Connors–Lendl rivalry
This was a tennis rivalry played between American Jimmy Connors and Czech-American Ivan Lendl, which in their respective careers met 35 times.[1]
Lendl and Connors were both world number ones and both Grand Slam winners with each of them winning eight slam titles. At the Grand Slams they met seven times with Lendl winning the final four meetings with Connors winning the first three, of which the first two were finals. The rivalry between the two and McEnore has been described as spikey.[2]
The rivalry was first noted in the 1982 US Open final when Connors dared Lendl to drive the ball past him. Connors subsequently won the final in four sets. In the rematch in 1983, Connors was rushed to the locker room late in the second set before coming back out to defeat Lendl once again in four sets. The final match up between the two was at the US Open, Connors for a set and a half pushed Lendl before falling to his 17th defeat in 8 years to Lendl.[3]
Head to head
Official Matches (Lendl 22–13 Connors)
Legend (Lendl-Connors) |
Grand Slams (4-3) |
Masters (4-1) |
WCT Finals (1-1) |
Davis Cup (0-1) |
ATP International Series (13-7) |
- Note: The ABD 1984 Rotterdam final does not officially count as a victory according to the ATP. Lendl was leading 6-0, 1-0, when the final was abandoned due to a bomb scare.
Year | Tournament | Surface | Round | Winner | Score |
1979 | Indianapolis | Clay | QF | Jimmy Connors | 6–2, 7–6 |
1980 | Memphis | Carpet | R16 | Jimmy Connors | 6–2, 6–3 |
1980 | WCT Finals, Dallas | Carpet | SF | Jimmy Connors | 6–4, 7–5, 6–3 |
1980 | North Conway | Clay | SF | Jimmy Connors | 6–4, 6–2 |
1980 | Cincinnati, Cincinnati | Hard | QF | Jimmy Connors | 6–2, 6–0 |
1980 | Masters, New York City | Carpet | RR | Jimmy Connors | 7–6, 6–1 |
1981 | La Quinta | Hard | F | Jimmy Connors | 6–3, 7–6 |
1981 | Davis Cup Quarter-Final, New York City |
Hard | QF | Jimmy Connors | 7–5, 6–4 |
1982 | Cincinnati | Hard | SF | Ivan Lendl | 6–1, 6–1 |
1982 | US Open | Hard | F | Jimmy Connors | 6–3, 6–2, 4–6, 6–4 |
1982 | Masters, New York City | Carpet | SF | Ivan Lendl | 6–3, 6–1 |
1983 | Queen's Club | Grass | SF | Jimmy Connors | 6–0, 6–3 |
1983 | Montreal | Hard | SF | Ivan Lendl | 6–1, 6–3 |
1983 | US Open | Hard | F | Jimmy Connors | 6–3, 6–7, 7–5, 6–0 |
1983 | Masters, New York City | Carpet | SF | Ivan Lendl | 6–3, 6–4 |
1984 | Rotterdam | Carpet | F | Ivan Lendl | 6-0, 1-0 ABD |
1984 | Forest Hills | Clay | SF | Ivan Lendl | 6–0, 6–0 |
1984 | Wimbledon | Grass | SF | Jimmy Connors | 6–7, 6–3, 7–5, 6–1 |
1984 | Tokyo Indoor | Carpet | F | Jimmy Connors | 6–4, 3–6, 6–0 |
1984 | Wembley | Carpet | SF | Ivan Lendl | 6–4, 6–2 |
1984 | Masters, New York City | Carpet | SF | Ivan Lendl | 7–5, 6–7, 7–5 |
1985 | Fort Myers | Hard | F | Ivan Lendl | 6–3, 6–2 |
1985 | WCT Finals, Dallas | Carpet | SF | Ivan Lendl | 6–3, 2–1 RET |
1985 | Roland Garros | Clay | SF | Ivan Lendl | 6–2, 6–3, 6–1 |
1985 | Stratton Mountain | Hard | SF | Ivan Lendl | 6–0, 4–6, 6–4 |
1985 | US Open | Hard | SF | Ivan Lendl | 6–2, 6–3, 7–5 |
1986 | Boca West | Hard | SF | Ivan Lendl | 1–6, 6–1, 6–2, 2–6, 5–2 DEF |
1986 | Fort Myers | Hard | F | Ivan Lendl | 6–2, 6–0 |
1986 | Stratton Mountain | Hard | SF | Ivan Lendl | 6–4, 3–6, 6–2 |
1987 | Key Biscayne | Hard | SF | Ivan Lendl | 3–6, 7–6, 7–6, 6–3 |
1987 | Washington | Hard | SF | Ivan Lendl | 6–4, 7–6 |
1987 | Montreal | Hard | SF | Ivan Lendl | 7–5, 6–4 |
1987 | US Open | Hard | SF | Ivan Lendl | 6–4, 6–2, 6–2 |
1987 | Masters, New York City | Carpet | RR | Ivan Lendl | 4–3 RET |
1988 | Toronto | Hard | SF | Ivan Lendl | 6–4, 6–4 |
1992 | US Open | Hard | R64 | Ivan Lendl | 3–6, 6–3, 6–2, 6–0 |
Head-to-head breakdown
- All matches: Lendl 22–13
- All finals: Connors 4–2
- Grand Slam matches: Lendl 4–3
- Grand Slam finals: Connors 2–0
- Masters matches: Lendl 4–1
- WCT Finals matches: tied 1-1
- Clay court matches: tied 2-2
- Grass court matches: Connors 2–0
- Hard court matches: Lendl 14-5
- Indoor carpet matches: Lendl 6-4
Invitational Matches (Lendl 8-3 Connors)
Year | Tournament | Surface | Round | Winner | Score |
1981 | Challenge of Champions, Chicago | Carpet | RR | Jimmy Connors | 6–2, 3-6, 6-3 |
1982 | Molson Light Challenge, Toronto | Carpet | RR | Ivan Lendl | 6–4, 6-3 |
1982 | Challenge of Champions, Chicago | Carpet | F | Ivan Lendl | 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 |
1983 | Sun City | Hard | F | Jimmy Connors | 7-5, 7-6 |
1983 | Nastase-Hamptons Invitational, North Miami Beach | Hard | F | Jimmy Connors | 6-3, 7-6, 6-1 |
1985 | Hamlet Challenge Cup, Jericho | Hard | F | Ivan Lendl | 6-1, 6-3 |
1985 | Meadowlands Tennis Challenge, East Rutherford | Carpet | SF | Ivan Lendl | 6-1, 6-3 |
1985 | Challenge of Champions, Atlanta | Carpet | RR | Ivan Lendl | 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 |
1985 | Challenge of Champions, Atlanta | Carpet | F | Ivan Lendl | 6-2, 6-3 |
1990 | WCT Tournament of Champions, Forest Hills | Hard | QF | Ivan Lendl | 3-6, 7-5, 1-0 Ret |
1991 | Transcontinental Tennis Cup, São Paulo | Hard | F | Ivan Lendl | Connors retired in 3rd set |
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 |
Ivan Lendl |
|
|
|
|
|
74 |
20 |
6 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
19 |
54 |
|
|
See also
References
External links