Portal:Tennis/Selected biography/12 2007

James Scott "Jimmy" Connors (born September 2, 1952 in East St. Louis, Illinois) is a former world number one American tennis champion who was the top player for 160 consecutive weeks from July of 1974 to August of 1977. He also was the number one player an additional eight times during his career. He won eight Grand Slam singles titles, won two Grand Slam doubles titles with Ilie Năstase and finished mixed doubles runner-up with Chris Evert at the 1974 U.S. Open. He is considered to be one of the top male tennis players of all time. Currently, he is coaching former World Number 1 and 2003 U.S. Open champion tennis player Andy Roddick.

In 1970, Connors played his first international matches and recorded his first significant victory in the first round of the Pacific Southwest Open in Los Angeles. Connors also acquired a reputation as a maverick when he refused to join the newly formed Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the union that was embraced by most male professional players.

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