"Everytime I look in the mirror before I play him or someone else, I say to myself, 'Am I trying as hard as Jimmy Connors? - McEnroe looks back on rivalry with Jimmy Connors

John McEnroe shared a rivalry with Jimmy Connors and he talked about it in a recent interview admitting to disliking but respecting him.

The rivalry between McEnroe and Connors was fierce one was they were both American and both fiercely competitive. They didn't particularly like each other either which only added to it but McEnroe maintains there was always respect there:

"We don't like each other and I think if we were in a room now, we could talk. We always had respect for each other. I always respected Jimmy Connors. The only guy's that ever tried on a tennis court harder than Jimmy Connors is Rafael Nadal in my book, and he's not far behind."

He added:

"Everytime I look in the mirror before I play him or someone else, I say to myself, 'Am I trying as hard as Jimmy Connors?' I hope that I made him better and I know he made me better."

Check out the talk about the rivalry below.