Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe Resume Their Feud: The Decider

This is the fourth chapter in a five-part series by Leroy & myself - entitled Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe Resume Their Feud.

With the histrionics of the second set behind them, Federer decided to concentrate on tennis. Pistol Pete could probably storm aces in the middle of a freaking hurricane, but he and Johnny Mac needed to focus. He backed up his decision with an ominous serve out wide.

But McEnroe had other ideas, as he lay on the ground in mock exhaustion, just as Connors’ slice return escaped the edge of his outstretched racket. Federer couldn’t help but grin; he tossed a ball over at his partner, just missing his knee, goading him to get up and get serious.

McEnroe threw up his hands and pulled himself upright, taking position close to the net, visibly ditching his “stay back” plan of the previous set. If he was winning this thing, he was winning it from where he liked it. This was how tennis was meant to be played, damnit! Damn these new kids and their love affair with the baseline.

It was Sampras’ turn to hit a powerful return, but this time Mac was prepared. He hit a sharp volley down to Connors and grinned wickedly as Jimbo mishit badly, sending the ball to Spain (where it is said to have jolted a certain Rafael Nadal out off his reverie).

With his teammate finally on the same page, Roger was a man possessed. He befuddled his childhood hero with passing shots that sliced past volleys, which would normally be outright winners, and gave Connors a taste of his own medicine with lethal forehands that simply had no answers.

McEnroe got his partner’s message loud and clear. Staying ominously close to the net, he tossed forehand and backhand volleys to rival Pete’s own. The Fed-Mac pair breezed through their own service games, giving their opponents ever-so-slight trouble with theirs.

At 6-5, with Pete serving, Mac’s powerful volley was answered by an equally fierce crosscourt stroke from Connors. Roger scrambled to the sideline, hitting a forehand passing shot around the netpost on the dead run, sealing the first point of the game.

Federer then decided to give Pete and Jimmy the run-around with powerful groundstrokes before abruptly looping a topspin lob in reply to Connors’ double-handed shot up the line.

McEnroe stared incredulously, transfixed at his partner, almost missing Jimbo’s deflecting crosscourt return. He propelled himself just in time to answer with a delicate volley that landed just out of reach of Jimmy, causing the temperamental American on the other side of the net to thump his racket in frustration.

Sampras alleviated his teammate’s woes with a serve down the middle as Federer’s attempt at a return disappeared into the stands, delighting an awestruck, and perhaps, ball-struck fan.

Team McEnroe still had a sniff at a potential break chance, which was quickly wiped away with another service winner from the 14-time grand slam champion. Pete pulled McEnroe forward with a short slice in the next point, and Connors attempted to pass his old rival with a hallmark forehand, but McEnroe jumped up and managed to put it away. Match point.

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