Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe met four times in the semifinals of the US Open - 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1984. Come with us as we revisit those epic and explosive encounters! Twitter: / usta Facebook: / usta Website: www.usta.com
The fact that they’ve managed to remaster the video to such good quality shows how great these guys really were and playing with old tech absolutely awesome…..
I don't know how he hit that thing under extreme pressure. It's like a sandpaper ping-pong paddle. Ever try to hit a T-2000, very difficult. Also, McEnroe still drilled some 1st serves in the '78 match and Connors just nailed a return many players wouldn't even get to. Still say the best return in history.
I agree this was the best era of tennis for both men and women specifically because this time was the real start of the public interest. IMO I like some of today's men but not the women and I'm not sexist. Women just slam the ball and shriek. Boring. Men a little more versatile
This tennis, with the ball hit fairly flat and little topspin, and a lot of serve and volley, is just so much more fun and interesting than today. I miss this tennis a lot
@@lloydkline1518 Oui, Oui, Ai vu jouer, Rod Laver, John Newcombe, Arthur Ashe, Connors, C' était bien l' âge d' or. Pas seulement du tennis 🎾. Mais aussi, De la Vie. RESPECT, Merci
Connors vs McEnroe back in the early 1980's. Pure magic. I'm so glad I was alive to watch this era of tennis. So many superstars in tennis back then. Jimmy and john didnt particularly like eachother and that made for great tennis. Both had such outgoing personalities. Racket technology hadnt taken over the game yet and the tennis was much better. IMO anyway. I played USTA tennis locally for ten years starting in the early 1990's. I rarely watch tennis anymore. I couldnt name 5 pro players now. For me, the mid 1970's to the early 1990's was the best years for tennis.
@@nuftis I know, I'm old. Things were better back then. 75 cent a gallon gas, 10 dollar concert tickets to the biggest bands around, no inflation or all the social justice unrest we have now. No transgender insanity and the tennis was better lol. Imo anyway.
@@kevinpowers9024 We live in clown world now, where a world class athlete wasn't allowed to enter the country to compete in a world class tournament and then leave again, but millions of people from 3rd world countries are encouraged to infiltrate our borders and we have no idea who they are, where they came from, or what diseases they might have. Sure, that makes sense...in clown world.
LMFAO Mccenroe never won another major after 84 because the bigger, stronger and faster athletes came on the scene. Connors and mccenroe were built like skinny toothpick girls.
@@bradhuskers its way more complicated than that. Dint insult the best all around player in history with ur smirky attitude..im talking singles and doubles. Take ur lmfao and stick it. U r ignorant.
For us gear geeks. In the 1984 semifinal, McEnroe was using the iconic Dunlop Max 200G, and Connors was using, for a brief period, the original Wilson ProStaff, with what looks like lead tape on the head. This was the period (early 80s) when graphite replaced wood and metal in racquet construction.
It's something fucking Other-Worldly and everyone knows it. And honestly his wood-frame days are kinda the best because more body language is involved. I'm 57 so I remember. Ciao.
@@KingCast65I loved how John would lift his whole body off the floor, contorting his body and stroke a ball to the line. Jimmy was intense, like every shot was life or death not just a game. Best tennis era by far, serve and volley not monotonous base line like today. The men's game has ended up like the women's game.
@@fundhund62 I can see that. The changes from '79 to '80 are really noticeable, too, moving his feet to his trademark parallel-to- the-baseline stance. To me, especially in '84, when McEnroe's serve was flowing, he had service games that remind me of Federer's service games where it would take him 60 to 70 seconds to hold serve.
@@egdfbznz Sure. He had much more power with a graphite racket, of course. I really like his 84 motion, too. It's just that his talent was even more noticeable with a wooden racket. Everybody can look smooth using modern frames, but to make it look easy using wood one had to be supremely talented.
@@fundhund62 Absolutely agree that his talent was made obvious when using the Jack Kramer and the Dunlop Maxply. Hitting with a 65 sq. in. head is definitely more challenging (esp. with the amount of flex wood racquets had) than with the 85 sq. in. he had with the Dunlop 200g. I guess if Patrick hadn't introduced the 200g to John in 1983, John's 1984 campaign would've been different while still using the Maxply.
@@egdfbznz The change in racket technology was a big equalizer. John, while definitely benefiting from the added touch and power of a midsize frame, didn't actually need it. He was already awesome using wood. When everybody started using graphite, the gap between John and his peers narrowed. People who couldn't ever outplay him were suddenly able to overpower him. Curren at Wimbledon is a good example. He destroyed John in 85, but in 80 with wooden rackets he did not win a set. If the racket revolution had never happened, we might be looking back on McEnroe's 15+ slams today. But whatever 😎
Both these players were shotmakers who stayed faithful to trying to win points with outright winners not through mistakes or wearing their opponents out through attrition. Always made their matches great value. They were fierce competitors and loved the psychological warfare of top flight tennis. When they squared off, you always expected the match might end in an altercation on the court which was thrilling too.
