"I picked up the phone & called Chris Evert": When Jimmy Connors responded to ex-fiance Evert's anger over his shocking revelation about her abortion
Jimmy Connors once addressed the backlash he faced after making a shocking revelation about the end of his relationship with fellow tennis legend Chris Evert. Evert, who was blindsided about the details of her abortion being made public, also expressed her frustration with Connors.
Connors and Evert established themselves as a tennis power couple in the 1970s, with the couple becoming engaged in 1974 shortly after they both clinched their maiden Wimbledon titles. However, their romance didn't last much longer and the pair called off their wedding.
In 2013, Jimmy Connors published his autobiography 'The Outsider,' in which he revealed that Chris Evert became pregnant in 1974. While Connors wanted to "accept responsibility" for their "youthful passion," the then-19-year-old insisted that the "timing was bad and too much was riding on her future," choosing to have an abortion instead.
Connors admitted that the pivotal moment helped him come to the "horrible" realization that their relationship was over and that getting married wouldn't benefit either of them.
"Well, thanks for letting me know. Since I don't have any say in the matter, then I guess I'm just here to help," Jimmy Connors wrote. "It was a horrible feeling but I knew it was over. Getting married wasn’t going to be good for either of us."
Chris Evert was annoyed and "extremely disappointed" by Jimmy Connors' decision to share such personal information without her knowledge. Connors also drew public criticism for the revelation and faced tough questions from the media.
In a 2013 interview with ESPN, the former World No. 1 admitted that he hadn't anticipated the backlash. Connors disclosed that he had reached out to Evert after seeing her reaction but chose to keep the details of their conversation private.
"No, I didn't, I didn't. I put it in there as an issue and it was [written] very low-key and subdued, and I moved on," Connors said.
"I picked up the phone and called Chris," he added. "Well, I think I'll keep that private."
Defending his decision to include the story in his book, Jimmy Connors emphasized that the moment impacted him deeply and that he was reflecting on the "pain" it caused them both. The eight-time Grand Slam champion also described his time with Chris Evert as "special," highlighting its importance in his life.
"Well ... But it's a book about my life, you know -- things that have happened and affected me in my life. It was not meant to be put in there for any other reason than it did have an effect on my life. I was able to step back and look at it and the emotions and pain it caused us," he said.
"We had something special for a couple years. Looking back, that was a very important time in my life. But I didn't ask anybody about what I was going to put in the book," he added.
Chris Evert: "I am extremely disappointed that Jimmy Connors used the book to misrepresent a private matter"
Following Jimmy Connors' revelation, Chris Evert hit out at her former fiance for exposing such personal and "emotionally painful" details about their relationship in his book.
The 18-time Grand Slam champion expressed frustration over what she called a "misrepresentation" of a private matter, disclosing that she was hurt by Connors' decision to make it public knowledge without consulting her.
"In his book, Jimmy Connors has written about a time in our relationship that was very personal and emotionally painful," Chris Evert said in a statement.
"I am extremely disappointed that he used the book to misrepresent a private matter that took place 40 years ago and made it public, without my knowledge. I hope everyone can understand that I have no further comment," she added.
However, Chris Evert appears to have moved past the animosity. While celebrating the 50th anniversary of her maiden Wimbledon triumph in 2024, the former World No. 1 credited Jimmy Connors for the invaluable role he played in her victory.