US Open 1974 Final - Jimmy Connors (1) vs Ken Rosewall (5)

Jimmy connors doesn't have a neck. To make it worse, he seemed to tuck his head in and look downward as he strut.

commentators today cannot compare to these old time commentators. i miss this about tennis greatly.

This match was a generational shift.

Rosewall is one of the most greats players of all the times 🏆

During the first few decades of the Open Era most players had a productive career of ten years, perhaps twelve if they were really good, and they were out of the game by 30 or 32. Then came Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and their generation. These three were all competitive into their late thirties. Same has been true for Murray, Gasquet, Wawrinka and others. But all of these players seem to hit a competitive wall at age 38. I think its the tournament format for tennis that finally does them in. If they only had to play one match and could come in rested and prepared I think Federer and company could have played at the highest level until age forty, but when you have to win five, six or seven matches in a row to win the tournament fatigue hits the older players much more than the younger ones. It takes the body longer to recover from physical stress as we age. Gasquet won his last ATP title at age 37. At 38 he has struggled to win more than one or two successive matches, even at the Challenger level, although he did recently win a Challenger event. Djokovic won three majors at age 36 and made all four finals. A year later at 37 he has won no majors, although still having good results by any standards. I predict he will hit the 38 wall next year and probably will not win any ATP tournament, even at the 260 level. Both Federer and Nadal went from being dominant forces to being almost out of the game between ages 36 and 38. The game is a lot more physical now than it was in the early 1970's, and the talent is a lot deeper now, too. So Rosewall's longevity was exceptional in his day, and now most top players can achieve it. Federer, Gasquet, Nadal, Djokovic and company all had careers at the ATP level for 20 or more years, turning pro as young as sixteen and playing for over twenty years.

What's interesting to me is how did Rosewall get by Newcombe in the semis to get to Connors? Newcombe was still extremely viable at that time and would have given Connors a better match. Best evidence of this was proven in 1975 when Newcombe beat Connors in the 1975 Australian Open final.

When Connors was young at the peak of his powers if his opponent didn't have a strong serve the match was going to be over quickly. Newcombe not only had a great serve but he was a great tactician. But Rosewall deserves all of the credit for getting to this final which worked out well for Connors.

Rosewall looked 45 his entire life. He was also a junk baller.

The last final on grass, if I’m right

A great Australian!

I’d like to see Ken Roswell and Connor’s in the new topspin game. Also be sweet to see these guys and laver. But crazy to think Roswell retired at the age of 46

Everything about Jimmy Connors was annoying.

You'd think a concept as basic and simple as keep your eye on the ball would be totally automatic to every pro in the world. But it's not.

Ass kicking for Conners

Jimmy is killing the ball here.

Rosewall looked amazing to be 40 at the time, incredible physique and genetics.

Connors non e` stato un giocatore esclusivamente di pressione da fondo campo ( opinione diffusa tra i non addetti ai lavori ) :
perlomeno fino al 1977/1978 andava a rete con ragguardevole frequenza ( certo poi dipende contro chi giochi , quindi dalle capacita` che ha l'avversario di passarti e dalla tua capacita` di attaccarlo in un modo che lo induca all'errore o che ti permetta perlomeno di volleare in modo accettabile senza doverti tuffare tutte le volte , o di dover rindietreggiare a fondo superato da un pallonetto ... ) .

L'analisi e` la seguente :
piu` volee` e smash esegui nel corso di un match , maggiormente questi 2 colpi si automatizzano nel corso della partita stessa , diminuendo cosi` gli errori nel gioco di volo .

Per contro meno scendi a rete in una partita , per l'identico motivo capovolto piu` errori commetti a rete , perdendo fiducia nelle tue capacita` di volleatore e cosi` scendendo ancora di meno a rete ( vedi finale di Wimbledon 1978 Connors Borg ... ) .

Inoltre nei primi anni Connors si avvaleva anche di una prima palla di servizio discretamente penetrativa , permettendogli di vincere punti economici come dispendio energetico , e altresì tale prima di servizio gli consentiva di prodursi in un maggior numero di volee` e smah , allenando partita in corso questi 2 colpi .

Can we take a moment to appreciate how good Connors is during the post match interview with Tony Trabert? He’s 21 or 22 here. He answers in complete thoughts. He’s respectful to Rosewall after thrashing him. He provides insight into how well he was playing and is a gracious champion. He won three majors that year and was not allowed to play the French because he competed in World Team Tennis.

Huge difference between a 39 year old and a 22 year old. Also Conners being left handed, young, hungry and revolutionary as in ushering a new era as in how the game is played.

Rosewall has the body language of a kid whose parents would not buy him an ice cream cone.

Forgot Rosewall was still making majors finals that late in his career.

