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From a racket in hand to a legacy etched in the heart of tennis history, Jimmy Connors came a long way. Starting as a middle-class kid, Connors made it to the tennis court and now has created an amazing path for future generations of players to walk on. But do you know it was not that easy for him?

While he was giving his best to be a tennis player, he had two women behind him who supported him through thick and thin. Recently, the 71-year-old American tennis legend opened up about his mother and grandmother’s contribution to his incredible tennis career.

Jimmy Connors talks about his greatest supporters

With his amazing talent and dedication to doing his best on the athletic front, during the ’80s and the end of the ’90s, he was able to create an impact on the tennis arena. In a recent episode of ‘Advantage Connors’, he opened up about how he was able to reach where he is today just because of the contributions of his mother and his grandmother.

Connors said, “I would have never known about the game if it wasn’t for my mom and my grandmother, you know, from a little town in Illinois, you know, where, you know, it’s just pretty extraordinary, tennis wasn’t it.” 

Along with that, he also highlighted that tennis was just not a sport for him; it was more than what he wanted to do for his family. Further, he added, “My mom, you know, took a lot of criticism for that. And but that never really took away from her feeling about, you know, wanting me to be a part of the game and try to get better.”

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Moreover, he also highlighted that his mother went through a lot of problems just to have him pursue his tennis dream. Not only that, but even his father played a huge role in his tennis career. 1977 was quite tough for the eight-time Grand Slam champion, as it was the time when he made it to the Wimbledon finals and lost his father at the same time. But years later, he disclosed his father’s last wish.

Connors’ father’s last wish was about his son’s game 

That year, when Jimmy Connors lost his father, he got the sad news from his mother. However, rather than rushing down, he stayed in Europe for the championship. In his autobiography, he revealed his father’s last wish.

He wrote, “Tell Jimmy not to come back for the funeral. I don’t want him interrupting what he’s doing just for me. Promise me you won’t let him.” While his mother managed everything on her own, he fulfilled his father’s last wish and played one of the biggest matches of his career at that time.

Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on the unconditional support that Jimmy Connor received from his family? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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