It all started with a boy and his mom on a court in East St. Louis.
Gloria Connors put a racket in her son's hand before most kids even knew what the sport was. She didn't just teach him tennis. She wired him. She built something in her boy that the world had never seen and hasn't seen since.
109 tournament titles. Nobody in the Open Era has more. 1,557 matches played over 24 years. Nobody in history played more. 1,274 match wins. Nobody won more. 268 weeks ranked World No. 1. 160 consecutive weeks at No. 1, a record that stood untouched for 30 years. The only player in history to win the US Open on grass, clay, and hard court. 97 wins at the US Open alone, 18 more than anyone else who ever played there. Ranked in the World Top 10 a record 16 times across two decades.
US Open, 1991. He's 39 years old. It's his birthday. Down 2-5 in the fifth set against a 24-year-old. Nearly five hours into the match. Most men find a way to let that one go.
Jimmy won that match.
The trophies tell you what he won. That match tells you who he is.
And who he was started with a mother and her son on a court in East St. Louis.
Gloria gave him his game. Jimmy showed it to the world for 24 years.
@advconnors @JimmyConnors