I had the pleasure of watching both of these tennis legends play live and up close on many occasions. During his early years no one pounded from the ground harder than Conners. You could feel his intensity in the stands. He could dig shots out of corners or rip a winner down the line as he was running at full speed. I noticed he constructed his points and created opportunities. If you watched McEnroe live and in person you notice his change and use of spin and pace. No one had more feel and touch on the half volley and volley. His was a game of relentless attack. He was a great at switching from counter punching to attack and advance.
The cat-like quickness of both of these guys at the net is remarkable. I agree with another comment here; I would love to see contemporary tennis pros play with the small racquet heads and take on these guys in their prime. Another amazing lefty was "Rocket" Rod Laver.
I remember watching the 1978 semifinal as a 12 yr old and being amazed at the great shot making by both players. I never thought I'd see any of that action ever again. Thank you for this. And the 1980 semifinal was always one of my favorite matches of all time.
Interesting to see how Mac improved from year to year, inventing his trademark disguised serve. His backhand seems to have been great in every stage of his career, though. Connors, on the other hand, ever the fighter and consistency itself. Great upload!
I watched all these matches during this era but I never realized how phenomenally good these two were at simply hitting the ball the right way. I also played tennis during this period and I'd be lucky to hit two decent shots during a game.
@@bb1111116 I watched tennis from 1970s & only when Connors & Nastase appeared did it get really interesting. Connors in is my fav player in that era & it hotted up in the 1980s. Sampras bored me to tears as we now had the composite rackets & we could barely get beyond a 4 hit rally! The players hadn't learnt yet how to use this in eye body & mind. Federer Nadal Djokovic Murray et al 20-40 rallies & fine net work & do for 4-6hrs. When they've retired tennis will go over a cliff & it's about 3yrs away. Thankgod we can see these great players battling on RU-vid & the Slams let us see it for free. The Borg era is slim pickin' to view sadly.
I grew up watching these two and Bjorn Borg on TV in the late 70's/early 80's. I developed a love for the sport after my dad taught me how to play when I was about 7 years old. I enjoy these old matches, but today's version is more about power, prestige, and money than love of the game. I miss these old matches.
I had a Wilson T2000, a couple of them. and a T3000. You had to hit the ball so dead on with those rackets and their tiny heads and sweet spots. Early on I also had Dunlop Fort's and Wilson Pro Staff's like McEnroe played with in those years. You really had to maneuver the racquet because even with the best string job you could not get anywhere near the pace of today. I hit with a wood racket not so long ago. It's an interesting experience. Watching McEnroe and Connors is a beautiful thing. As great as Nadal, Djoker and Fed are, the pace of the game was better in those days. And they had some very intense personalities.
McEnroe vs Lendl 1980 QF... to be followed by McEnroe vs Connors SF... to be followed by McEnroe vs Borg Final - . All 40th anniversary editions , full replays and to be uploaded this september PA-A-LEEZE !!! In defending and winning his 2nd USO , McEnroe put up an extraordinary effort outlasting and defeating his three greatest ever rivals. I don't know how many times that has been done.
@@patrickkelly9110 The Panatta match from 1978 was not shown in the US. The tv coverage was a fraction of what it is now. Outside of Labor Day, there was no weekday coverage outside of a nightly highlight show fro CBS. IIRC, 30 minutes. Hell, this match was not shown in it's entirety. It was the first match and it started at 11. CBS came on at 12. It was that way into the 80s. You always missed some of te first match. I don't need to see the same matches that have been replayed numerous times or you could find online. This is the first I've seen of this match since I saw it on tv in 1978. I'd rather they give me all they have of this match than Connors other 3 matches with Mcenroe. I've seen them. Granted, though, the 80 and 84 matches are classics. This was hardly that although Connors did come from 5-1 to win the 3rd set. However, if they somehow did have the Panatta match, sign me up for that. Same with the Borg/Tanner matches from 79-81. None of them were televised here, but if they were shown elsewhere, or CBS taped them anyway(maybe for the highlight show), I'd love to see them.
@the supernatural Fed yes he used to play with a pstaff 85,Nadal...not so sure maybe i mean probably with an old prince oversise but not like Roger and not Wimbledon
First we need a couple of coaches who allow for personal style, again. Not your run-of-the-mill big serve - semi-western forehand - two-handed backand package.. We got those guys a dime a dozen. Time for something more interesting!
