Jimmy Connors vs Mikael Pernfors | Wimbledon 1987 fourth round | Full Match

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[@seanburke5686]

My favourite Jimmy Connors match, never gave in , legend .

[@allthekingshorses7178]

Connors style of play wasn't easy on the eye, but it suited his mentality perfectly

[@acemacgruber6593]

Connors and Nadal have the greatest fighting spirit of any tennis players.

[@Don-rl1sm]

nadal is a steroids cheater, r e t a r d

[@Stiffjab71]

Indeed. Connors was remarkable because he had far less talent and strenght than Rafa. Same huge fighting spirit, Jimbo was a total a****le which helped him through the career

[@Don-rl1sm]

@@Stiffjab71 nadal has no talent, m o r o n. which is why he has to cheat by taking steroids

[@tomsavage7279WalteroftheSea]

Sublime. Great athlete and my #1. Thanx to all who made this classic available on youtube. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@riotbunny]

Even 36 years later and knowing the result, this match is engrossing. Connors was one of those rare players that had an intimidating aura when making a comeback.

[@qgodofgodsrulerofall1341]

That's the great thing about tennis. There is no time limit. A great player can always come back. Jimmy was the master of comebacks.

[@robtatum5277]

Watched this match live & the excitement connors generated was incredible i almost destroyed the chair celebrating his win . What a comeback

[@seanburke5686]

Did the same thing dude 👍😉

[@gedofgont1006]

Yeah, the atmosphere was electric in this match. Connors such a fighter!

[@jerryl9823]

@@gedofgont1006 and his comeback against Pat Mcenroe at the 1991 US Open. Unforgettable stuff. It was almost all Pat the first half of that classic. And Connors was already 34 years old by the time this match was played. Connors was the the tennis version of Rocky. The guy had 9 lives or something.

[@lilylayzell4022]

@@jerryl9823 It’s that very quality that makes me argue for his being the GOAT. Times change, technology, sizes of the players, nutrition, etc. but the game has the same rules and the one thing that never changes is the inner person. Very few athletes, not just tennis players, have the “never say die” character quality

[@frankojudoka]

This match is similar to his match against Patrick McEnroe in 1991 US Open first round. Down 2 sets, when things didn’t look good in the third set, people were leaving. I shut off the tv and went to bed. When I woke up the next morning, I couldn’t believe the news of Connor victory.

[@Ajayk9099]

Jimbo ! One of the Greatest Warriors ever in all sports. A Fighter who never gave up, always fought hard, never yielded an inch. A TRUE HERO !

[@seanburke5686]

Tennis needs characters like Jimbo 👍👍

[@Don-rl1sm]

he absolutely sucked at tennis. lost to lendl 17 times in a row to end his worthless "career."

[@DrBroncanuus]

greatest comeback...ever I was lucky enough to be there

[@jonnywyattgreengreen3301]

Jimmy is my favourite player of all time ,he gave 200% every time he played. He never ever gave up ..one of best ever come ups. 🎾

[@Atombender]

Commentator: "How many games can Jimmy Connors salvage in this match? It's 1-4 in the third set." Connors: "Watch this!"

[@a-ddaigrepont3375]

hold my beer

[@carseye1219]

Thanks for this. Had things to do but I couldn't stop watching! 3.5 hours well spent!

[@minimal_Sonntag]

To me this is the greatest comeback in tennis history.

[@AndyUK-Corrival]

May have just been surpassed my Murray in Melbourne.

[@jeromenymo5520]

Thanks very much for sharing this match. Image quality is very good, and it's not always the case with 80s matches. Perfect demonstration that it's never over before the last point is finished.

[@skygazer6898]

Jimmy was a brash brawler who never gave up. I remember this match like it was yesterday and it has to be one of the greatest fight backs. Pernfors was such a classy player but unfortunately he lacked consistency which prevented him from being up at the top with the likes of Conners, Borg etc.

[@jonmc2502]

I remember watching this match on TV, it was unbelievable. I somehow believed Connors was going to come back, I think only he could have pulled this off. Never say die Jimmy Connors!

[@chrishimmelmann]

Note that at the very end Connors just takes the second to wait for his opponent, what a gesture of respect. Then they bow to the royals together. Proper end to a great match.

[@christophedemajean4648]

incroyable jimbo! mené 6/1,6/1,4/1 et à presque 36 ans il remonte et gagne ce match , respect!! pour moi le meilleur joueur de tous les temps, 109 tournois gagnés...

