Connors Gives Lendl/Murray Verdict With Zurich On Horizon

Jimmy Connors is to return to the ATP Champions Tour after a 13-year absence to play in the BNP Paribas Zurich Open, March 20-24, 2012, but first he has given his verdict on his old rival, Ivan Lendl joining forces with Andy Murray.

Murray takes on Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Australian Open on Friday, and Connors believes Lendl's own similar experiences can help the British player.

"Having someone in his corner like Ivan is good for him and they seem like a really good fit," said Connors, who coached Andy Roddick to the US Open final four years ago. "Ivan knows what it is like to face the same situations, both the good and the bad, but in the end it is up to the guy on the court. It’s up to him how he responds. It’s him against the other guy and until he wins one he’s always going to wonder what it takes to do it. But Ivan has been through those things too so that can help. Will the student listen to the teacher? Time will tell."

Connors, a former World No.1 and winner of eight Grand Slam titles, will join a round-robin group that includes Henri Leconte at the event in Zurich, which is now in its third year.

“I am thrilled to be back on the ATP Champions Tour after more than a decade and being able to compete in Zurich against some great champions is an exciting prospect, " said Connors. "Zurich is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and a favourite of mine. I’m feeling good and ready to compete again and am looking forward to being back on the ATP Champions Tour.”

The charismatic left-hander still holds a number of records: to this day he tops the list of tournament wins with 109 titles, has won more matches (1,242) than any other player in the open era, and was the first player to win Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces. Connors held the World No. 1 ranking for a total of 268 weeks, which puts him behind Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Ivan Lendl in the list of the all-time best. However his 160 consecutive weeks at the top of the ranking have so far only been surpassed by Federer.

In addition to Connors and Leconte, the BNP Paribas Zurich Open will feature defending champion Mark Philippoussis (AUS), last year’s runner-up Tim Henman (GB) and Marat Safin (RUS). Three more champions will complete the 8-player entry list in the coming weeks.

“Where Champions meet Talents” is the motto of the BNP Paribas Zurich Open. That’s because the former champions will be joined by the world’s top juniors who will play their own tournament in Zurich. Together with the legends, the young talents will also play doubles – a combination which is unique worldwide. The champion’s and junior tournaments will be held in a round-robin format, ensuring high-calibre matches from day one.

“By contracting multiple record holder Jimmy Connors, the tournament management of the BNP Paribas Zurich Open has landed a fantastic coup,” said Tournament Director, Erik Keller. “After John McEnroe and Pete Sampras in the past years, we are proud to once again meet our public’s high expectations for a top-notch field and present Jimmy Connors, one of the tennis tour’s dominant personalities of the 70’s and 80’s.“

Tickets for the BNP Paribas Zurich Open are available at all Ticketcorner outlets, online here or via the hotline +41 900 800 800 (CHF 1.19 min.).

For more information, go to the Zurich event page.