Arthur Ashe`s memorable triumph over Jimmy Connors in the 1975 Wimbledon final is celebrated as perhaps the most brilliant tactical display ever seen in a Grand Slam final. Ashe, typically known for his powerful serve and aggressive hitting, surprised everyone, including the then world No. 1 Connors, by employing a strategy of slow, sliced balls. This clever approach denied Connors the fast pace he preferred and allowed Ashe to win the match 6-1, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4. With this victory, Ashe became the first and remains the only Black man to win the prestigious Wimbledon singles title.
However, history might have played out quite differently. Another American player, Roscoe Tanner, revealed a lesser-known detail about that championship: he received strategic advice from Arthur Ashe himself on the eve of his own semifinal match against Jimmy Connors.
Tanner recently shared with ESPN that he and Ashe were doubles partners that year and spent significant time together both on and off the court. This included sharing meals, like dinner at the Playboy Club in London`s Mayfair. Tanner recounted, “`Arthur and I were playing doubles together that year,` Tanner shared. `I was playing Jimmy in the semis and he was playing [Tony] Roche. I had a good record against Connors all through the juniors, so I`d played him tons of times and I knew how I played Jimmy.` … So Arthur and I are sitting at dinner, and he`s telling me how to play Connors, and I`m listening.`”
During their dinner conversation, Ashe advised Tanner to introduce “junk” shots into his game against Connors, utilizing slow balls and sharp angles. The aim was to force Connors to generate his own pace, a task Ashe believed Connors was uncomfortable with. Unfortunately for Tanner, this recommended strategy did not yield success.
Tanner explained the outcome: “`So I went out and tried to play his way against Jimmy and in the first two sets, I got killed,` he admitted. `Then I started trying to play my way, and I think I lost the third, in a close set [6-4]. He wanted me to play softballs, little angles, all this, and I don`t play that way. I did that but I was down two sets so quickly.`”
Tanner pondered if there might have been an ulterior motive behind Ashe`s advice, noting that he had beaten Ashe in the third round at Wimbledon the previous year. Perhaps Ashe preferred not to face Tanner in the final. Despite this thought, Tanner expressed nothing but admiration for Ashe`s performance against Connors, acknowledging his friend`s willingness to abandon his natural game on the biggest stage of his career.
Ashe, typically a big server and aggressive player, successfully adopted a “cat and mouse” style against Connors, precisely because Connors liked to feed off his opponent`s power. Ashe achieved this by hitting shots strategically down and away from Connors. Tanner`s own game, by contrast, was based on power directed close to the opponent`s body.
The following year at Wimbledon, Tanner found himself matched against Connors once more, this time in the quarterfinals. Remembering his previous experience, Tanner chose not to repeat his mistake. Playing his own natural power game, Tanner defeated Connors in three straight sets.
