"Engaged to Chris Evert, people were more interested in what I was doing off court" - When Jimmy Connors believed his era of tennis to be the greatest

Jimmy Connors once expressed frustration over the public's focus on his personal life, including his high-profile engagement to fellow tennis legend Chris Evert. The pair, once considered a power couple in the sport, eventually parted ways, with their relationship turning bitter.

Evert and Connors began dating in 1973, got engaged in 1974, and called off their wedding later that year. They broke up due to personal and professional conflicts, including disagreements over their careers and an abortion decision, as the eight-time Major champion revealed in his autobiography 'The Outsider: A Memoir,' published in 2013.

While they were together, it was natural that the spotlight would always fall on America’s two biggest tennis sweethearts, which Connors discussed during a 2004 interview with the BBC. He brought up the topic while talking about his time on the ATP Tour.

"We were fighting for our dollars - tennis had to compete against football, hockey, basketball, baseball so to grab that fan, things had to happen. The group of guys I was with, Borg, Guillermo Vilas, Ile Nastase, they all had their own personalities on and off the court that drew attention to the game. I wouldn't trade that time for anything," he said.

"When I was engaged to Chrissy (Chris Evert) people over here were far more interested in what I was doing off the court than on it," he added.

Chris Evert was heartbroken by Jimmy Connors sharing private details of their relationship

Chris Evert pictured at the 2023 WTA Finals | Image Source: Getty

In his autobiography, Jimmy Connors took a bold step and shared details about his failed relationship with Chris Evert, explaining why their planned marriage never happened. He revealed that Evert had an abortion shortly before their wedding, a decision made without his consent.

Evert expressed deep disappointment with Connors' decision to disclose their private matter. Speaking to Reuters that same year, she said:

"In his book, Jimmy Connors has written about a time in our relationship that was very personal and emotionally painful."

"I am extremely disappointed that he used the book to misrepresent a private matter that took place 40 years ago and made it public, without my knowledge. I hope everyone can understand that I have no further comment," the 18-time Grand Slam champion.

Eventually, both Connors and Evert moved on with their lives. The former is happily married to Patti McGuire and has two children, while the latter is currently single after three failed marriages.