[@thierrygarnier5060]

Entièrement d'accord....et contre Chang à Roland Garros, ou il met un point d'honneur à gagner le 1er jeu avant d'abandonner à plus de 40 ans....et Flushing 1991 !!!!

[@nkbeach]

Si je ne me trompe pas, c'est son dernier "grand" match à Wimbledon (il a bien joué en 1/2 mais a perdu en 3 sets contre Cash). En 88 et 89 pas terrible à Wimbledon, 90 il n'a pas joué à cause de son poignet, et 91, autant il avait fait un bon RG en perdant contre Chang après un grand match, et évidemment un super US Open, autant le tournoi de Wimbledon avait été décevant

[@leliondescavernes1747]

@@nkbeach ne pas oublier sa victoire sur bobo zivojinovic en quart de finale, juste après son triomphe sur Pernfors...En théorie, Connors aurait dû retrouver Becker en quart de finale, mais Boum boum avait été éliminé par Doohan au 2ème tour....

[@mtns7036]

That was amazing. Not sure if this match gets much coverage in jimmy's book. But wow what a comeback.

[@LaserRanger15]

I played Perfors once. It was a benefit for Seminole Community College, where he went apparently to try to save their tennis program. Lost 6-0, 6-0 in 20 minutes (I was just starting to play tournaments). It might have been in 1987 (or 1988) because not long after he had a great run at the French and at Wimbledon.

[@trwent]

Even 6-0, 6-0 would take more than 20 minutes!

[@kloatlanta]

His French open final was 1986.

[@dontsayitisntbecauseitis3845]

Connors was a total one-off. Great talent, crazy unorthodox, balls like coconuts. No one else could play that way.

[@Charmander009]

Yes conor mc Gregor is amazing

[@ag358]

Few people realize, conners owns the most single title victories with 109. He was banned from french open 4 years and didn't play on another 4 during his prime years. He also holds the us open most titles with wins on grass, clay and hard court. Us open played on grass until the later 70's when it changed to clay them hard court. Conners won all three singles titles , he won on all surfaces, if he was allowed to play the French open those 4 years and likely all 8 he most probably would have won the grand slam in 74 and likely another one in the later 70's.

[@jdmresearch]

@@ag358 Regarding Connors not playing the FO between 1974 and 1978... good point but with Borg and Vilas there, it was an impossible task anyway.

[@zorradone]

@@jdmresearch he has beaten both on clay including borg on clay in the us open

[@LordStanley94]

@@zorradone Red Clay is entirely different than Green Clay in the US. Granted, he certainly could beat both Borg & Vilas, but the task at Roland Garros would have been tougher.

[@patrickkelly9110]

Connors’ flat shots stayed so low on the grass , he was also very quick in coming to the net behind a good shot and that winner on match point ? What a match player

[@kalanamak6985]

I was there in the standing area. I was never a Jimbo fan and I was one of the few supporting Pernfors, but it started off being quite a dull and boring match and looked to be heading for a routine straight sets win for the Swede. But then Connors switched to beast mode at 4-1 down. An amazing comeback after being outplayed for two and a half sets. Even though I didn't like Connors much, I had to respect the tenacity and fight and fight he showed to win this match.

[@thadtuiol1717]

Cool story, bro

[@kathywilliams9672]

Wow. I'm so happy to find this. I was there. Almost crying for the first two and a half sets, then screaming happily til the end. It was the most amazing match I've ever seen

[@benphilips7235]

No player could excite a crowd quite like Jimmy. He had a connection with the fans courtside like no other, I think we would all have liked him to win even more majors. This epic battle is like watching two matches rolled into one. The first half was all Pernfors brilliance and an error-strewn Connors. The second all Connors brilliance with Pernfors barely in the match. IMO if Jimmy's radar had been working from the get-go he could have got through in three.

[@eastman7037]

I like the history games... Please more

[@valencijavalencija8929]

Jimbo is the best player ever, the most beautiful tennis,109 tournaments won!!!!

[@AndyUK-Corrival]

I was lucky to be there, it was epic Connors.

[@gnuttz1972]

What a match, i was literally screaming at the screen as Jimmy came back in the last three sets!

