"He was the best player in the world, wrestling that from him was pretty good" - When Jimmy Connors described his 1982 Wimbledon triumph over John McEnroe
Jimmy Connors said in an interview that his victory over John McEnroe in the 1982 Wimbledon final ranks at the top of his career achievements.
Connors won the grasscourt Major for the first time in 1974, the year he won three out of four Grand Slams. After losing three finals, he won Wimbledon for the second time in 1982 by beating top seed and reigning champion John McEnroe 3-6, 6-3, 6-7(2), 7-6(5), 6-4 in a thrilling final.
Speaking to Wimbledon in 2013, Connors spoke about his 1982 triumph and said that defeating McEnroe that year was at the top of his accomplishments as the latter was the best player in the world and grass was his best surface.
"Well I certainly had three chances leading up to winning in 82 but let them slip away and you know, to play Mac in 1982, he was the best player at the time, he had taken Wimbledon away from Bjorn and taken the US Open so he was clearly the best player," Connors said.
"So, for me to come off a couple of dry years of not winning a Grand Slam, playing him on grass at Wimbledon and winning that match certainly ranks at the top of my accomplishments because grass was his best surface, I thought, he was the best player in the world and you know, wrestling that from him was pretty good," he added.
Connors and McEnroe later locked horns in the 1984 Wimbledon final, where the latter won 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 to win the tournament for the third time in his career.
"Looking back and understanding just how many great players I came along to be able to play with is something special" - Jimmy Connors on his rivalries
Jimmy Connors also spoke about the rivalries he had throughout his playing career and said that competing with so many great players was something really special.
"You're just playing the moment really and too busy trying to win Wimbledon and US Open, and be a part of what's going on. Looking back and understanding just how many great players I came along to be able to play with is something special and the legacy that they also left in the game. So, to have us all play at the same time, couldn't have picked a better time to play," the former World No. 1 said.