"We would always laugh about the way I handled things" - When Jimmy Connors revealed his admiration for Chris Evert

Nearly 50 years have passed since Chris Evert and Jimmy Connors separated. However, the two are still highly revered and are among the greatest tennis couples ever.

Connors and Evert began dating in 1974 and their romance was the talk of the tennis fraternity. They were both at the top of their craft at the time.

Chris Evert was featured on the ESPN biography program SportsCentury (1999), where her romance with Jimmy Connors was mentioned. Both tennis greats talked about their time together, with Evert saying that Connors was very caring and got excited when she did well.

"He was very attentive and he was very caring. He got really excited when I did well too. I mean, I got that support and we had something in common, we were both trying to be No. 1 in the world," the 18-time Grand Slam singles champion said.

While speaking about Evert, Connors said that he admired her ability to keep her emotions in check while handling pressure. He also stated that the couple would laugh about the way he handled things.

"I always admired that in her that she was able to keep her emotions under control and handle the pressure at the same time the way she did. And then, we would always laugh about the way I handled things and she could never understand that," Jimmy Connors said.

If I were to pick a guy to be my first love in life, I'm glad it was him: Chris Evert on Jimmy Connors

Chris Evert also said that she was glad that Jimmy Connors was her first love in life.

"If I were to pick a guy to be my first love in life, because it stays with you forever, a little bit of influence stays with you. I'm glad it was him," she said.

Evert and Connors both ended up having wildly successful careers, with the former finishing with 21 Majors across both singles and doubles. All-in-all, she won 157 singles titles and 32 doubles titles. She played her final match at the 1989 US Open, losing to Zina Garrison in the quarterfinals.

Jimmy Connors still holds the record for the highest number of singles titles won by a male player in the Open Era (109). He won eight Grand Slam singles titles and two doubles Majors. Connors' final match came in Atlanta in 1996, losing to Richey Reneberg.

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