Connors was the new style. Muscles making too many easy errors

I remember watching this as a child. A week or so later, I saw Connors demolish Harold Solomon in the final of what was then the Pacific Southwest at the L.A. Tennis Club. For its time, it was an awesome display of tennis.

It's hard to get past the "holding 2 balls" just before the first ball toss. It's kind of funny to see the second ball barely holding on for dear life in that pocket when Connors is serving. What's impressive, always will be is that super aggressive two handed backhand. I'll always wonder why no one ever replicated it.

Kenny!!!!

It was at Forest Hills, not Flushing Meadows

I don’t think age difference was the issue. It was a matchup issue. Jimmy just saw the ball well against Rosewall.

Has a 39 year old ever won a grand slam?

Old era v new era.

This match marks the transition from old-time tennis, of elegant and classic moves , to modern-day tennis, of power and speed.

Fino a metà anni 70, c'erano 3 slam su 4 sullerba...

Both of them using aluminum rackets. How early did they come out?

Ken Rosewall and Connors both ended up having the same amount of grand slams too. 8.

You have to feel for Kenny......I play tennis and when you and your opponent are from different planets...well; it was a pretty dejected Rosewall, not because he wsa losing it was THE HOW.

Then In the 1991 US Open a 21 year old Jim Courier destroyed a 39 year old Connors in straight sets in the semis. A full circle moment for Connors

Can’t believe these guys won with those T-2000 (or whatever) sticks. My Dad owned one and when younger I tried it out while it was newly strung, in prime condition, and it was the most ridiculous, unwieldy frame imaginable. And this is coming from someone who initially learned to play the game as a kid using the terrible oversized Prince frames. 😄 At one point I asked my Dad to restring one of his old Jack Kramer wooden frames and I used that for quite a while. Quality wood was light years better for learning how to master ball control, timing, stroke production, etc. And I was using an old wood racquet as a kid to beat adults playing with metal frames when wood racquets were no longer even being MADE. 😂 Of course, when Wilson started making top quality graphite/kevlar sticks for club players, I switched. But even those racquets cannot remotely compare to the new ones. Almost anyone can “play” using the new models. Technique, refinement, and skill are not anywhere near as required as they once were. But that applies to a great many things, these days. Quelle surprise.

wait....so John McEnroe was wrong on his famous "You Can't Be Serious". Here the announcers say that the chaulk on the baseline had gotten all moved around, so one cannot just go by chaulk buying. That is exactly what the umpire was telling McEnroe. McEnroe was having none of it.

I remember this match well..being a sophomore in HS..Connors, very much a gentleman, during interview with Trabert. I had the great pleasure of meeting Rosewall, at a team tennis match, what a great man, and player..!!

The rackets they played with are incredibly small.
Amazing they hit with such precision and strength

Jimmy hit those ground strokes deep with a lot of power.

Ken absolutely slaughtered here a young champion vs a older past it champion

En 1975 Connors perdió las tres finales que ganó en 1974. Newcombe le ganó en Australia, Ashe en Wimbledon y Orantes en el US Open. Fue para bajarle un poco los humos...

🎾 Just like you advised me once in Purchase? Mix up the strokes, & it worked like a charm! Yuo JAMES / Jimmy, you were / are the idealistic American tennis player t o me. = A - and, wish you a happy birthday - 71St. J.S.C. - I really was / am a fan of you, by remembering of you, faithfully! = 🎾

Knowes the basic rules, the meaning of the lines & the angels. Just another overly spoiled millionair, chasing the tennis balls, in shorts & a polo shirt? Once a while makes an extra effot & hoo - haahhh? - Rosewall is was a way over rated player! He was't exactly pleasant to many spectators - a bad - bad loser!!

Real fun to see generations meet. Ken started in the late 40s and played Connors, who later played Agassi, who played Rafa and Roger..

Rosewall's game was tailored to break down serve and volley players. Jimmy's two-handed game foreshadowed modern tennis and the aging Rosewall, who beat the big servers to the finals, just couldn't cope with the young Connors. Newcombe and Ashe exposed Jimmy's game the next year and then Borg ended what could've ten more titles in Jimbo's trophy case.

This match represented the transition from 0ne era to another. Rosewall on the way out Connors starting his amazing run. Rosewall was a great player. and won many matches for a very long period of time.

Strang that nobody back tnen was taught to return serve down the line. Everything was hit up the middle.

Back then prior to Borg & McEnroe coming on the scene the only person who could handle Connors was Arthur Ashe.

Odd that Rosewall would defeat newcombe in the semifinals, gets overwhelmed by connors in the finals here, and yet, just a few months later, newcombe would defeat connors in the 75 aussie?....