# Connors–Lendl rivalry

The Connors–Lendl rivalry was a tennis rivalry between Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl. They met 35 times, with the head-to-head finishing at 22–13, favoring Lendl. Their rivalry transitioned significantly over time: Connors (who is 7 and a half years older than Lendl) won their first 8 matches, while Lendl won the last 17.
Lendl and Connors were both world No. 1s and major champions, with each winning eight major titles. At the majors they met seven times, with Lendl winning the final four meetings and Connors winning the first three. The rivalry between the two, as well as their rivalries with fellow player John McEnroe, have been described as "spikey."
The rivalry was first noted in the 1982 US Open final when Connors dared Lendl to drive the ball past him. Connors subsequently won the final in four sets. In a rematch in 1983, Connors was rushed to the locker room late in the second set before coming back out to defeat Lendl once again in four sets. The final match between the two was also at the US Open, in 1992, where Connors led for a set and a half before falling to his 17th defeat in 8 years to Lendl.

## Head-to-head

| Legend | Connors | Lendl |
| Grand Slam | 3 | 4 |
| Masters Grand Prix | 1 | 4 |
| WCT Finals | 1 | 1 |
| ATP International Series | 7 | 13 |
| Davis Cup | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 13 | 22 |

### Official matches (35)

Connors 13 – Lendl 22
| No. | Year | Tournament | Surface | Round | Winner | Score | Connors | Lendl |
| 1. | 1979 | US Clay Court Championships | Clay | Quarterfinals | Connors | 6–2, 7–6$^{(7–0)}$ | 1 | 0 |
| 2. | 1980 | US Indoor Championships | Carpet | Last 16 | Connors | 6–2, 6–3 | 2 | 0 |
| 3. | 1980 | WCT Finals | Carpet | Semifinals | Connors | 6–4, 7–5, 6–3 | 3 | 0 |
| 4. | 1980 | Volvo International | Clay | Semifinals | Connors | 6–4, 6–2 | 4 | 0 |
| 5. | 1980 | Cincinnati Open | Hard | Quarterfinals | Connors | 6–2, 6–0 | 5 | 0 |
| 6. | 1980 | Masters Grand Prix | Carpet | Round Robin | Connors | 7–6$^{(7–1)}$, 6–1 | 6 | 0 |
| 7. | 1981 | Indian Wells Masters | Hard | Final | Connors | 6–3, 7–6$^{(7–5)}$ | 7 | 0 |
| 8. | 1981 | Davis Cup | Hard | Quarterfinals | Connors | 7–5, 6–4 | 8 | 0 |
| 9. | 1982 | Cincinnati Open | Hard | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–1, 6–1 | 8 | 1 |
| 10. | 1982 | US Open | Hard | Final | Connors | 6–3, 6–2, 4–6, 6–4 | 9 | 1 |
| 11. | 1982 | Masters Grand Prix | Carpet | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–3, 6–1 | 9 | 2 |
| 12. | 1983 | Queen's Club Championships | Grass | Semifinals | Connors | 6–0, 6–3 | 10 | 2 |
| 13. | 1983 | Canadian Open | Hard | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–1, 6–3 | 10 | 3 |
| 14. | 1983 | US Open | Hard | Final | Connors | 6–3, 6–7$^{(2–7)}$, 7–5, 6–0 | 11 | 3 |
| 15. | 1983 | Masters Grand Prix | Carpet | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–3, 6–4 | 11 | 4 |
| — | 1984 | Rotterdam Open | Carpet | Final | (No Result) | 0–6, 0–1 Abandoned due to a bomb scare | 11 | 4 |
| 16. | 1984 | WCT Tournament of Champions | Clay | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–0, 6–0 | 11 | 5 |
| 17. | 1984 | Wimbledon | Grass | Semifinals | Connors | 6–7$^{(4–7)}$, 6–3, 7–5, 6–1 | 12 | 5 |
| 18. | 1984 | Tokyo Indoor | Carpet | Final | Connors | 6–4, 3–6, 6–0 | 13 | 5 |
| 19. | 1984 | Wembley Championships | Carpet | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–4, 6–2 | 13 | 6 |
| 20. | 1984 | Masters Grand Prix | Carpet | Semifinals | Lendl | 7–5, 6–7, 7–5 | 13 | 7 |
| 21. | 1985 | Paine Webber Classic | Hard | Final | Lendl | 6–3, 6–2 | 13 | 8 |
| 22. | 1985 | WCT Finals | Carpet | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–3, 2–1 RET | 13 | 9 |
| 23. | 1985 | French Open | Clay | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–2, 6–3, 6–1 | 13 | 10 |
| 24. | 1985 | Volvo International | Hard | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–0, 4–6, 6–4 | 13 | 11 |
| 25. | 1985 | US Open | Hard | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–2, 6–3, 7–5 | 13 | 12 |
| 26. | 1986 | Miami Open | Hard | Semifinals | Lendl | 1–6, 6–1, 6–2, 2–6, 5–2 DEF | 13 | 13 |
| 27. | 1986 | Paine Webber Classic | Hard | Final | Lendl | 6–2, 6–0 | 13 | 14 |
| 28. | 1986 | Volvo International | Hard | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–4, 3–6, 6–2 | 13 | 15 |
| 29. | 1987 | Miami Open | Hard | Semifinals | Lendl | 3–6, 7–6$^{(9–7)}$, 7–6$^{(11–9)}$, 6–3 | 13 | 16 |
| 30. | 1987 | Washington Open | Hard | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–4, 7–6$^{(7–3)}$ | 13 | 17 |
| 31. | 1987 | Canadian Open | Hard | Semifinals | Lendl | 7–5, 6–4 | 13 | 18 |
| 32. | 1987 | US Open | Hard | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–4, 6–2, 6–2 | 13 | 19 |
| 33. | 1987 | Masters Grand Prix | Carpet | Round Robin | Lendl | 4–3 RET | 13 | 20 |
| 34. | 1988 | Canadian Open | Hard | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–4, 6–4 | 13 | 21 |
| 35. | 1992 | US Open | Hard | Last 64 | Lendl | 3–6, 6–3, 6–2, 6–0 | 13 | 22 |
* Note: The ABD 1984 Rotterdam final with Lendl leading 6-0, 1-0, was abandoned due to a bomb scare. There was no result.

