American Legend Jimmy Connors Reveals How His Iconic ‘Challenge’ With Rod Laver Took Tennis to a Whole New Level

Jimmy Connors and Rod Laver faced each other three times during their illustrious journeys on the men’s tour. However, it was a challenge match between the ATP veterans that took the sport to ‘a different level,’ according to the American tennis legend’s recent disclosures.

Back in 1975, Connors locked horns with his fierce Australian opponent Rod Laver in a ‘$100,000 winner take all’ challenge match at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Reminiscing about the same, the 8-time singles Grand Slam champion recently opened up about how his challenge match turned out to be revolutionary for the racket game.

“I want to play Laver….”- Jimmy Connors recalls his past encounter against his Australian opponent

In the latest episode of the Advantage Connors, the Hall of Famer was asked to pick the ‘wildest challenge match’ that he has ever played during his heydays on the tour. Jimmy Connors answered by saying, “I think the best match was the first one against Laver. You know, after I won, I had won Australia was kept out of the French then I won Wimbledon and the US Open. So I was really kept because I was kept out of the French I was kept from winning the grand slam in 1974.”

The former tennis ace further disclosed that he later approached the Barnum and Bailey of tennis, Bill Reardon, to set him up against a Grand Slam winner in a challenge match, as he decided to lock horns with Rod Laver. Connors added, “And Bill Reardon was the, the Barnum and Bailey of tennis, I mean, he had an amazing imagination to set up this match to get it on CBS to get it at Caesar’s Palace, you know, to get that kind of interest and that kind of publicity in that kind of money back in those days for a one on one match.”

The American tennis icon defeated Laver in a four-set game, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 at Caesar’s Palace, while garnering a lot of attention from the television audience. He said, “I was at the top of my game, then, Laver was getting a little older, and, it was time for me to take over. But still, what he was able to bring to that match. I mean, I think I beat him six, four, In the fourth set. It was unfortunate 6- 4 or 7-5 In the fourth set, but the tennis was amazing. And the crowd was amazing. It was a small little Stadium, the television audience. And the interest that we got from from the television audience is what helped tennis shoot to a different level.”

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What do you think of the 1975 challenge match between the tennis legends Connors and Laver? Let us know in the comment section.

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