Jimmy Connors

I'm an animal. Which one, I can't tell you, but I would say that's the way I played my game from start to finish. I went out there with one goal in mind, and that was to play the absolute best I could and give it everything I had; win or lose.
- Jimmy Connors reflecting on his on-court personality (from BBC)

James Scott "Jimmy" Connors o "jimbo", has been one of the most recognizable American tennis players for four decades. The left-handed player was known for his two-handed backhand and powerful return-of-serve. JimmyConnors (born September 2, 1952, in East St. Louis, Illinois) is a former World No. 1 American tennis player. He learned to play tennis from his mother at an early age, and when he was eight years old he competed in the U.S. boys' championship. He won eight Grand Slam singles titles and two Grand Slam doubles titles with Ilie Nastase and was the mixed doubles runner-up with Chris Evert at the 1974 U.S. Open.

Grande Slam (8) single finals
1974 Australian Open Phil Dent
1974 Wimbledon Ken Rosewall
1974 U.S. Open Ken Rosewall
1976 U.S. Open (2) Björn Borg
1978 U.S. Open (3) Björn Borg
1982 Wimbledon (2) John McEnroe
1982 U.S. Open (4) Ivan Lendl
1983 U.S. Open (5) Ivan Lendl

Runner-ups (7)
Year Championship Opponent in Final Score in Final
1975 Australian Open John Newcombe
1975 Wimbledon Arthur Ashe
1975 U.S. Open Manuel Orantes
1977 Wimbledon (2) Björn Borg
1977 U.S. Open (2) Guillermo Vilas
1978 Wimbledon (3) Björn Borg
1984 Wimbledon (4) John McEnroe

Connors had a relationship with Chris Evert; in 1980, Connors married "Playboy" model Patti McGuire. They have two children and live in the Santa Barbara, California area.

Although Connors stopped playing the professional tennis circuit full time after his 1991 comeback at the U.S; in1993 he organized the Champions Tour for men over thirty-five years old and he dominated that circuit for several years. Peculiarity: He’s left-hander.