Never forget watching this match. To say that Connors didn't want to be there would be a huge understatement. Yes, it was mainly b/c his wife was expecting BUT there was more to it than just that. He was an individualist and was never gung-ho about Davis Cup and only played in 1984 b/c his advisors (Donald Dell and others) convinced him it would be :good for his image". But that meant he was partnered w John McEnroe whom he was particularly hating at that moment in time. Also, Arthur Ashe was the US Davis Cup captain and he and Connors had a huge hatred for each other going back to the early 1970's when Connors wouldn't join the ATP and instead played the rival WCT tour (Ashe was ATP president). And, last but not least, Connors had no interest in playing Wilander on clay in Sweden on the slowest indoor clay court the Swedes could construct. The whole weekend was a total embarrassment which resulted in the USTA requiring their players sign a "Code of Conduct" document before they represented the US in any Davis Cup play. This resulted in McEnroe not playing David Cup for the US for several years b/c he refused to sign it.
This Davis Cup is a classic in swedish tennis history. The companionship of Ashe, Connors and McEnroe at that particular time, along with that extremly slow clay, made it a field day for Swden. Henrik Sundstöm played some amazing tennis to beat John. It's painful to see your opponent implode. I regard this as the least significant of swedish DC-titles. It's hard to watch.
@@glenngastonjonsson7954 You mean in context many years later?. It was a triumph with young team spirit versus grumpy non-sportmanship at the time (the choice of surface is one thing -but US paid back in the 90's with Mcenroe as capten). For me is the final 87 not that exiting.
In context, for sure. The final away vs Australia '83 left a scar. I was super happy when this excellent group of players demolished USA. In hindsight, due to USA's internal struggles, it's just not fun anymore. At least not for me. I thank you sincerely for commenting and I understand your perspective.@@SuperHammaren
@@glenngastonjonsson7954 Well, was it fun in 1989 when Germany beat Sweden in the Davis Cup final and Boris Becker absolutely demolished Wilander and Edberg? Becker totally embarrassed Wilander 6-2, 6-0, 6-2, and also crushed Edberg 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. Becker was laughing.
Think his wife was expecting their second child about the time of this match and the story was that Connors really didn't want to be there. He was already out of sorts and Wilander started cleaning his clock and he lost it. Did he call the umpire what I think he did? If so, Mr Connors would, I would hope, look back on this as one of his least finest hours. I know 1984 was a different world and attitudes and language were different then, but this brings him no credit at all.
I will write in English ,my French is too bad. No Swede , no journalist , thought that Sundstrøm could beat McEnroe so they wanted Wilander to start against Connors. If Wilander won it would be 1-1 after the first day and maybe Wilander could beat McEnroe and then who knows But Sundstrøm really accomplished something and so did the Swedish double team.
Yes! They I heard they actually watered the courts dowln to make them even slower! Connors/McEnroe can play okay on clay, but they are no match for Wilander and co best of 5 on a surface like that!
I love watching Conners get his ass beat! I consider him the worst of all the greats, talent wise and demeanor. McEnroe was boisterous, but he only argued over close calls. Connors was often an obnoxious jerk to linesmen and other players. Just because someone is a ‘fighter’ doesn’t make him/her likable. Per his attitude toward the umpire at 1:46:55.
Raquet and string technology didn't really permit players to hit hard regularly without hitting a lot of unforced errors in those days. Lendl and Becker would had been in the upper range. If you bring today's players those same raquets and strings of the early 80's era then they would be playing quite different than they do now. Wilander never hit the ball hard, even for his generation, he was a topspin tactician who would absorb the power and slow the play down and force his opponent to generate the pace.
I played college tennis with a wood racket gut strings. A player can take a big cut at the ball with these modern co poly strings. You just can't do that with gut strings. That's why the game looked slow back then.
Wilander won his fourth major singles title at the age of 20, the youngest man in history to have achieved the feat.
Never forget watching this match. To say that Connors didn't want to be there would be a huge understatement. Yes, it was mainly b/c his wife was expecting BUT there was more to it than just that. He was an individualist and was never gung-ho about Davis Cup and only played in 1984 b/c his advisors (Donald Dell and others) convinced him it would be :good for his image". But that meant he was partnered w John McEnroe whom he was particularly hating at that moment in time. Also, Arthur Ashe was the US Davis Cup captain and he and Connors had a huge hatred for each other going back to the early 1970's when Connors wouldn't join the ATP and instead played the rival WCT tour (Ashe was ATP president). And, last but not least, Connors had no interest in playing Wilander on clay in Sweden on the slowest indoor clay court the Swedes could construct. The whole weekend was a total embarrassment which resulted in the USTA requiring their players sign a "Code of Conduct" document before they represented the US in any Davis Cup play. This resulted in McEnroe not playing David Cup for the US for several years b/c he refused to sign it.
True! But a Davis cup title would be nice to have as well :))
This Davis Cup is a classic in swedish tennis history. The companionship of Ashe, Connors and McEnroe at that particular time, along with that extremly slow clay, made it a field day for Swden. Henrik Sundstöm played some amazing tennis to beat John. It's painful to see your opponent implode. I regard this as the least significant of swedish DC-titles. It's hard to watch.
