ref>{{Cite news|date=December 15, 1976|title=Jimmy Back on Top|page=22|work=[[Tampa Times|The Tampa Times]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/333341886/|access-date=December 16, 2021|archive-date=November 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111124359/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/333341886/|url-status=live}}</ref> Tennis Magazine'' (U.S.),<ref>{{cite web|title=The Vancouver Sun, 17 December 1976|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/492825126/|website=newspapers.com|date=December 17, 1976|access-date=December 16, 2021|archive-date=November 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111183359/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/492825126/|url-status=live}}</ref> Bud Collins,{{sfnp|Collins|Hollander|1997|p=652|ps=}} Lance Tingay,<ref name=":9" /> John Barrett,<ref name="The Financial Times">The Financial Times</ref> and Tommasi.<ref name="Almanacco1989 694"/> The ATP named Björn Borg as its Player of the Year.

In 1977, an injured Connors lost in the Wimbledon finals to Borg 6–4 in the fifth set and in the US Open finals to Guillermo Vilas, but Connors captured both the Masters, beating Borg, and the WCT Finals. While holding onto the ATP No. 1 ranking, ''World Tennis'' Magazine and most tennis authorities ranked Borg or Vilas No. 1 with Connors rated as No. 3 behind Borg. He won eight tournaments this year.<ref name=":connatp" />

In 1978, Borg defeated Connors in the Wimbledon final. Connors defeated Borg in the US Open final (played on hardcourt for the inaugural time). ''The Los Angeles Times'' described the match by saying "Connors played smashingly, as he has all tournament, pressuring Borg from the start. Yet Borg looked nothing like the broad-shouldered, power-hitting Swede who dominated Connors in straight sets at Wimbledon." Borg was suffering from an infected callous on his thumb but said "it was little bit tender earlier today, but it did not bother me during the match. Jimmy was just too good today."<ref name=":conborg1978">{{cite news|date=11 September 1978|title=Connors, Evert Are Back on Top At Least for Now|newspaper=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://latimes.newspapers.com/newspage/384604245/|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref> Connors reached the final of the US Open in five straight years from 1974 through 1978, winning three times with each win being on a different surface ([[1974 US Open – Men's singles|1974]] on grass, [[1976 US Open – Men's singles|1976]] on clay and [[1978 US Open – Men's singles|1978]] on hard). Connors won ten tournaments in 1978, including the U.S. Pro Indoor.<ref name=":connatp" /> While he retained the ATP No. 1 ranking at the end of the year, the ATP and most tennis authorities rated Borg, who also won the French Open, as the player of the year.

Connors reached the ATP world No. 1 ranking on July 29, 1974, and held it for 160 consecutive weeks, a record until it was surpassed by [[Roger Federer]] on February 26, 2007. He was the year-end No. 1 player from 1974 through 1978 and held the No. 1 ranking for a total of 268 weeks during his career. Connors relinquished his initial grip (160 weeks) on the No. 1 ranking for only one week, from August 23 to 30, 1977, before resuming as No. 1 for another 84 weeks.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.atptour.com/en/rankings/singles |title=ATP Singles Rankings |publisher=ATP Tour |access-date=July 21, 2021 |archive-date=May 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180506010842/http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

From 1979 to 1981, Connors lost in the semifinals of the three top Grand Slam events every time except the 1981 French Open, where he lost in the quarterfinals. He reached the semifinals at the Masters in 1979 and 1980, but he did win the WCT Finals in 1980. He was generally ranked third in the world those years. He won eight tournaments in 1979,<ref name=":connatp" /> six in 1980<ref name=":connatp" /> and four in 1981.<ref name=":connatp" />

In 1982, Connors experienced a resurgence as he defeated John McEnroe in five close sets "that varied from boringly slow to fiercely brilliant" to win the Wimbledon final.<ref name=":conmce1982">{{cite news|date=5 July 1982|title=Connors wins Wimbledon final|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/07/05/sports/connors-wins-wimbledon-final.html|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref> Connors beat Ivan Lendl in the US Open final when Lendl was unable to cope "with Connors' penetrating, sharply-angled groundstrokes into the corners, or his net-charging attacks".<ref name=":lencon1982">{{cite news|date=14 September 1982|title=Connors 'may quit'|newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]]|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116470003|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref> After the US Open, Connors reclaimed the ATP No. 1 ranking. He also reached the semifinal of the Masters Cup and won five other tournaments for a total of seven.<ref name=":connatp" /> After trading the number-one ranking back and forth with McEnroe, he finished the year ranked No. 2 in points earned, but he was named Player of the Year by the ATP and was ITF World Champion due to his victories at Wimbledon and the US Open.

