Connors–McEnroe rivalry


The Connors–McEnroe rivalry was a series of competitive matches between American tennis players Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe, who played 34 times between 1977 and 1991.
Connors and McEnroe played again in the late 1990s and the early 2000s. With regard to their matches, Connors has stated, "Something like that never goes away, especially between Mac and myself...To have carried on this rivalry for so many years, and for you still to be talking about it, must mean that we made our mark somewhere." This rivalry is said to have been one of the most contentious and embittered in all of tennis history.

Head-to-head

LegendConnorsMcEnroe
Grand Slam36
Masters Grand Prix02
WCT Finals12
ATP International Series1010
Total1420

Official Matches

Connors–McEnroe: 34
No.YearTournamentSurfaceRoundWinnerScoreConnorsMcEnroe
1.1977WimbledonGrassSemifinalsConnors6–3, 6–3, 4–6, 6–410
2.1977US Pro Tennis ChampionshipsClayLast 32Connors5–7, 6–2, 7–520
3.1978US Clay Court ChampionshipsClayQuarterfinalsConnors3–6, 6–1, 6–130
4.1978US OpenHardSemifinalsConnors6–2, 6–2, 7–540
5.1978Masters Grand PrixCarpetRound RobinMcEnroe7–5, 3–0 RET41
6.1979Pepsi Grand SlamClaySemifinalsConnors6–3, 6–451
7.1979Alan King Tennis ClassicHardSemifinalsConnors7–5, 6–461
8.1979WCT FinalsCarpetSemifinalsMcEnroe6–1, 6–4, 6–462
9.1979US OpenHardSemifinalsMcEnroe6–3, 6–3, 7–563
10.1980US Pro IndoorCarpetFinalConnors6–3, 2–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–473
11.1980US Indoor ChampionshipsCarpetFinalMcEnroe7–6, 7–674
12.1980WCT FinalsCarpetFinalConnors2–6, 7–6, 6–1, 6–284
13.1980WimbledonGrassSemifinalsMcEnroe6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–485
14.1980US OpenHardSemifinalsMcEnroe6–4, 5–7, 0–6, 6–3, 7–686
15.1981Wembley ChampionshipsCarpetFinalConnors3–6, 2–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–296
16.1981Masters Grand PrixCarpetRound RobinMcEnroe6–2, 7–597
17.1982US Pro IndoorCarpetFinalMcEnroe6–3, 6–3, 6–198
18.1982Queen's Club ChampionshipsGrassFinalConnors7–5, 6–3108
19.1982WimbledonGrassFinalConnors3–6, 6–3, 6–7, 7–6, 6–4118
20.1982Pacific Coast ChampionshipsCarpetFinalMcEnroe6–1, 6–3119
21.1983Queen's Club ChampionshipsGrassFinalConnors6–3, 6–3129
22.1983Cincinnati OpenHardSemifinalsMcEnroe6–7, 6–1, 6–41210
23.1983Wembley ChampionshipsCarpetFinalMcEnroe7–5, 6–1, 6–41211
24.1984WCT FinalsCarpetFinalMcEnroe6–1, 6–2, 6–31212
25.1984French OpenClaySemifinalsMcEnroe7–5, 6–1, 6–21213
26.1984Queen's Club ChampionshipsGrassSemifinalsMcEnroe6–2, 6–21214
27.1984WimbledonGrassFinalMcEnroe6–1, 6–1, 6–21215
28.1984Canadian OpenHardSemifinalsMcEnroe2–6, 6–2, 6–31216
29.1984US OpenHardSemifinalsMcEnroe6–4, 4–6, 7–5, 4–6, 6–31217
—1985Chicago Grand PrixCarpetFinalWalkover1217
30.1985Canadian OpenHardSemifinalsMcEnroe6–2, 6–31218
31.1986Pacific Coast ChampionshipsCarpetFinalMcEnroe7–6, 6–31219
32.1987Canadian OpenHardQuarterfinalsConnors6–3, 3–6, 6–31319
33.1989Grand Prix de Tennis de ToulouseCarpetFinalConnors6–3, 6–31419
34.1991Swiss IndoorsHard SemifinalsMcEnroe6–1, 6–31420

Head-to-head tallies

The following is a breakdown of their head-to-head results:

Invitational matches

Connors–McEnroe
No.YearTournamentSurfaceRoundWinnerScore
1.1979FrejusCarpetFinalMcEnroe6–4, 6–3
2.1979Aix-en-ProvenceCarpetThird PlaceMcEnroe6–4, 6–3
3.1979MontpellierCarpetFinalConnors7–6, 2–6, 7–5
4.1979FrankfurtCarpetSemifinalsConnors7–5, 6–4
5.1980BrusselsCarpetSemifinalsMcEnroe6–1, 7–5
6.1980Suntory CupCarpetFinalConnors7–5, 6–3
7.1980Challenge of ChampionsCarpetFinalMcEnroe6–2, 6–4, 6–1
8.1981Suntory CupCarpetFinalConnors6–4, 7–6
9.1981Challenge of ChampionsCarpetFinalConnors6–7, 7–5, 6–7, 7–5, 6–4
10.1982Challenge of ChampionsCarpetSemifinalsConnors6–1, 5–7, 6–2
11.1984Suntory CupCarpetSemifinalsMcEnroe4–6, 6–3, 6–4
12.1984Challenge of ChampionsCarpetRound RobinMcEnroe6–3, 4–6, 6–2
13.1987Challenge of ChampionsCarpetSemifinalsMcEnroe6–4, 6–4
14.1988Challenge of ChampionsClayRound RobinMcEnroe7–5, 6–1
15.1989Scottish Grass Court ChampionshipsGrassFinalMcEnroe7–6, 7–6

ATP Rankings

Year-end ranking timeline

ATP Year-end ranking timeline by age

Age at end of season