"He won't beat John McEnroe or Jimmy Connors... Guy's just a bleeping bighead" - When Ivan Lendl's opponent criticized him for having 'no personality'

Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl locked horns in a thrilling title clash at the 1982 US Open. Before the blockbuster showdown, Lendl's quarterfinal opponent bluntly predicted that the Czech-American stood no chance of clinching the title and even took a dig at his personality.

That year, Connors entered the New York Major as the second seed, aiming to win his fourth title at his home Slam. The American emerged victorious against James Arias, Ilie Nastase, and Guillermo Vilas to book his place in the final. On the other side of the draw, No. 3 seed Lendl defeated Tim Mayotte, Harold Solomon, and Mats Wilander to reach the quarterfinals.

Ivan Lendl then claimed a commanding 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 win over Kim Warwick to set up an exciting semifinal clash with top seed and three-time defending champion John McEnroe. However, Warwick dismissed the Czech-American's chances of winning.

Speaking to the press after his defeat, Kim Warwick expressed his belief that Lendl wouldn't get past McEnroe and Jimmy Connors back-to-back, especially at their home Slam. The Australian also denied that his prediction was influenced by his own loss and criticized the third seed for having "no personality."

"He won't beat McEnroe or Connors. Certainly not both. The two of them are better on this surface. Especially in New York," Warwick said via Sports Illustrated. "What's there to dislike? There's no personality there. The guy's just a bleeping bighead."

Interestingly, Kim Warwick's guess proved to be accurate. Although Ivan Lendl triumphed over John McEnroe 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(6) in the semifinals, he suffered a 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 loss to Jimmy Connors in the US Open final.

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A look at Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe's rivalry with Ivan Lendl

Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe - Source: Getty

Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl forged a legendary rivalry during their playing days, locking horns in 35 tour-level encounters. Although Connors triumphed in their first eight matches, Lendl ultimately established a 22-13 lead in their head-to-head record.

The Czech-American emerged victorious in four of their seven meetings at the Majors, including a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-0 victory in their final clash in the second round of the 1992 US Open.

Ivan Lendl also enjoyed a winning record in his 36 encounters against John McEnroe, leading 21-15. The duo met 10 times at Grand Slams, with the Czech-American winning seven of those matches. Lendl also defeated McEnroe in their last clash in the 1992 Canadian Open quarterfinals, winning 6-2, 6-4.