Flashback US Open: Jimmy Connors tops Bjorn Borg to write history at Flushing Meadows

The beginning of the Open era was very confusing, and things didn't look much better by the end of the 70s, with different organizations, uncategorized tournaments and complex computer ranking. One thing was sure, though, as the one could find Jimmy Connors at the top of the title leaders list year after year, conquering almost 80 ATP crowns between 1973-1980! Jimmy was the leading figure in 1978, dropping just six matches and lifting ten titles from 12 finals, including the US Open. After a great start on an indoor carpet court at home in the USA and Rotterdam, Jimmy missed more than a month and a half, skipping the entire clay season and returning with a grass title in Birmingham and the final of Wimbledon, where he lost to Bjorn Borg. Connors was the player to beat on green Har-Tru clay in Washington and Indianapolis.

Still, unlike in the previous three seasons, that wasn't the surface at the US Open that moved from the famous West Side Tennis Club venue in Forest Hills (held there since 1915) to the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, a $10 million worth complex on 16-acre with 34 indoor and outdoor courts! It was the first Major tournament on the hard court, and Jimmy became the first player in history to win Major titles on all three different surfaces and at the same event, going all the way at the US Open on grass in 1974 and clay in 1976. The first three rounds were played in the best-of-three sets, and the majority of the favorites had reached the second week, with Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe and Vitas Gerulaitis surviving all the obstacles to enter the semis. Jimmy and Bjorn were the best players in the world at that moment, setting the 13th meeting on the Tour, with Connors leading 7-5 in head to head encounters.

In 1978, Jimmy Connors became the first Major champion on hard court.

After losing the Wimbledon final to the Swede, the American was the dominant force in front of the home fans, scoring a one-sided 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 win on September 10 for the third US Open crown in the last five years. Bjorn never liked to play on hard courts in New York, especially at night, and he would never win the US Open title, with Connors and McEnroe proving too strong in every year before Bjorn decided to leave the Tour. Jimmy faced no break points in the entire clash, creating no less than 17 chances on the return and converting five to bring the victory home in straight sets. Jimmy served at almost 80% and kept everything under control, mounting the pressure on his rival with deep and aggressive strokes and demolishing Borg in the mid-range rallies to secure the title. The first game turned into a marathon contest, with 20 points and five break opportunities for Connors. He failed to convert any of those, and Bjorn brought the game home with a service winner to avoid an early setback.

Still, he suffered a break at 2-2 after a vast forehand error, allowing Jimmy to cement the lead with three winners in the next game to open a 4-2 gap. Borg had to save two set points in the ninth game to prolong the set, and a left-handed Connors clinched it with a service winner after deuce a few minutes later for a 6-4. Unable to find the range or impose his shots, Borg sprayed a forehand mistake in the third game of the second set to suffer another break, playing against three more break chances at 1-3. Jimmy squandered them all, but that was hardly an obstacle for him, serving well and earning another break at 4-2 when he forced an error from Bjorn to serve for the set.

The crowd favorite secured it after another backhand error from the Swede, moving a set away from lifting the crown and writing history. Connors made another significant step in the third game of the third set when he broke Bjorn for the fourth time, racing towards the finish line with another break at 3-1, putting one hand on the trophy. A lucky net cord gave Connors the match point in the eighth game, completing the victory with a service winner to celebrate the title and write his name in the history books as the first Major champion on hard courts and at the new US Open complex. 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/33nV0Mh