In 1983, Connors, McEnroe and Lendl traded the No. 1 ranking several times. Connors won the US Open for a record fifth time beating Lendl in the final in four sets, where he "blunted Lendl's power with defensive strength and spectacular volleys". It was his 100th tournament victory and fourth of the year.<ref name=":lencon1983">{{cite news|date=13 September 1983|title=Connors blunts Lendl in four set final|newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]]|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116406351|accessdate=28 September 2024}}</ref><ref name=":connatp" /> He finished the year as the No. 3 ranked player.

===Later years (1984–1996)===
In 1984 Connors had made both the finals of Wimbledon and the WCT finals with semifinal appearances at the French Open, the US Open, and the Masters Cup. He won five tournaments<ref name=":connatp" /> and finished the year as the No. 2 ranked player after McEnroe. In 1985, he made the semifinals of the three majors he entered and finished No. 4 for the year, a ranking he would again obtain in 1987, at the age of 35.

In the fourth round of the [[1987 Wimbledon Championships]], Connors defeated [[Mikael Pernfors]], ten years his junior, in five sets from two sets down and having trailed 1–4 in the third set and 0–3 in the fourth set.<ref name=":conper1987">{{cite news|date=1 July 1987|title=Connors Grinds Out One to Remember : Down 6-1, 6-1, 4-1 to Pernfors, He Battles Back for Vintage Win|newspaper=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-07-01-sp-530-story.html|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref> In July 1988, Connors ended a four-year title drought by winning the Sovran Bank Tennis Classic in Washington, D.C.<ref name=":connatp" /> It was the 106th title of his career. Connors had played in 56 tournaments and lost 11 finals since his previous victory in the Tokyo Indoors against Lendl in October 1984. He also won the title at Toulouse.<ref name=":connatp" />

In 1989, Connors won the final tournaments of his career at Toulouse<ref name=":connatp" /> (beating his old rival McEnroe, who was then ranked No. 4 in the world) and Tel Aviv.<ref name=":connatp" /> He still holds the Open era record with 109 men's singles titles. At the 1989 US Open, Connors defeated the third seed (and future two-time champion) [[Stefan Edberg]], in straight sets in the fourth round, in a match in which Connors accumulated fines of $2,250 for three code violations, was penalized a game in the second set and was one more code violation from being defaulted. Afterwards Connors said "I went out and played a match everybody dreams will happen and he played one of those matches you hope you have only one time in your career.”<ref name=":conedb1989">{{cite news|date=5 September 1989|title=Up to his old tricks, Connors stuns Edberg|newspaper=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-05-sp-1749-story.html|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref> Connors pushed sixth-seeded [[Andre Agassi]] to five sets in the quarterfinals before losing. He ended 1989 ranked 14 in the world.

Connors' career seemed to be at an end in 1990, when he played only three tournament matches and lost all three, dropping to No. 936 in the world rankings. However, after surgery on his deteriorating left wrist, he came back to play 14 tournaments in 1991. An ailing back forced him to retire from a five-sets match in the third round of the French Open against [[Michael Chang]], the 1989 champion. Connors walked off the court, after hitting a service-return winner against Chang on the first point of the fifth set, having just levelled the match by winning the fourth.<ref name=":concha1991">{{cite news|date=1 June 1991|title=Connors Goes Out Like No One Else : French Open: Back pain forces him to quit at the beginning of the fifth set against Chang after he receives several ovations.|newspaper=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-06-01-sp-2374-story.html|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref>

