I can't say that I was my happiest on court, but I felt completely free. Free from family obligations, free from my own torment. In a real sense I was a different person. It was a place where I could not tolerate the idea of being beaten. I psyched myself up into a state where I felt something close to hatred towards my opponent, a state where I detested the idea of someone making his name at the expense of Jimmy Connors. I was in my element on court, measuring myself against someone else. I was not competitive for show. It came from deep within.
Jimmy ConnorsTennis was always there for me, which was lucky. I would go play baseball, basketball, football, hang with my brother, do whatever, and at the end of the day I'd come back and say, 'Hey, Mom, would you hit 15 minutes worth of balls with me?'
Jimmy ConnorsI was raised by two women, and that laid the groundwork for the way I treat 'em: with the utmost respect and admiration.
Jimmy ConnorsExperience is a great advantage. The problem is that when you get the experience, you're too damned old to do anything about it.
Jimmy ConnorsBut why should I read what somebody else thinks of my life when I know the real story?
Jimmy Connors