Jimmy Connors has very little sympathy for the players dealing with the heat at the US Open.
Several players have retired from their matches at the US Open this week due to the heat, which reached highs of 97 degrees on Tuesday. Novak Djokovic needed four sets to beat Marton Fucsovics in his first-round match on Tuesday. He asked for a trash can during a side change in case he needed to vomit. He and Fucsovics also received a 10-minute break after the third set, which they both used to take an ice bath.
Boris Becker, Djokovic’s former coach, posted a photo on Twitter of Nole and said it was a “scorcher” and “hot/humid” day at the US Open on Tuesday. Connors was not moved. He said that for the money at stake, he “would have played at 12 noon in the Sahara” and said conditioning is part of the game.
Was it hot?? To have a chance to play for 3.5 million $— I would have played at 12 noon in the Sahara dasert— being in great condition is part of the game— get in there and give it you all — good luck players!!!
— Jimmy Connors (@JimmyConnors) August 29, 2018
The 65-year-old won eight grand slams during his tennis career, including the US Open five times. He was known for being a fiery player with questionable on-court antics.
Given how hard he pushed himself and his passion for the game, it’s not too big of a surprise that Connors has little sympathy for the struggle players are going through this week. After seeing a tweet like that, it’s also no surprise he didn’t last very long in his most recent coaching job.
