John McEnroe vs. Jimmy Connors Extended Highlights | 1980 US Open Semifinal

[@janetearls989]

I had forgotten how really great these 2 were even though I grew up watching them. Absolutely beautiful matches and both deserve high praise

[@pk525]

This is the best looking tennis footage on KZbin from the early 1980s. Most of it looks so fuzzy, you can't even see the ball.

[@TLDel]

For their time, and in my eyes, these guys were nothing short of supernatural.

[@nothosaur]

i'm always amazed at how Connors can hit so low and flat and consistent

[@thomasfrayne6684]

McEnroe makes playing the game at the highest level look so easy.

[@fn6795]

Mac was a wonderful player to watch. Amazing serve. Amazing volleys. Great anticipation. The Kyrgios of his era except that he cared and won more.

[@MarkGuy-h4y]

Honestly, I think that is an insult to McEnroe. Nick Kyrios is talented, but he is not on the same level as McEnroe in terms of heart and drive to win which McEnroe did in both singles and doubles. As a matter of fact Kyrios insults players like Becker, Sampras and McEnroe by saying they could not play in today's game. Kyrios needs to win a slam before he can insult these great champions.

[@saadkhatib3456]

If you analyze this deeply, you’ll find that McEnroe is purposely returning more softly that usual, because he knows that Jimmy like to play a more aggressive rally, by playing relatively softer Mac is removing the steam out of Jimmy by controlling him instead of going into aggressive rallies (the ones Jimmy thrived on, and also feeds out his passionate approach by rallying the crowd during his preferred style of play) And Usually when Mac is on control during his peak, he was unplayable. Mac was very intelligent player

[@dougmilesmedia]

That's as good as it ever was and ever will be.

[@shizzy35]

Connors lost, but somehow it seems like 80% of the highlights are in his favor. Did his Mom put the highlight reel together?

[@gcm323]

Back in the heyday of tennis popularity when no matter where there were public courts, i.e., parks and schools, you had to wait your turn to play and could only play one set if someone else was waiting at your court to play next.

[@GenghisCohen257]

When you've seen a lot of '81 Mac and '84 Mac it can be jarring to see him struggle.

[@pauljohnmarcelino2121]

Jimmy with his aluminum/metal racket couldn't even beat Johnny Mac with his wooden racket lol. Wait til Johnny got his Max 200G Graphite equalizer haha

[@brianlee5584]

If one was just watching this highlight, one would think that Connors went to the net more than McEnroe and was beating him badly.

[@RaulAnibalGuglielmone]

imposible mirar... la verdad me quedo toda la vida con lo de hoy. De sampras en adelante siempre

[@jcpenny3606]

One of the rarest sightings you'll ever see. 2:55 Jimmy smoking a topspin forehand.

[@bowiehamilton9888]

Yes. He should’ve practiced ROUTINELY doing the topspin forehand. I think he would’ve won even more.

[@haroldsmyth6685]

@@bowiehamilton9888 he didnt trust his forehand wonder why. Cost him at least 2 gs

[@peterflorino9692]

Good old days. I don't watch tennis anymore . Every player has no strategy they just hit as hard as they can. Boring. Same with the ladies. Jimmy has always been my favorite player. His energy and ability were great to watch. Tennis needs strong rivalries, like these two guys to be more exciting and interesting.

[@JD-jc8gp]

Connors somehow blew that 3-1 lead in the fourth set and I guess that footage of that doing is missing.

[@martinhudecek8886]

He did have some heartbreakers in his favourite slam

[@leliondescavernes1747]

Connors tout proche de battre McEnroe en 4 sets

[@leliondescavernes1747]

Une finale Borg Connors à l'USOPEN 80 aurait été tout aussi passionnante ...

[@leliondescavernes1747]

Mais McEnroe était vraiment imbattable à l'USOPEN entre 79 et 81,et surtout, très résistant physiquement

[@tigerbalm666]

Are those badminton rackets?

[@PeterBrown-mz4nv]

They're strung tighter.

[@frankyyy9725]

I wonder how much better they would of hit back then with Today's Rackets

[@ncf1]

the racquet back then made tennis for style and finesse; the modern game's super-powerful arsenal nullifies everything to the point where those with the best endurance and fitness wins.

[@uncletony6210]

JC wins 11 games in a row but loses the match. I HATE when that happens!

[@joelbeske1504]

Today's pro just want to stay back and pound ground shots. More strategy back then.

[@alexcooper3007]

Оба левши...непривычное зрелище!

[@VegasCanuck-h2u]

That court looks to be playing very slow. And/or is it the tennis balls?

[@SniffyPoo]

the final few years of wood rackets

[@asksimonwhy]

Mac’s backhand is forever awkward and historically underrated.

[@MH117]

It's not awkward !

[@ソフィ-y6s]

懐かしい、マッケンローのウッド製プロスタッフ。今のラケットと比べたらスイートスポットは狭いし、飛ばないしもう用具として別物だと思う。この次の次に使っていたMAX200Gになると大分使いやすくなったが。

[@ayokay123]

Mac's backhand looks like some kind of weird dance move.

[@gaelsoichet5640]

Pas tres bon résumé du match pleins de beaux points et moments du match inexistant ici dommage

[@jcpenny3606]

4:30 lol

[@irenaszurmiak708]

John🎾- Jimmy🎾 45 y.

[@rickyivani]

Today's players can't even dream of playing This Way They are only abile tò r punch from the baseline and rum tò collect opponents blows Thisi Is no longer tennis.

[@sayresrudy2644]

here come the cliches about the good old days v the “power game” zzzzzz. tennis fans love this insipid script.

[@gcm323]

Actually, I was thinking about all the cute girls playing tennis then that we could ask out on fun and innocent doubles dates.

[@ronmexico1874]

I already knew that McEnroe won the US open in 1980 so I knew he must have beaten Connors, so these totally slanted highlights showing Connors hitting winner after winner after winner, just made me laugh. What a great, steaming pile.

[@haroldsmyth6685]

Do you mean all macs blown sitter forehand volleys.

[@johannebimont6960]

Jimmy was very sexy bearded.

[@meggieturi]

These guys wouldn’t beat the #250 in the World today.

[@acsmith818]

Give the world #250 a Wilson T2000, and we'd just see

[@emin7540]

I can beat number 250 easily back then and today so what is your pointless point!

[@stephenbanks5860]

​@@emin7540No you couldn't lol.

[@frankyyy9725]

Jannik Sinner vs Prime John Macenroe

[@direwolf525]

looks awful and boring... today's modern tennis is way more better

[@emin7540]

Today is baseline only and they pretty much hit directly to one another. No talent!