Connors recuperated and made an improbable run to the [[1991 US Open – Men's singles|1991 US Open semifinals]] which he later said were "the best 11 days of my tennis career".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/2015/02/10/connors-krickstein-turn-back-the-clock-with-reunion-match/23190289/|title=Jimmy Connors faces Aaron Krickstein in reunion match|publisher=[[USA Today]]|date=February 10, 2015|access-date=May 12, 2015|archive-date=February 21, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221150114/http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/2015/02/10/connors-krickstein-turn-back-the-clock-with-reunion-match/23190289/|url-status=live}}</ref> In the first round, Connors was two sets and 3-0 down against Patrick McEnroe before winning in five sets.<ref name=":con1991">{{cite web|url=https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2018-07-31/2018-07-31_50_moments_that_mattered_connors_incredible_1991_semifinal_run.html|title=50 Moments That Mattered: Connors' incredible 1991 semifinal run|publisher=[[US Open (tennis)|US Open]]|date=July 31, 2018|access-date=September 29, 2024}}</ref> He then had straight sets wins over Michiel Schapers and 10th seed Karel Novacek.<ref name=":con1991" /> In the fourth round, on his 39th birthday, he defeated 24-year-old [[Aaron Krickstein]] in five sets, in 4 hours and 41 minutes, coming back from a 2–5 deficit in the final set.<ref name=":con1991" /> Connors then defeated [[Paul Haarhuis]] in the quarterfinals in four sets after Haarhuis had served for a two sets to love lead.<ref name=":con1991" /> He lost to [[Jim Courier]] in the semifinals, in straight sets. 22 years later, [[ESPN]] aired a documentary commemorating Connors's run.<ref name="30for30"/>

In 1992, Connors beat world No. 3, Michael Stich, at Memphis. Afterwards Stich accused Connors of being "very unfair on the court,” saying "he talks to the crowd between your first and second serves and he talks to the crowd as you are preparing for your serve. If that’s his idea of winning... I think it’s ridiculous what he’s doing."<ref name=":consti1992">{{cite news|date=14 February 1992|title=Tennis roundup: Stich has some words for Connors|newspaper=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-02-14-sp-2129-story.html|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref> Connors lost in the semifinals to Mal Washington. He beat 20 year old world No. 12, Wayne Ferreira, to reach the quarterfinals at Indianapolis, before losing to Boris Becker. Connors participated in his last major tournament, in the 1992 US Open, where he beat 22 year old [[Jaime Oncins]] in straight sets in the first round on his 40th birthday,<ref name=":cononc1992">{{cite news|date=3 September 1992|title=U.S. OPEN '92; Connors's Birthday Gift Is Same as Last Year's|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/03/sports/us-open-92-connors-s-birthday-gift-is-same-as-last-year-s.html|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref> before losing to Lendl (then ranked No. 7) in four sets, in the second round.

In September 1992, Connors played [[Martina Navratilova]] in the third [[The Battle of the Sexes (tennis)|Battle of the Sexes]] tennis match at [[Caesars Palace]] in [[Las Vegas, Nevada]]. Connors was allowed only one serve per point and Navratilova was allowed to hit into half the doubles court. Connors won, 7–5, 6–2 and won an estimated $1 million.<ref name=":connav1992">{{cite news|date=26 September 1992|title=A Grand Non-Slam Victory : Tennis: Connors beats Navratilova, 7-5, 6-2, in a match in which the only speed involves money changing hands.|newspaper=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-09-26-sp-959-story.html|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref>

In February 1993, Connors reached the semifinals of the [[San Francisco]] tournament, beating Richard Matuszewski, Bryan Shelton (in an ill-tempered match in which Shelton afterwards accused Connors of disrupting his concentration by stalling, yelling obscenities and playing to the crowd)<ref name=":conshe1993">{{cite news|date=6 February 1993|title=Tennis: Connors accused|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis-connors-accused-1471354.html|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref> and 21 year old Chuck Adams, before retiring against Brad Gilbert due to bone spurs in his right foot.<ref name=":congil1993">{{cite news|date=7 February 1993|title=Tennis roundup: Agassi flies into final vs. Gilbert|newspaper=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-02-07-sp-1573-story.html|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref>

However, this would not be the end of his playing career. As late as June 1995, three months shy of his 43rd birthday, Connors beat 22 year old [[Sébastien Lareau]], in straight sets, and 27 year old [[Martin Sinner]], in straight sets, to progress to the quarterfinals of the Halle event in Germany. Connors lost this quarterfinal in straight sets to [[Marc Rosset]]. His last match on the ATP Tour came in April 1996, when he lost in three sets to [[Richey Reneberg]] in Atlanta.<ref>ATP World Tour, Official Website. Player Information Jimmy Connors. Main Website http://www.atpworldtour.com/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170824223750/http://www.atpworldtour.com/ |date=August 24, 2017 }}</ref>

