"Jimmy Connors doesn't do much harm except to a few ladies" - When Arthur Ashe said the American was 'great' for tennis despite his on-court outbursts

Jimmy Connors once received staunch backing from tennis legend Arthur Ashe regarding his contributions to the sport. Ashe also shared his candid thoughts on the American's polarizing on-court antics.

Connors didn't endear himself to tennis audiences during his early career largely because of his controversial on-court behavior, from clashing with umpires over line calls to getting into heated arguments with his rivals like John McEnroe. Even Andre Agassi has spoken about not warming to his fellow American because of his volatile behavior.

However, there was a changed attitude towards Jimmy Connors during his campaign at the 1982 US Open, with fans passionately showing their support for the home favorite. Although the second seed joked that the crowd was simply feeling "sorry for an old man running around," his more composed demeanor likely played a role in winning them over. The American attributed his more relaxed mindset to being at peace while surrounded by his wife Patti and son Brett.

In an interview with the New York Times during the US Open, Arthur Ashe suggested that Jimmy Connors, who had just turned 30 years old, was benefitting from the tendency of the public to be more forgiving toward older athletes.

"People look at athletes differently when they get older. You forgive an athlete at the end," Ashe said.

Ashe also expressed his belief that Connors' antics had been beneficial for tennis, as it helped the sport break out of the "emotional straightjacket" it had been stuck in. He asserted that the American truly harmed anyone, except some overly sensitive audience members, and concluded that Connors was ultimately great for the sport.

"Eighty percent of it has been good for tennis. We were stuck in an emotional straitjacket for 50 years. Nastase made it easier for everybody and then Jimmy came along. He doesn't do much harm except maybe to a few ladies in the front row. They put their hands over their eyes and they look through their fingers and they say, 'Oh, can you imagine that?' And the next day they come back again, one seat closer. I think Jimmy's been great for the sport," he added.

"Jimmy Connors knows Patti doesn't like to see him making gestures on the court" - Arthur Ashe

Jimmy Connors And wife Patti - Source: Getty

In the same interview, Arthur Ashe said that Jimmy Connors was aware that his wife Patti McGuire disapproved of his brash gestures during matches, so the American limited such behavior out of respect for her.

"Jimmy knows Patti doesn't like to see him making gestures on the court, so he only does it once in a while," Ashe said.

Connors produced a stellar campaign at the 1982 US Open with his most composed demeanor, beating the likes of James Arias, Ilie Nastase, and Guillermo Vilas to reach the final. He then claimed a 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win over Ivan Lendl to clinch his seventh Grand Slam title.

Jimmy Connors then successfully defended his title at the New York Major in 1983, beating Lendl 6-3, 6-7(2), 7-5, 6-0 in a blockbuster rematch to win his eighth and final Grand Slam title.