The memoir offers an uncensored look into the life of a tennis icon known for his aggressive play and rebellious spirit. Jimmy Connors shares his journey from humble beginnings in St. Louis to becoming a champion, detailing his unconventional style and the personal challenges he faced, including obsessive-compulsive disorder and dyslexia. Through candid reflections on his relationships and rivalries, Connors presents a vivid portrait of a sportsman who defied norms and left an indelible mark on tennis.
The narrative highlights Jimmy Connors as a transformative figure in tennis, known for his aggressive playing style and rebellious persona that challenged the sport's elite image. His commitment to excellence kept him in the top ten for sixteen years, including five years at number one. Connors attracted a diverse fan base and revolutionized the game with his signature two-handed backhand and intense rivalries, marking a significant shift in the sport's culture and appeal.
Jimmy Connors took the tennis world by storm like no player in the history of the game. A shaggy-haired working-class kid from the wrong side of the tracks, he was prepared to battle for every point, to shout and scream until he was heard, and he didn't care whom he upset in doing so. He was brash, he was a brat. He was a crowd-pleaser, a revolutionary. And he won more tournaments - an astonishing 109 - than any other man in history, including eight Grand Slam singles titles. Only now is Connors ready to set the record straight on what really happened on and off the court. The rivalry with John McEnroe, that frequently threatened to turn violent, with Bjorn Borg, and Ivan Lendl. His romance with Chris Evert, which made them the sweethearts of the sport. The escapades with his partner in crime, Ilie Nastase. The deep roots of the fierce determination that made him the best player on the planet. This is no genteel memoir of a pillar of the tennis establishment. Unflinching, hard-hitting, humorous and passionate, this is the story of a legend - the one and only Jimmy Connors.
The Outsider is a no-holds-barred memoir by the original bad boy of tennis, Jimmy Connors. Connors ignited the tennis boom in the 1970s with his aggressive style of play, turning his matches with John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, and Ivan Lendl into prizefights. But it was his prolonged dedication to his craft that won him the public’s adoration. He capped off one of the most remarkable runs in tennis history at the age of 39 when he reached the semifinals of the 1991 U.S. Open, competing against players half his age. More than just the story of a tennis champion, The Outsider is the uncensored account of Connors' life, from his complicated relationship with his formidable mother and his storybook romance with tennis legend Chris Evert, to his battles with gambling and fidelity that threatened to derail his career and his long-lasting marriage to Playboy playmate Patti McGuire. When he retired from tennis twenty years ago, Connors all but disappeared from public view. In The Outsider , he is back at the top of his game, and as feisty, outspoken, and defiant as ever. This autobiography includes original color photographs from the author.