[@turtleflegel6816]

Connors is the undisputed father of the modern game. Not a huge serve, great returns, defense/counter punch/passing shots, offensive power/redirect off the ground from inside the baseline, looking to come in off short balls, physical play, great feet, coutageous competitor.

[@Don-rl1sm]

tennis hasn't been played since 2001, r e t a r d, the year they made the ball bigger

[@trwent]

​@@Don-rl1smLearn some manners, okay?

[@nickthefox72]

One of the best matches ever at Wimbledon and the crowd all being youngsters who got in for a small fee made the atmosphere just amazing and I think they helped keep jimmy going at 1-6,1-6,1-4

[@nillejoslin]

Connors didn't age anything between 20 and 40.

[@jackkitchen737]

I remember watching this on HBO on the evening of the match, not knowing the result. Incredible.

[@neilh4729]

I vividly remember watching this match on TV in a pub. One of the best comebacks of all time, and probably the most exciting match I've ever seen. Connors is a legend. Loved his attitude.

[@gerwkm4389]

I've been waiting for u to show this match cannot wait classic Jimmy connors. Thanks 😎☀️

[@andersjonsson8403]

Wow! What a match, thanks, I wounder if any other who have met Connors have an advantage of 15-2 in game? 😀👍🎾

[@mkbaharris]

@wimbledon please show, as Dan Maskell described the greatest match he had seen at Wimbledon, Connors V Borg 1981 semi. brutal, exciting and a classic

[@fundhund62]

That would be fantastic. One of the greatest matches of all time!

[@nillejoslin]

Connors had the ability to outplay opponents completely during periods of a match. Streaky, they would say about a golfer.

[@debbief9861]

Well done! Thanks so much for putting this on. Many of us wanted it!

[@berndeigner8837]

ah the good old times! lovely to watch

[@mezanine10]

I'd choose Connors for my tennis team. I'd also choose him to be my partner in a knife fight.

[@fraerithlelfe6027]

Trump_Fedaykin Better with him than against !

[@edub1961]

Connors??? el mejor. Siempre entregando todo en la cancha, un ganador por excelencia.

[@thierrygarnier5060]

Le jeu de jambes de Connors....les petits pas d'ajustement....exceptionnel !!!!

[@jper7047]

du grand tennis, malheureusement au cours des ans le jeu a gagné en puissance, mais au détriment de la finesse.

[@fraerithlelfe6027]

Je pense que les surfaces ont été modifiées au point que le jeu tel qu'il était pratiqué à cette époque n'est même plus vraiment possible. Le service-volée a pratiquement disparu, ce n'est pas un hasard. Le seul jeu payant aujourd'hui (pour ceux qui le peuvent), c'est le jeu en puissance et en angles, avec quelques amorties, pour les plus doués, pour casser le rythme. Merci (ou pas) à André Agassi, pour moi le tennis d'aujourd'hui a commencé avec lui. C'était rafraîchissant quand il y en avait peu, aujourd'hui c'est devenu insupportable pour moi.

[@jorgeorellana7319]

One of the most fantastic returns that I saw from a tennis match was a Major tournament. When the match was at 1:27:11 with a score of 1:6 /1: 6/ 1:4 it is starting ...

[@qgodofgodsrulerofall1341]

Jimmy Connors was the Nadal of his time. He never gave up. Never gave points away & always believed he could find a way to win.

[@perjordeus9265]

Pernfors played the first two sets brilliantly against a player like Connors, with short sliced shots to both his backhand and forehand. Connors had great difficulty of getting any power in his shots from those slices. Wilander knew how to play Connors and I don't think he lost once.

[@killerqueen1974]

Awesome come back. It aint over til its over

[@Me-ll4ig]

Probably the greatest tennis comeback of all time. I remember watching this match. Pernfors looked like he just wanted to get off court during that last set.

[@juancristobalguzman2200]

A living legend Jimbo

[@shane-irish]

Greatest comeback ever i remember listen to this on bbc radio 5 and watching on bbc tv i was about 10 then loved the crowd support and jimmy passion 1:27:08 comeback even the commentator was calling jimmy's doom

[@David-lx6fs]

Was there, a classic match

[@iaindunworth3008]

Similar comeback by Jimmy in 1988 v rostagno on court 1 Wimbledon. Managed to get court side as a steward whilst in the Army. Patted Jimmy on the back as he walked off court and got hammered by met police for doing it. Great days Jimmy!!.

[@paoloorlandi4342]

Grande Jimbo, il mio mito!

