Jimmy Connors interviewed by Justin Gimelstob

[don_budge]

Fascinating look into the mind and expressions of Jimmy Connors...with Justin sucking up dutifully.

Part 1...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEuROaKZLsc

Part 2...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ykl3W6mHyvk

Love or hate him...he wears his heart on his sleeve. What's more...he doesn't care if you love him or hate him. I sort of lost my respect for him after he was egging on the crowd in an unsportsmanlike manner against my young friend one night at the U. S. Open.

Interesting some of his impressions of the modern players, the old players including Pancho Segura...not so much about the game itself.

[don_budge]

Australian Open Revisited...John Newcombe vs. Jimmy Connors 1975

Great clarity...grass court tennis old school style. From the great tradition of Aussie tennis...Newcombe and company felt that Connors was a little too edgy. Even for an American.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUCRAY2Vh3E

Old school serve and volley against a great returner. Newcombe goes on to beat Connors in four sets. A couple of great showman...the two really put on a great show. Newcombe uses the lob to great effect in a couple of points. Great tactics by both players. Connors is a little less conventional grass player than Newcombe but he has a style of his own. Newcombe had won five setters the previous two days besides playing four rounds of doubles as well. It was hot back then too. Newcombe does a curious thing before every service game...he takes a nice practice swing as part of his ritual.

The announcer mentions a couple of times that Newcombe is playing the third day in a row with two five-setters the previous two days. He acknowledges Newcombe's semifinal win over Tony Roche 11-9 in the fifth was one of the finest matches that had been played on this court. Newcombe came from down 2-5 in the fifth and saved four match points. He had beaten another fellow Australian the day before that match. Newc defeated Geoff Masters 10-8 in the fifth set.

He also mentions other great matches in the past Tony Trabert and Lew Hoad in 1953 (around the time of that Davis Cup video that is floating around the forum), Don Budge and Gottfried Von Cramm and Rod Laver and Pancho Gonzalez. He is an obvious tennis historian or an astute student of the game. Frank Sedgman is in the booth with him. The announcers also acknowledge the two Pancho's contributions to Connors game and give them a "shout out". Very cool.

I would love to see Fafa Nadal play either of these two guys under these conditions...even give him a choice of the two racquets. Speculative results...anyone?