"I liked controversy" - Jimmy Connors weighs in on his 'intense emotions' and John McEnroe's outbursts

Jimmy Connors recently spoke about the mercurial nature of past greats like John McEnroe and himself, both of whom were known for their on-court temper. The eight-time Major winner admittedly flourished when he would get frustrated during tough matches, as he would channel that energy and use it more positively.

Connors competed on the ATP Tour from 1972 to 1996, winning eight Grand Slam tournaments in singles and spending a mammoth 268 weeks as the World No. 1. Known for his fierce competitiveness, the American never shied from expressing his emotions on the court.

In that context, a fan had a rather interesting question for Jimmy Connors to dissect on his podcast, 'Advantage Connors,' with his son, Brett. The fan in question insisted that Connors was able to "channel his intense emotions to work for him" before asking him whether he felt other players shared the same ability.

"Your secret to channeling intense emotions to work for you and raising your level of play. Does that feel like a lot of people you see when they get upset? I feel like you were somebody who, the more the situation got out of control, the more it helped you," Brett Connors narrated the above fan's question on Advantage Connors podcast (23:51).

Connors alluded in his response that he liked drama during his matches, as it allowed him to play more freely. He also questioned the attitude of today's top players, who according to him are too dependent on their coaches for solutions.

"It helped me get out of control. Yeah, I was good at that... being able to spit my venom and get back within myself," Jimmy Connors said (24:13). "I tried to get it all out so it didn't cost me."

"But yeah, I liked controversy. I liked more than just hitting the tennis ball, trying to figure things out. I'm out there on my own," he added (26:14). "A lot of these guys today look up to their box 100 times a match, you know, what I'm wondering is what can that do for them."

Furthermore, Brett Connors probed whether John McEnroe was as good as his father when it came to handling his emotions, to which the 72-year-old replied in the affirmative.

"Do you think those situations helped McEnroe or hurt him more?" Brett Connors asked (25:29).

"I think you can divide that in half. Sometimes it did, and sometimes it didn't," Connors Sr. replied. "And sometimes, he couldn't get it all out. But other times, he was really good at it."

---

Jimmy Connors trails John McEnroe 14-20 in their rivalry

Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe during a ceremony at US Open 2006

Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe's respective careers overlapped a lot thanks to the former's famed longevity. The two players faced off virtually in every season between 1977 and 1991. Although Connors won 12 of their first 20 matches, McEnroe turned the rivalry on its head soon after to lead by a margin of 20-14.

Connors and McEnroe's first five Major meetings came in the semifinal rounds, with McEnroe edging three of those five encounters. They then played each other for the 1982 Wimbledon title, where Connors defeated his younger opponent 3-6, 6-3, 6-7(2), 7-6(5), 6-4.

Jimmy Connors would pick up two more Major titles at the US Open in 1982 and 1983, respectively, before his physical prime came to an end in the mid-1980s. The American notably dropped 11 consecutive matches to John McEnroe towards the end of his career. He retired from pro tennis in 1996 at the age of 43 with numerous accolades to his name.