[@cindygirlification]

The eighties flat top ! Magnificent 😎

[@jimbo-qi7gr]

best player ever J S Connors

[@ag358]

With 109 single titles wins( the record) i agree totally. He didn't play 8 french opens because he was banned in 4 and didn't play another 4 for signing a paper. He won the us open on 3 surfaces grass, clay and hard court.

[@nala3038]

jimbo one of the greatest not the greatest

[@Smudgeroon74]

@@ag358 heya mind me asking why was Jimmy Connors excluded from playing in 4 French Open tournaments.. thanks in advance. I didn't know a thing about it

[@ag358]

Conners signed a deal with world team tennis so they banned him in 1974 he won 3 majors that year and likely could've won the french, completing the grand slam. He didn't play the fench again until 1979 ,from 74-77 he was no.1 for 160 consecutive weeks of his total 268 weeks at no.1. He won a lot of tournaments past 1979 and majors but in his most dominant period he didn't play the french open. He still holds 3 open era records, one is the most singles titles at 109 titles.

[@lindason52]

I so remember this match!

[@pflynn581]

I remember this match clearly.It was the first time I'd seen a player hit the ball through his legs in a competitive match.

[@robertociai6205]

Jimbo the greatest of all times

[@MrRazorblade999]

lol No

[@Retsler54]

Connors was awesome. Here he was 35 I think, would be 36 later that year.

[@bhencho5256]

One of the most underrated players of all time, so is permfors, remember him Canadian open one year, still had ashtrays in planes

[@SuperHammaren]

In hinsight Pernfors were grateful to lose this match, it made Connors invite him to the veteran tour later although Pernfors never won a slam. This was Pernfors word in a interview not long ago.

[@iaindunworth3008]

Jimmy always found a way to win when not at it... quality!!. Iain - Sheffield

[@theenglishalpinist5031]

Connors was a killer in that situation, 'smelling blood' just as the commentator said. Anybody on the receiving end of one of his competitive spirit knows they have will have to fight harder than somebody fighting for their life if they want to win. Pernfors just got his spirit destroyed in the 5th set.

[@adrianboyddodd8007]

Only Nadal is a competitor that to the degree that Conners was. Borg was also up there for the same reason. What a pity that Borg lost interest in tennis once he knew he could no longer be number one. We would have had a great 4 way rivalry with lendl being the forth in the mix. I doubt anyone outside those four would have won a major for as long as they were around.

[@martinhudecek8886]

The Australian open was being won by other names for some time...

[@adrianboyddodd8007]

@@martinhudecek8886 Borg didn't bother with the AO because it was irrelevant to him once he knew the Grand Slam off the menu after losing the US Open which he never won. If I am not mistaken the AO back then was the last of the big four and not the first as it is now. I think also McEnroe only ever played the AO once and was defaulted not realizing that the rules had just gone from 4 code violations to 3. He may have played twice but with two of the big four back then not playing the AO it is not surprising that it was being won by others.

[@kidpagronprimsank05]

@@adrianboyddodd8007 Mac played in Australia twice. Defaulted in R16 in 90 and QF in 92

[@jeromelange7401]

It is NOT Over...TILL It IS Over - James Scott Connors WHOLE Carreer Philosophy.

[@ingoweinard2517]

amazing Connors!

[@seltaeb9691]

Connors my fav player. The play & power strokes fit in easily with Rafa, Novak & Co. Did it start here...

[@ag358]

Commentator says after first 2 sets and Connors down in the 3rd " connors may walk out of here disgraced " even at 34 years old Connors could never be counted out. I liked when he shocked everyone in 91 making the semifinals, the krickstein match was nerve racking.

[@ojavaid]

Connors's groundstrokes seem so strange now. I wonder what it was like to hit against someone who hits "flat" versus the heavy topspin now.

[@snosage]

Totally. Going inside out with the ball and straight down the line is his usual move. Cross court is the exception. Pernfors never knows which way Jimmy is going to force him to move, but it's usually corner to corner. Amazing accuracy.

[@lillzico77]

Pernfors was always fun to watch.

[@bradleysmall2230]

wimblodon 1981 semi borg connors 5 sets of gtrand tennis- may have had effect when mac beat him in final..

[@rabidfollower]

This was the famous match in which Connors was down 1-6 1-6 1-4 (1:27:07) but came back.

