142. Jimmy and Chrissy Dominate the US Open Titelbild

142. Jimmy and Chrissy Dominate the US Open

142. Jimmy and Chrissy Dominate the US Open

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Jimmy Connors capped off a dominant tennis season by capturing the 1976 U.S. Open, defeating rival Björn Borg 6-4, 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 in a thrilling four-set final at Forest Hills, a result that snapped Borg's 19-match winning streak and improved Connors' career head-to-head record against him to 6-1. It marked the second of what would eventually become five U.S. Open titles for Connors, cementing his place among the sport's all-time greats, tied for the most Open-era U.S. Open championships alongside future legends Pete Sampras and Roger Federer. The victory earned Connors the cover of the September 20, 1976 issue of Sports Illustrated, capturing him at the height of his powers and popularity as, in many ways, the toast of New York. On the women’s side of things, Chris Evert delivered one of the most dominant performances in U.S. Open history that same year, capturing her second title at Forest Hills by winning all six of her matches by a staggering combined score of 72-13. Her run extended a clay-court winning streak pushing toward 101 consecutive victories, closing out the tournament with a lopsided 6-3, 6-0 defeat of Evonne Goolagong in the final. Evert herself described feeling "spacey" throughout the week — a state many athletes would recognize as being fully "in the zone" — and her dominance was so complete that it sparked genuine debate about a growing talent gap in the women's game, commentary Evert brushed off even as observers wondered whether anyone, including a young up-and-comer named Tracy Austin, could challenge her for years to come. Curry Kirkpatrick, the celebrated Sports Illustrated writer whose vivid prose captured both champions' runs that year, joins us on Past Our Prime to revisit that unforgettable Forest Hills tournament from the inside. Kirkpatrick shares firsthand memories of covering Connors' gritty triumph over Borg and Evert's near-flawless march through the women's draw, along with insight into Borg himself — the mysterious, icy-cool Swede whose immense talent and unreadable composure made him one of tennis's most fascinating enigmas, even in defeat. And no conversation about that tournament would be complete without Ilie Nastase, the brilliant but combustible showman whose infamous meltdown against Hans-Jürgen Pohmann threw the entire event into chaos — Kirkpatrick reflects on what it was like witnessing that madness unfold in real time, and how Nastase's genius and volatility were often two sides of the very same coin. And he talks at length about the greatest rivalry in tennis history… Chrissy v Martina… and how that intense rivalry has blossomed into a lifelong friendship. Curry joins POP for the sixth time and is better than ever as we talk about the golden age of American tennis by the man who saw it all... on Past Our Prime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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