'Can't Find My Son – US tennis legend shares terrifying moment practice match with Boris Becker was almost abandoned

Jimmy Connors is one of the most iconic figures in tennis. He is an eight-time Grand Slam champion with a career spanning decades and his legacy is unparalleled. He dominated the sport with 109 singles titles, a record that still stands undefeated, and 8 major titles. Connor's stories extend far beyond the court, however, and during a recent podcast with his son, Brett Connors, he opened up about a chaotic yet humorous moment that perfectly sums up his colorful career and life as a father.

Brett Connors is a producer for Tennis Channel and has been working in live tennis production for 14 years. On them Advantage Connors podcast the father-son duo discusses everything related to tennis and more. In a recent edition of their podcast on December 14, Jimmy Connors recalled an incident when he played Boris Becker in Germany. He told, You had to be 7, 6, 8 years old and you traveled with me. And we went to Germany to play against Becker. We flew overnight. We had one day, and the next day you got jet lag. You were in a coma.

About what happened next, Jimmy Connors said: And we're going to the game, and I see you, and I said, Don't go. You stay here. And before you know it, after about the first four or five games, you're nowhere to be seen. No one can find you. So I go to Ian Tyriac, who came from Romania, who organized the event, who together with our friend Ili Nastassi was a great player. I said I can't find my son. I said this match will end in about a second if I can't find him.

And where was Brett found? So the whole arena is looking for you. And you lay under the couch where I sat, fast asleep. Fell faint, deep asleep. I go, hey, you're right under there, Jimmy added.

Although the match in question was an exhibition, the rivalry between Connors and Beckers on the field was anything but lighthearted. The two clashed in high-stakes matches throughout the 1980s and a total of six times they faced off, Becker won all encounters, giving him a perfect record. 6-0against Connors. While Connors had more notable rivalries with players such as John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl, his encounters with Becker highlighted the generational change in tennis.

Talking about his rivalry with Ivan Lendl, there is an interesting incident where the irascible nature of the American veterans got him into trouble against Lendl.

Did you know that Jimmy Connors was shockingly defaulted against Ivan Lendl?

On February 21, 1986, the tennis world witnessed one of the most dramatic moments in sports history. Jimmy Connors, known for his fiery temperament and competitiveness, was defaulted in a match against Ivan Lendl in the semifinals of the Lipton International Players Championships (now the Miami Open).

The incident occurred after Connors, trailing 6-3, 3-1, got into a heated dispute with chair umpire Jeremy Shales following a call. It happened when the ex-American tennis player thought the Czechs' volley was at least six inches away. Frustrated, Connors threw profanity and refused to continue the match despite warnings. He refused to restart the match for which he was given a point penalty for a time violation that put Lendl ahead 4–2.

This caused supervisor of officials Ken Farrar and tournament referee Alan Mills to appear on the court and convince the eight-time US Open winner to play on. After 3 hours and 43 minutes the referees had no choice but to declare him at fault and award the match to Lendl.

Interestingly enough, this was the first standard of his career. He was fined $5,000 for failing to complete the match and given a ten-week suspension, missing all tournaments in April and May before returning to Wimbledon. The rivalry between Connors and Lendl only grew from there, with a career head-to-head stat line of 22-13 with Connors in the lead.

Connor's stories remind us why he remains one of tennis' most unforgettable personalities. Whether on or off the field, his legacy continues to captivate generations even today.