[@shane-irish]

True

[@patrickgauthier-manuel5817]

As long as i see the light!

[@ekafardiani1073]

Tennis players in the 80-90 era looked very dashing and more handsome than today.😅

[@trwent]

That is because they shaved.

[@lilylayzell4022]

Yes, he writes about it. I just finished reading the book after all this time. It is surprisingly honest. He leaves no dark stone unturned. 😎

[@kidpagronprimsank05]

Nice, rare baseline battle match from on the old Wimbledon grass

[@willnill7946]

Love the rally’s on the low bouncing grass, not easy to do.

[@Stiffjab71]

I remember my best buddy turning off TV after the two first sets claiming Jimbo had to retire (he was a huge Jimbo fan, sort of disappointed then) 😁

[@trwent]

To come back from 6-1, 6-1, 4-1 seems very unlikely, but remember, it really is immaterial what the first two set scores were. Down 2-0 in sets is down 2-0 in sets, even if it had been 7-6, 7-6. In the third set, Connors was down 4-1, but it was a "soft" 4-1, meaning down only one break. Connors got that break back and managed to get another break to win the third set 7-5. In the fourth set, Pernfors was up 3-1 and had a game point to go up 4-1, but Connors got lucky on a net cord to win that point, that game, the fourth set, and then cruised to victory in the fifth set. I am not taking anything away from Connors, though; it was a great comeback.

[@michaelireland7239]

true grit two sets down & still won what can anyone say but a fighter all the way

[@americanpatriot7233]

this was a connors miracle right here

[@AtonalMeasureRecords]

Pernfors, what a talent he was, short lived on the big stage unfortunately

[@brunobartolucci1834]

Jimbo ! ❤️

[@yousefbhoyroo6960]

Brings back memories. I was there. 4.1 up he was I leave.

[@FoobsTon]

Watched this on my black and white tv as a teenager. It was spellbinding. Connors had the Nadal type grit.

[@sevaraalimova4706]

In my opinion, the Connors, Nastase, Borg, McEnroe, Lendl, Vilas, Curren, Becker, Gerulaitis, and Edberg era, was better than the Sampras, Agassi

[@sevaraalimova4706]

And Courier, Chang, Kuerten, Safin, Rafter, Henman, Ivanesivic, Krajicek, Moya, and so on. The 70s and 80s tennis, was better than the 90s tennis and in the early 200s. The players had longer carriers, more epic rivalries, more epic matches, more suspense in their tennis

[@sevaraalimova4706]

It was more fun to watch for a fan.

[@markwhitman9029]

And better than today. I like Nasal et al but there is no finesse and variety in the game. Both men and women merely slug the ball and screech and fist pump BOOORING!!

[@hmq9052]

1:39:45 The world's tallest ever ball boy

[@HankFinkle11]

Notice how different the grass played in those days? It’s more like a fast, hard court now.

[@gggirish1]

if ever there is a player who will give everything o the court and never gives up its connors not nadal not djokovic

[@jean-lucbereda1155]

Like Bjorn Borg Jimmy Connors never defeated never tired until the end.

[@robtatum5277]

Connors had to do interviews after this match stood up as he was suffering big time with cramp . What a fighter her was .

[@リザク]

懐かしい、ミカエル・ペルンフォルツに憧れテニスに夢中になったな。

[@plw6825]

Always been my favourite player and what a fighter but imagine if Jimmy hadn't have had that forehand ditch it was such a weak spot in his game.

[@richardoshea2071]

There was a passing shot by penfors on the run where he ended up in the crowd nearly that I have always remembered from this match, does anyone know a time stamp please???

[@johnfreeland9065]

Pernfors with the Michael Malice hair!!!!

[@prplhze2000]

Connors broke him. Pernfors was never the same after this match.

[@PerJohansson-be6ky]

Yes

[@Madoxize]

Are there more full matches like this?

[@yalahwy4171]

I remember this match. Pernfors reached the French open and lost to Lendl

[@MrArnote]

Une belle résurrection de Connors en 87 avec deux demi finales en grand chelem,Wimbledon et l us open,ne perdant que contre le futur vainqueur

[@jper7047]

A noter qu'il était passé à la raquette grand tamis laissant sa légendaire Wilson T 2000 cadre acier.

[@MrArnote]

Lendl prend sa revanche sur Leconte en quart,il avait perdu contre le français deux ans plus tôt dans les mêmes circonstances