"Shut up... You're a baby, I've got a son your age" - When Jimmy Connors & John McEnroe got into a war of words over disputed line call at French Open
John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors once squared off in a blockbuster all-American semifinal clash at the 1984 French Open. Apart from the riveting on-court battle, the match garnered attention when the duo became embroiled in a heated confrontation over a disputed line call.
Entering the claycourt Major as the top seed, McEnroe secured wins over the likes of Mel Purcell, Jose Higueras and Jimmy Arias to book his place in the semifinals.
No. 3 seed Connors, meanwhile, triumphed over John Lloyd, Emilio Sanchez and Henrik Sundstrom to set the stage for a highly anticipated semifinal clash against his fellow American.
John McEnroe made a strong start, clinching the opening set 7-5 and rushing away to a 2-0 lead in the second set. However, tensions arose when the top seed took issue with a line call, getting into a heated exchange with the linesman as he disputed the call vehemently.
Jimmy Connors, visibly frustrated with McEnroe's repeated arguments, erased the controversial mark and approached the net to lambast his fellow American, telling him to "grow up."
"Shut up. Grow up. You're a baby. I've got a son your age," Connors yelled as quoted by Sports Illustrated.
Known for his quick temper, John McEnroe retorted in kind, questioning why Connors had erased the mark if the shot was undeniably out and warning him against doing so again.
"If it's so clearly out, why'd you erase the mark?" McEnroe screamed back. "Don't ever erase the mark again."
Despite the controversy, McEnroe maintained his focus to claim a commanding 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Connors, booking his place in his maiden French Open final.
John McEnroe on heated confrontation with Jimmy Connors in 1984 French Open SF: "He tries to get himself mad with the other guy and motivate himself"
Reflecting on the heated exchange after his win in the 1984 French Open semifinals, John McEnroe suggested that Jimmy Connors had deliberately incited the argument to disrupt the flow of the match.
McEnroe shed light on his compatriot's tendency to get angry with his opponents to motivate himself, disclosing that he had observed Connors employing this strategy on multiple occasions.
"It is something he (Connors) did to try and change the flow of the match. He tries to get himself mad with the other guy and maybe motivate himself. I have seen him doing it many times. It's just like when I yell at myself," he said as quoted by Upi.
Just a month after their riveting French Open clash, the American duo had set up a blockbuster rematch in the Wimbledon final. Connors failed to avenge his loss, as John McEnroe secured a dominant 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 victory in 80 minutes to clinch his third title at the grasscourt Major.