TENNIS
It’s on His Australian Open Debut That Jimmy Connors…
…Won the first Grand Slam singles title of his illustrious career.
It was at the 1970 US Open that Jimmy Connors made his maiden appearance in a Grand Slam tournament. Having come through the qualifiers, the American’s debut was anything but memorable and ended with a straight-set defeat at the hands of Briton Mark Cox. In the three years that followed, Connors featured in the main draw of a Grand Slam on seven occasions.
The only Grand Slam tournament Connors never played in the first couple of years of his career was the Australian Open. With the tournament in Melbourne starting in December back in those years, few high profile players, apart from the Australian contingent of course, preferred to make the lengthy trip Down Under.
That being said, the American made an exception on not one but two occasions. Connors first entered the main draw of the 1974 Australian Open, which began in late December 1973 and concluded in January. As things turned out, it was a smart decision.
The second seed not only won the first Grand Slam title but also went on to achieve what would remain the most successful season of his career as far as winning the major tournaments is concerned. The 2024 Australian Open…