Connors endorsed [[Converse (brand)|Converse]] but wore [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]] Air Tech Challenge IV low's at one time.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fNgNAQAAMAAJ&q=jimmy+connors+nike+air+tech+challenge | title=Adweek's Marketing Week | date=1991 }}</ref>

===Rivalries===
Prominent contemporary players with Connors included [[Phil Dent]], [[Brian Gottfried]], [[Raul Ramírez]], [[Harold Solomon]], [[Dick Stockton (tennis)|Dick Stockton]], [[Roscoe Tanner]], and [[Guillermo Vilas]]. His prominent older opponents included [[Pancho Gonzales]], [[Ken Rosewall]], [[Rod Laver]], [[Arthur Ashe]], [[John Newcombe]], [[Ilie Năstase]], [[Stan Smith]] and [[Manuel Orantes]]. His prominent younger opponents included [[Vitas Gerulaitis]], [[Björn Borg]], [[John McEnroe]], [[Ivan Lendl]], [[Stefan Edberg]], [[Boris Becker]] and [[Andre Agassi]].

====Björn Borg====
{{main|Borg–Connors rivalry}}
During his best years of 1974 through 1978, Connors was challenged the most by Borg, with twelve matches on tour during that time frame. Borg won only four of those meetings, but two of those wins were in the Wimbledon finals of [[1977 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|1977]] and [[1978 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|1978]]. Connors lost his stranglehold on the top ranking to Borg in early 1979 and wound up with an official tour record of 8 wins and 15 losses against Borg<ref name=":connoboratp">{{cite web|title=Jimmy Connors vs. Bjorn Borg|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/players/atp-head-2-head/jimmy-connors-vs-bjorn-borg/C044/B058#:~:text=Head%20to%20head%20records%20for%20players%20in%20men's%20professional%20tennis.|publisher=Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)|access-date=September 29, 2024}}</ref> as Borg was four years younger and won the last ten times they met. Head to head in major championship finals, they split their four meetings, Borg winning two Wimbledons ([[1977 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|1977]] and [[1978 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|1978]]) and Connors winning two US Opens ([[1976 US Open – Men's singles|1976]] and [[1978 US Open – Men's singles|1978]]). Connors described his rivalry with Borg in a 1987 newspaper article by saying "Borg and I were fire and ice. We were just entirely different people on and off the court."<ref name=":conrivals1987">{{cite news|date=6 September 1987|title=Still Burning : Despite the Years, Connors, Now 35, Hasn't Lost That Old Fire|newspaper=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-09-06-sp-6191-story.html|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref>

====Ilie Năstase====
Nastase was another rival in Connors's prime. Though six years older than Connors, Nastase won eleven of their first twelve meetings. However, Connors then won eleven of their final fifteen meetings to trail Nastase 12-15.<ref name=":connasatp">{{cite web|title=Ilie Nastase vs. Jimmy Connors|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/players/atp-head-2-head/ilie-nastase-vs-jimmy-connors/N008/C044#:~:text=View%20rivalry%20results%20and%20stats%20for%20matches%20on%20the%20ATP|publisher=Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)|access-date=September 29, 2024}}</ref> The two would team up to win the doubles championships at the 1973 Wimbledon and the 1975 US Open.

====Manuel Orantes and Guillermo Vilas====
Orantes upset Connors in the final of the [[1975 US Open – Men's singles|1975 US Open]], but Connors was 12 wins and 3 losses overall against Orantes in tour events.<ref name=":conoraatp">{{cite web|title=Jimmy Connors vs. Manuel Orantes|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/players/atp-head-2-head/jimmy-connors-vs-manuel-orantes/C044/O017#:~:text=Head%20to%20head%20records%20for%20players%20in%20men's%20professional%20tennis.|publisher=Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)|access-date=September 29, 2024}}</ref> On the other hand, Vilas wore down Connors in the final of the [[1977 US Open – Men's singles|1977 US Open]] and was much more competitive in all of their meetings. Connors was able to manage only a 5–4 record against Vilas in tour events.<ref name=":convilatp">{{cite web|title=Guillermo Vilas vs. Jimmy Connors|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/players/atp-head-2-head/guillermo-vilas-vs-jimmy-connors/V028/C044#:~:text=Head%20to%20head%20records%20for%20players%20in%20men's%20professional%20tennis.|publisher=Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)|access-date=September 29, 2024}}</ref>