@Jom James I love your passion for certainty plus if you read my reply I never mentioned serve and volley . In the 80’s and early 90’s there were talks about that the slice and the one handed backhand would disappear in 2012 most were certain that Federer would never win another grand slam, I agree with the odds that power tennis tends to back up your rather bold statement but a genius is a genius, no?
This brings back memories. Connors, my idol growing up, always played so compact, and straight foreward. McEnroe was always so loose, and always looked like he played with a loose wrist. Contrasting styles, but similar attitudes on court. No love lost between these two.
Damn they hit pretty hard despite the racquet technology. Who was the umpire in the first match? They replicated his voice very well for the Jimmy Connors Pro Tennis Tour SNES game.
@@sebbytennis4298 Cool. I will look just for that but I support the Facebook empire as lightly as possible. Can't fucking stand them. Am in fact, suing them: www.scribd.com/document/392343705/KingCast-v-Facebook-Censorship-9th-Circuit-Court-of-Appeals-Brief
Marc Thompson Funky indeed but if you watch carefully his swing shape varies with his intentions when he stays back he keeps a reasonable length of swing. In 1984 Mac no longer felt it was perhaps possible to win trading with longer swings from the back of the court and the low string tension plus his unique continental forehand grip only proved to be the perfect fit for attacking tennis with as you say funky short back swings and follow throughs. Mad really as he has been the only one in history. Occasionally do we see Roger use that same strategy with the SABR and other times using a chopper grip on the forehand to outsmart his opponent at the net. God wasn’t busy when he created those two
Great video, great match selections. They played some very competitive Champions’ Tour matches, too. They were not “exhibition matches.” They went at each other. I’d recommend including some of those! Anyway, thanks again.
So cool to have watched what has to be the greatest decade in professional tennis 1974-1984 Connors McEnroe , Borg , and a whole host of others , ...... I just wish they had HD cameras back then ...... and using the those racquets , Generating that kind of power ...... awesome
Panatta match was definitely not televised in the US. CBS had no weekday coverage, Labor Day aside, back then. And this was several years before cable. CBS had a half hour highlights program every night. There were some highlights shown there of the Panatta match. Unless someone in Europe televised it? Maybe Italian tv for Panatta. All speculation, I have zero knowledge that they did.
Fabulous tennis! What a treat. Oh but look at Jimmy's son Brett coming on right at the very end (32.21) to console Jimmy. With such a wistful look on his face. Beautiful little boy with the same hairstyle as Jimmy. Takes the edge of losing!
Two great competitors that really didn’t like each other very much. I know this video focused on US Open but they also faced off in an epic Wimbledon final in ‘82. Connors won that one in five sets I remember Mc Enroe telling Bud Collins to talk to the champ and refused to be interviewed. Connors could be a jerk but the moment he had with his son after losing the 84 match was touching.
Great footage! I've been playing tennis for about 40 years and I never knew McEnroe didn't have that deep bend in his service motion early on in his career! I wonder when he started that different service motion?
Apparently, he was experiencing back strain and began that 'drinking bird' /bobbing motion as a way to stretch his back mucles prior to serving. It had an additional bonus effect: opponents found it hard to read his serve so he kept doing it.
Great memories. Speaking from London, l was so fortunate to see these two warriors go head to head 3 times live. 1st Wimbledon S/f 1980. What a feisty match!. I think Mac during the match, was the first ever player to get an official warning from the chair at Wimbledon. I maybe wrong. I also recall, in one game Mac had 8 break points on jimbo's serve in one game, and still lost it!. He did however recover to go on to win 4 sets.( though Connors, had a lot of chances in the fourth) 2. Wembley 1981. Mac was cruising 2 sets up, playing within himself and Connors was below par, then inexplicably Mcenroe lost the plot over a poor line call, was called out for racket abuse, umpire was an idiot(both players wanted him removed), Connors played to the crowd- as he did, it was a hostile crowd for Mcenroe and he lost in 5.
Oh,at Wembley 83'. Mcenroe was approaching his peak. It was a fast indoor court, and Mac was devastating, something like 18 aces in 3 sets. Jimmy tried his usual tricks, but to no avail. I always remember how great Mcenroe was with his low volleys. Great days.
Amazing. They both look like they're pushing the ball instead of simply striking it. McEnroe leans backwards when he strikes the ball instead of leaning forward? It's like going back in time. Thanks for the upload.
Hello USTA, are you going to be releasing lots of old matches on RU-vid etc during this years U.S open? The same way Roland Garros and Wimbledon have done during their usual fortnights this year....
