January 10, 1982: The day Connors and McEnroe nearly come to blows in Chicago
Every day, Tennis Majors looks back at some of the most memorable moments in tennis history. On this day in 1982, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe were at each other’s throats in Chicago. The epic five-setter was one of their testiest battles on record
On This Day, 01/10: John McEnroe & Jimmy Connors
Image Credit: Panoramic/ Tennis Majors
What exactly happened on that day?
On this day, January 10, in 1982, in the final of the Michelob Light Challenge, an exhibition tournament held in Chicago, rivals Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe had one of their most infamous clashes. In the fifth set, Connors, irked by McEnroe’s delaying tactics, even stepped across the net and confronted his opponent. At the end of the high-quality match, Connors prevailed in five sets 6-7, 7-5, 6-7, 7-5, 6-4.
The players: Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe
- ‘Jimbo’ Jimmy Connors
Jimmy Connors, born in 1952 in Illinois, United States, was one of the greatest tennis players of his time. Coached by his mother Gloria, Connors was among the first players to hit the ball flat and predominantly from the baseline. Hitting the ball on the rise, his game would be very influential for future generations of tennis players. “Jimbo” turned pro in 1972 and became world No 1 by 1974. In fact, that year, he won three out of the four Grand Slam tournaments and was not permitted to participate in the fourth one, Roland-Garros, due to a lawsuit he had filed against the ATP Tour.
Connors stayed at the top of the ATP rankings for a record of 160 weeks in a row from 1974 to 1977. Losing his throne to Bjorn Borg on August 23, 1977 for just one week, he then reclaimed it for another 84 weeks, until the spring of 1979. The American had won five Grand Slam titles by that point: the Australian Open (1974), Wimbledon (1974) and the US Open (1974, 1976, 1978). However, since 1979, Connors was not performing as well as his peak years. He had not reached a Grand Slam final since his 1978 US Open title but was still ranked No 3 in the world. His young rival, McEnroe, had even provocatively declared that he would have liked to see how it was to play against Connors “in his prime”.
- ‘Supermac’ John McEnroe
John McEnroe, born in 1959 in Germany to American parents, had been world No 1 since August 1981 after he claimed his first Wimbledon crown. The American had defeated Swedish legend Bjorn Borg in the final (4-6, 7-6, 7-6, 6-4). The southpaw from New York had amazed the tennis world ever since his first steps on the tour in 1977, when at the age of 17, showing up at Wimbledon as an amateur, he made his way out of the qualifying event and into the semi-finals.
“Mac” was very talented, his game being based on precision and touch, built on an iconic and lethal serve that he liked to follow at the net. In 1979, he became the youngest ever US Open champion, defeating Vitas Gerulaitis (7-5, 6-3, 6-3). He also created quite a stir by beating Bjorn Borg (7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6) to win the year-end Finals. In 1980, he played his most memorable match in the Wimbledon final, where he lost in five sets against Borg after winning an outstanding tie-break in the fourth 18-16. In September, he managed to defend his US Open title, edging Borg in the final (7-6, 6-1, 6-7, 5-7, 6-4). In 1981, after his first triumph at the All England Club, McEnroe claimed the US Open crown for a third time, edging Bjorn Borg once again (4-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3) in what would later be remembered as the Swede’s last appearance at a Grand Slam tournament.
Both Connors and McEnroe were known for their shocking on-court behaviour in the well-mannered world of tennis. They were sometimes vulgar and their constant quarreling with the officials made them infamous in a gentleman’s sport. There was something personal in their rivalry, with the two players genuinely disliking each other and being more than just tennis opponents, openly and sometimes violently arguing on court. It made all of their legendary encounters a must-watch event.
The place: Michelob Light Challenge, Chicago
This clash between Connors and McEnroe happened in the final of the Michelob Light Challenge, an exhibition tournament held in Chicago, where eight players had been invited.
The facts: Connors crosses the net to confront McEnroe
On that day, January 10, 1982, in Rosemont, Illinois, the Connors vs McEnroe clash took an unexpected turn, featuring, as Connors himself would describe a few weeks later, “everything – great tennis, controversy, comedy and even death.“
First, the level of play was great and fans who came to see high-quality tennis were not disappointed. Connors prevailed in five sets 6-7, 7-5, 6-7, 7-5, 6-4, executing his signature passing shots beautifully against the best serve-and-volley player in the world. However, the Michelob final became memorable for a different reason: the number of arguments that occurred between the players and the officials. Both Connors and McEnroe were warned by the chair umpire and received penalty points but tension peaked in the fifth set, when Jimbo apparently got fed up with his opponent’s delaying tactics and abusive language. Connors stepped across the net to confront McEnroe, and, although no one could hear what he actually told him while sticking a finger to his face like a father telling off his child, one could safely assume that it was not very polite. McEnroe pushed him back. The two players were ”about a whisker apart,” in Connors’ words, before being restrained by officials.
‘I think we both have the same attitudes,” Connors said, comparing McEnroe and himself, according to The New York Times. ”He’s aggressive, I’m aggressive. We both stick up for our rights. But I stick up for my rights in a different way. If I feel like I’m in the right, I’ll step up. I want some respect, not sloughing off. But there are certain limits.”
What next? Connors vs McEnroe rivalry continues
A few weeks later, McEnroe would take his revenge against Connors in the final of the US Pro Indoor in New York, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1. Connors would then prevail in the Wimbledon final (3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4), claiming his first Grand Slam title since the 1978 US Open (he would finish with eight Slam titles), the first step of a journey that would lead him to reclaim the world No 1 spot in September.
John McEnroe would win seven Grand Slam singles titles by the end of his own career. In 1984, his greatest year, he would win Wimbledon and the US Open, and would be very close to winning Roland-Garros before blowing a two-sets-to-love lead against Ivan Lendl in one of the most epic matches in tennis history.
McEnroe and Connors were great tennis players but their on court behaviour left much to be desired. In the Chicago confrontation McEnroe’s delays were a form ofgamesmanship. Connors was not much better!
They were practice partners, too. I saw once: Jimmy: “Hit the ball back with pace.” Mac: “I need my touch shots.” Back and forth until Adriano Panata appeared and calmed down the scene. 1981 US Open.