====Rod Laver and John Newcombe====
In 1975, Connors won two highly touted "Challenge Matches", both arranged by the Riordan company and televised nationally by [[CBS Sports]] from [[Caesars Palace]] in [[Las Vegas, Nevada]]. The first match, in February and billed as $100,000 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|100000|1975|r=0}}}} today) winner-takes-all, was against 36 year old Laver. Connors won that match in four sets. In April, Connors met Newcombe in a match billed as a $250,000 winner-takes-all. Connors won the match in four sets. Connors ended his business relationship with Riordan later in 1975.<ref name="si1978">{{cite magazine|author1=Frank Deford|author-link=Frank Deford|title=Raised by women to conquer men|url=https://www.si.com/tennis/2014/11/25/raised-women-conquer-men-jimmy-connors-frank-deford-si-60|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|date=August 28, 1978|access-date=July 23, 2017|archive-date=July 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705200436/https://www.si.com/tennis/2014/11/25/raised-women-conquer-men-jimmy-connors-frank-deford-si-60|url-status=live}}</ref>

Connors played Newcombe six matches listed on the ATP website, with Newcombe winning the first two meetings on grass (1973 US Open quarterfinal and 1975 Australian Open final) and Connors winning the last four on indoor carpet (WCT Aetna World Cup 1976 and 1978) and hard courts (1978 Sydney Indoor quarterfinal and 1979 Hong Kong round of 16).<ref name=":connewatp">{{cite web|title=John Newcombe vs. Jimmy Connors|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/players/atp-head-2-head/john-newcombe-vs-jimmy-connors/N044/C044#:~:text=Head%20to%20head%20records%20for%20players%20in%20men's%20professional%20tennis.|publisher=Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)|access-date=September 29, 2024}}</ref> Connors won all three meetings with Rod Laver in tour events,<ref name=":conlavatp">{{cite web|title=Jimmy Connors vs. Rod Laver|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/players/atp-head-2-head/jimmy-connors-vs-rod-laver/C044/L058#:~:text=View%20rivalry%20results%20and%20stats%20for%20matches%20on%20the%20ATP|publisher=Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)|access-date=September 29, 2024}}</ref> all when Laver was at least 37 years old.

====John McEnroe====
{{main|Connors–McEnroe rivalry}}
In the [[1980 World Championship Tennis Finals|1980 WCT Finals]], Connors defeated the defending champion, John McEnroe. In 1982, at age 29, Connors was back in the Wimbledon singles final, where he faced McEnroe, who by then was established firmly as the world's top player. Connors recovered from being three points away from defeat in a fourth-set tie-break (at 3–4) to win the match, 3–6, 6–3, 6–7, 7–6, 6–4, and claimed his second Wimbledon title, eight years after his first.

Although Connors's tour record against McEnroe was 14–20<ref name=":connomceatp">{{cite web|title=Jimmy Connors vs. John McEnroe|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/players/atp-head-2-head/jimmy-connors-vs-john-mcenroe/C044/M047#:~:text=View%20rivalry%20results%20and%20stats%20for%20matches%20on%20the%20ATP|publisher=Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)|access-date=September 29, 2024}}</ref> McEnroe is 6½ years younger than Connors and had a losing record against Connors until he won 12 out of their last 14 meetings. Head to head in major championship finals, they split their two meetings, Connors winning the [[1982 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|1982]] Wimbledon in five sets, and McEnroe winning the [[1984 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|1984]] Wimbledon in straight sets. McEnroe won six of their nine meetings in Grand Slam events. Connors described his rivalry with McEnroe in a newspaper article in 1987 by saying "We went at it on and off the court. That was because we were fire and fire, we were so similar. Still are."<ref name=":conrivals1987" />