### Head-to-head breakdown

* All matches: (35) Lendl 22–13
* All finals: (7)* Connors 4–2, *(1 No Result)
** Grand Slam matches: Lendl 4–3
** Grand Slam finals: Connors 2–0
** Masters matches: Lendl 4–1
** WCT Finals matches: tied 1–1
** Clay court matches: tied 2–2
** Grass court matches: Connors 2–0
** Hard court matches: Lendl 14–5
** Indoor carpet matches: Lendl 6–4

## Other matches
### Invitational matches

Connors–Lendl (3–8)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Surface | Round | Winner | Score |
| 1. | 1981 | Challenge of Champions | Carpet | Round Robin | Connors | 6–2, 3–6, 6–3 |
| 2. | 1982 | Molson Light Challenge | Carpet | Round Robin | Lendl | 6–4, 6–3 |
| 3. | 1982 | Challenge of Champions | Carpet | Final | Lendl | 4–6, 6–4, 7–5, 6–4 |
| 4. | 1983 | Sun City | Hard | Final | Connors | 7–5, 7–6 |
| 5. | 1983 | Nastase-Hamptons Invitational | Hard | Final | Connors | 6–3, 7–6, 6–1 |
| 6. | 1985 | Hamlet Challenge Cup | Hard | Final | Lendl | 6–1, 6–3 |
| 7. | 1985 | Meadowlands Tennis Challenge | Carpet | Semifinals | Lendl | 6–1, 6–3 |
| 8. | 1985 | Challenge of Champions | Carpet | Round Robin | Lendl | 6–3, 5–7, 6–1 |
| 9. | 1985 | Challenge of Champions | Carpet | Final | Lendl | 6–2, 6–3 |
| 10. | 1990 | WCT Tournament of Champions | Hard | Quarterfinals | Lendl | 3–6, 7–5, 1–0 RET |
| 11. | 1991 | Transcontinental Tennis Cup | Hard | Final | Lendl | Connors retired in 3rd set |

## ATP rankings

Note: Connors was active in 1970–1972, but the ATP rankings started in 1973.

### Year-end ranking timeline

| Player | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 |
| Jimmy Connors | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 14 | 936 | 49 | 84 | 370 | 672 | 419 | 1300 |
| Ivan Lendl | | | | | | 74 | 20 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 19 | 54 | | |

#### ATP Year-end ranking timeline by age

Age at end of season
| Year-end ranking | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 |
| Jimmy Connors | No ATP rankings | No ATP rankings | No ATP rankings | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 14 | 936 | 49 | 84 | 370 | 672 | 419 | 1300 |
| Ivan Lendl | 74 | 20 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 19 | 54 | | | | | | | | | | |