@@glenngastonjonsson7954 You mean in context many years later?. It was a triumph with young team spirit versus grumpy non-sportmanship at the time (the choice of surface is one thing -but US paid back in the 90's with Mcenroe as capten). For me is the final 87 not that exiting.
In context, for sure. The final away vs Australia '83 left a scar. I was super happy when this excellent group of players demolished USA. In hindsight, due to USA's internal struggles, it's just not fun anymore. At least not for me. I thank you sincerely for commenting and I understand your perspective.@@SuperHammaren
@@glenngastonjonsson7954 Well, was it fun in 1989 when Germany beat Sweden in the Davis Cup final and Boris Becker absolutely demolished Wilander and Edberg? Becker totally embarrassed Wilander 6-2, 6-0, 6-2, and also crushed Edberg 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. Becker was laughing.
The first and last time that Connors play in Davis Cup.
Sa participation est surprenante : il détestait Arthur Ashe, il haïssait Mc Enroe et ne concevait pas le tennis comme un sport collectif.
Sweden opted to prepare the slowest of clay courts possible for that Davis Cup final. It was more like a sandbox than a tennis court.
How do you know ,did you play on it?
I heard from Swedish television that this clay actually was faster then the one in the French Open. I saw the match alive.
Connors’ love for clay really coming across here.
😂😂
1:41:48 does he not say "f a g g o t" there? I do not understand that. Does he refer to the clay court as being "f a g o t t"?
@Retsler54 Guys called each other that all the time back then. Different times.
What does Connors say to the umpire at the end?
"Love you, buddy."
Think his wife was expecting their second child about the time of this match and the story was that Connors really didn't want to be there. He was already out of sorts and Wilander started cleaning his clock and he lost it. Did he call the umpire what I think he did? If so, Mr Connors would, I would hope, look back on this as one of his least finest hours. I know 1984 was a different world and attitudes and language were different then, but this brings him no credit at all.
For him it's like a badge of honor, and just solidifies his reputation.😃
@@tomloft2000 Hmmm....Connors has a lot to be proud of, but this isn't part of it.
Wilander was definitely not a guy you wanted to play against if you were feeling less than fully committed.
11:14 - That was in.
Why did Mcenroe not play in final against Wilander? 84 was Mcenroe's year
he did. in the 4th match but Sweden was already 3-0 up (McEnroe had lost in the 1st match against Sundstrom)
@@cesareborgia6431 Il a "donné" le match à Mc Enroe.
I will write in English ,my French is too bad. No Swede , no journalist , thought that Sundstrøm could beat McEnroe so they wanted Wilander to start against Connors. If Wilander won it would be 1-1 after the first day and maybe Wilander could beat McEnroe and then who knows But Sundstrøm really accomplished something and so did the Swedish double team.
1:41:52 connors lost game (obsencety)
Does the surface vary?
The host team gets to pick the surface. In this case the Swedish team chose red clay and did everything they could to make it even slower!
Good move on their part.@@billwipperman9492
@@billwipperman9492 But with Mcenroe in French Open Final and Connors in semis -they should have been better than this!
Yes! They I heard they actually watered the courts dowln to make them even slower! Connors/McEnroe can play okay on clay, but they are no match for Wilander and co best of 5 on a surface like that!
You can not except when you have lost ,and find all reasons i have never heard of . I from Sweden
1:41:47 obscene words
Mats was to good for Connors at any surface accept hardcourt back then
Mats beat Connors on hardcourt four out of his six wins over Connors, he beat Connors every time they played.
Mats Wilander won every match he played against Connors on the tour, including on hard courts.
Connors était bon sur la terre battue américaine (poussière sur du ciment), mais très moyen
sur l' européenne.
Connors could never beat Wilander in tournament matches
Audible flatulence.
Juegan muy mal dos comparado con hoy en dia
Which sport doesn't that apply on? Odd remark.
What???
I love watching Conners get his ass beat! I consider him the worst of all the greats, talent wise and demeanor. McEnroe was boisterous, but he only argued over close calls. Connors was often an obnoxious jerk to linesmen and other players. Just because someone is a ‘fighter’ doesn’t make him/her likable. Per his attitude toward the umpire at 1:46:55.
I think Nastase was just as bad. He behaved like an asshole just to disturb the other player.
What did Connors say to the umpire? I could not tell.
Connors was a great champion.
He may not had been likeable(why he should?),but he was great player,one of the sport’s great,no questions about it ,almost 20 years on top or near.
@@stefanjohansson-cw1roand Connors picked up a lot of that from Nastase. They were close friends.
Looks like slow-motion compared to today's players
It was a veery slooow court even then. Designed to deal with number one and number two in the world.
Also an unusual angle of the camera.
Raquet and string technology didn't really permit players to hit hard regularly without hitting a lot of unforced errors in those days. Lendl and Becker would had been in the upper range. If you bring today's players those same raquets and strings of the early 80's era then they would be playing quite different than they do now. Wilander never hit the ball hard, even for his generation, he was a topspin tactician who would absorb the power and slow the play down and force his opponent to generate the pace.
@@jordanaus75 or use the opponents power at times when he took the ball early with his backhand.
I played college tennis with a wood racket gut strings. A player can take a big cut at the ball with these modern co poly strings. You just can't do that with gut strings. That's why the game looked slow back then.