====Ivan Lendl====
{{main|Connors–Lendl rivalry}}
Connors defeated another of the next generation of tennis stars, Ivan Lendl, in the 1982 US Open final and soon regained the No. 1 ranking. Connors had a tour record of 13–22 against Lendl,<ref name=":connolenatp">{{cite web|title=Jimmy Connors vs. Ivan Lendl|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/players/atp-head-2-head/jimmy-connors-vs-ivan-lendl/C044/L018#:~:text=View%20rivalry%20results%20and%20stats%20for%20matches%20on%20the%20ATP
|publisher=Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)|access-date=September 29, 2024}}</ref> but Lendl is eight years younger than Connors and had a losing record against Connors until he won their last 17 matches from 1984 through 1992, after Connors's prime. Head to head in major championship finals, Connors defeated Lendl in both meetings, winning the [[1982 US Open – Men's singles|1982]] and [[1983 US Open – Men's singles|1983]] US Open. Connors described his rivalry with Lendl in a newspaper article in 1987 by saying "Lendl and I didn’t get along, and I won a lot early. He’s won a lot later."<ref name=":conrivals1987" />

===Maverick===
In 1974, Connors and Riordan began filing lawsuits against the ATP and its president, [[Arthur Ashe]], for allegedly restricting his freedom in the game. The lawsuits stemmed from the French Open banning Connors in 1974 after he had signed a contract to play [[World Team Tennis]] (WTT) for the [[Baltimore Banners]]. Connors was seeking to enter the French Open, but the ATP and French officials opposed WTT because of scheduling conflicts.<ref name=":connorsriordanatp">{{cite web|title=Jimmy Connors: The Hellion of Tennis|date=April 28, 1975 |url=https://time.com/archive/6851142/jimmy-connors-the-hellion-of-tennis/|publisher=Time magazine|access-date=September 29, 2024}}</ref> Just before the start of Wimbledon 1975 the British press reported that Riordan had filed lawsuits claiming damages against Arthur Ashe and ATP secretary Bob Briner. Ashe had criticised Connors in a letter as “seemingly unpatriotic” for playing lucrative ‘challenge’ matches, rather than joining the U.S. Davis Cup team and Briner had called Riordan, a “nihilist”.<ref name=":connoriordanatp">{{cite web|title=Ashe's Wimbledon Win Over Connors, 45 Years On|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/news/atp-heritage-ashe-connors-1975-wimbledon#:~:text=On%2025%20November%201974,%20Connors%20had%20retained%20the%20South%20African|publisher=Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)|access-date=September 29, 2024}}</ref> Connors dropped Riordan (and the lawsuits) in November 1975.<ref name=":conlawsuits">{{cite news|date=16 November 1975|title=Dibbs Beats Connors in Tennis Final|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/11/16/archives/dibbs-beats-connors-in-tennis-final.html|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref>

At Wimbledon in 1977, he declined to participate in a parade of former champions to celebrate the tournament's centenary, choosing instead to practice in the grounds with Ilie Nastase while the parade took place. In 2000, he also declined to join a gathering of 58 former champions held to mark the millennium. In his 2013 autobiography, Connors blamed his missing the 1977 parade on the [[All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club|All England Club]] for not letting his doctor onto the grounds so that Connors could try on a customized splint for a thumb injury. Connors explained that this necessitated his rushing to meet the doctor at the entrance to the grounds, and then convincing Nastase to help him try out the splint on a practice court. By Connors' account, he then rushed to Centre Court for the parade, but was too late.<ref>{{cite book|title=Jimmy Connors: The Outsider|year=2013|publisher=Bantam Press|location=London|isbn=978-0-593-06927-1|pages=198–200|author=Jimmy Connors}}</ref>

Connors also irritated sponsors and tennis officials by shunning the end-of-year [[Tennis Masters Cup|Masters]] championship from 1974 through 1976. However, he entered this round-robin competition in 1977 when it moved to New York City. Although Connors lost a celebrated late-night match to Vilas, he took the title by defeating Borg in the final.

In a semi final of a tournament at Boca Raton in February 1986 against Ivan Lendl, Connors protested what he said was a bad line call in the sixth game of the fifth set that gave Lendl a 3-2, 40-0 lead. Umpire Jeremy Shales, after imposing a 15-second warning, gave Connors a code-of-conduct warning for delay of game. Connors then was penalized a point giving Lendl the game and making the fifth-set score 4-2 for Lendl. Connors continued to protest and refused to play. He then was given a game penalty, making it 5-2 for Lendl. After supervisor Ken Farrar had failed to persuade Connors to continue play, he was defaulted. Connors insisted that he did not quit the match. Connors told reporters the next week at Palm Springs. "I didn't quit, I was defaulted. I take full credit, good or bad, for what I've done. If I'm suspended, I'll just go home and ride my horses. I was standing up for the rights of players. I'll tell you, if a lot of guys could afford it, they would do it. I did it because I thought it was right." A month after the incident, the Men’s International Professional Tennis Council decided that Connors would be banned for 10 weeks and fined $20,000 (in addition to $5,000 imposed on the day of the match).<ref name=":con1986">{{cite news|date=25 March 1986|title=Connors Banned for 10 Weeks and Fined $20,000 : Action Taken After He Stormed Off Court in Match With Lendl|newspaper=[[The Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-03-25-sp-172-story.html|accessdate=29 September 2024}}</ref>

