Tennis ‘a hell of a living’

Press, 26 June 1987, Page 30

Tennis ‘a hell of a living’

NZPA-AAP Wimbledon Not a bad game, tennis — but not the sort of thing Jimmy Connors would let his kids get involved in.

For Connors, tennis has been a source of anger, frustration, heartache and about $l2 million over more than 15 years. He has won two Wimbledon singles championships, five United States Opens and an Australian Open. Between January, 1972, when he had his first professional success and September, 1983, when he won his last U.S. title, Connors had registered 190 tournament victories and over the last 14 years he has never been ranked lower than eighth in the world. At Wimbledon this year he is the seventh seed and, at 34, one of the oldest players in men’s singles. He says the reason he is still able to compete at the highest level — he stretched Boris Becker in the final at Queens Club earlier this month, is because he enjoys it so much. But for his son, Brett, or daughter, Aubree Leigh, he would prefer something more civilised.

“I don’t want my little girl or my little boy to play tennis,” said Connors

“It’s .not natural, it’s a hell of a living. “It isn’t normal for a healthy body to fly from Tokyo to somewhere like Buenos Aires day after day without resting properly. “I .think tennis players more than other athletes are defying the laws of nature.”

Despite the unnatural existence, Connors is enjoying himself so much he would take a cut in pay“When I first came into the game there was no money in tennis, so I played because I enjoyed it,” he said. “And if I were 17 now I’d probably play tennis again. “But the game has changed, there is too much money in the sport “There are people playing now who are satisfied with making it to the second or third round because they can live well on the prizemoney they get. “It takes away the intensity to be the best” Nowadays tennis is mixed with his family and business and often runs third.

“Ten years ago it was on a different level, I would eat sleep and breathe tennis. That’s what it takes to be a great player, to be the best,” said Connors.

“Fm more rational now, I have lots of other things going for me and that's one of the reasons I’m playing so well.”