"Thanks for always being there" - Jimmy Connors pens heartfelt note on death anniversary of brother John

Jimmy Connors penned a heartfelt note on his brother John Connors' one-year death anniversary.

John Connors breathed his last on November 23, 2022, aged 71. Like Jimmy, John was also involved in tennis. He organized a tennis tournament at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. However, it didn't work out in the long run as he eventually shifted to the gaming business.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday (November 23), Connors wrote a deeply emotional message thanking his brother for always being there for him.

"Thinking of my brother- John- today— 1 year since his passing- thanks for always being there… miss you Bro !!" Connors wrote.

Tennis fans who closely follow Jimmy Connors know the love he has for his brother. The eight-time Grand Slam champion said he was "heartbroken" after saying goodbye to his brother last year. He conveyed the same on social media a few days after John's demise.

"I am sad to say I’m heart-broken after saying goodbye to my brother- John- at his Memorial Service on Saturday. No more needs to be said. Thanks for always being there- RIP Bro," Connors tweeted then.

Jimmy and John grew up playing tennis together. Jimmy also got involved in the gaming business with his brother, acquiring around $70 million worth of shares in a gaming company.

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Jimmy Connors reflects on how tennis has changed over the years, highlights the role of money

Jimmy Connors at the 2017 BNP Paribas Open

Jimmy Connors reflected on how tennis has changed over the years. In a recent episode of the Advantage Connors tennis podcast, the American emphasized how money has fostered a softer attitude among current players.

"Money changes everything, [it] changes the attitude and guys now before they even go out and win a tournament, they’re making big contracts already. That changes everything, that changes your attitude, sometimes good, sometimes bad. It might make you a more friendly guy if that’s your cause," Connors said.

Connors reminisced about the olden days when players like him used to fight their hearts out on the court.

"I made a comment one time, I said, ‘I go out there, they’re trying to take the food out of my kid’s mouth’ and I got criticized for that but I wasn’t fully wrong. You go out and play until you’re dead back in the old days. That’s the way I thought about it anyway which is kind of my legacy which I like," he added.

Jimmy Connors is widely considered among the greatest players in the sport's history. He holds the record for the most titles (109), most matches played (1,557) and most match wins (1,274) in the Open Era.