===Distinctions and honors===
Connors is often considered among the greatest tennis players in the history of the sport.<ref>''Tennis'' magazine ranked Connors the [[Tennis (magazine)#"The 40 Greatest Players of the TENNIS Era" (2005)|third best male player]] of the period 1965–2005.</ref> Connors won a male open era record 109 singles titles.<ref>[http://www.tennisfame.com/famer.aspx?pgID=867&hof_id=18 James Scott Connors- International Hall of Fame] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061119111954/http://www.tennisfame.com/famer.aspx?pgID=867&hof_id=18 |date=November 19, 2006 }}</ref> He also won 16 doubles titles (including the men's doubles titles at Wimbledon in 1973 and the US Open in 1975). Connors has won more matches (1,274) than any other male professional tennis player in the open era. His career win–loss record was 1,274–283 for a winning percentage of 82.4.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-09-26-sp-39414-story.html | title=Fighter's mentality made him the best | work=Los Angeles Times | date=September 26, 1993 | access-date=May 1, 2019 | archive-date=May 1, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501183322/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-09-26-sp-39414-story.html | url-status=live }}</ref> He played 398 tournaments, a record until [[Fabrice Santoro]] overtook it in 2008.<ref>[http://www.tennisfame.com/famer.aspx?pgID=867&hof_id=18 James Scott Connors] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061119111954/http://www.tennisfame.com/famer.aspx?pgID=867&hof_id=18 |date=November 19, 2006 }}</ref>

In Grand Slam Singles events, Connors reached the semifinals or better a total of 31 times and the quarterfinals or better a total of 41 times, despite entering the Australian Open Men's Singles only twice and not entering the French Open Men's Singles for five of his peak career years. The 31 semifinals stood as a record until surpassed by Roger Federer at Wimbledon 2012. The 41 quarterfinals remained a record until Roger Federer surpassed it at Wimbledon 2014. Connors was the only player to win the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]] on three different surfaces: [[grass court|grass]], [[clay court|clay]], and [[hard court|hard]]. He was also the first male tennis player to win [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] singles titles on three different surfaces: grass (1974), clay (1976), and hard (1978).

Connors was inducted into the [[International Tennis Hall of Fame]] in 1998 and [[Intercollegiate Tennis Association#Hall of Fame|Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Hall of Fame]] in 1986. He also has a star on the [[St. Louis Walk of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stlouiswalkoffame.org/inductees/?view=achievement|title=St. Louis Walk of Fame Inductees|publisher=St. Louis Walk of Fame|access-date=April 25, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031162946/http://www.stlouiswalkoffame.org/inductees/?view=achievement|archive-date=October 31, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> In his 1979 autobiography, tennis promoter and Grand Slam winning player [[Jack Kramer (tennis player)|Jack Kramer]] ranked Connors as one of the 21 best players of all time. Because of his fiery competitiveness and acrimonious relationships with a number of peers, he has been likened to baseball player [[Pete Rose]].<ref name="30for30">ESPN's [[30 for 30]] documentary [https://www.espn.com/watch/film/f70fc0f5-bfe0-433a-a6c3-9a65e21eae8d/this-is-what-they-want ''This is What They Want'']</ref> In 1983, [[Fred Perry]] ranked the greatest male players of all time and put them in to two categories, before [[World War II]] and after. Perry's modern best behind Laver: "Borg, McEnroe, Connors, Hoad, Jack Kramer, John Newcombe, Ken Rosewall, Manuel Santana".<ref>{{cite web|title=The Miami Herald, 25 April 1983|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/624261568|website=newspapers.com|date=April 25, 1983|access-date=March 10, 2022|archive-date=March 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220310114627/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/624261568/|url-status=live}}</ref>