Chris Evert and Jimmy Connors were once considered one of tennis’s most iconic couples and even got engaged, though they never made it to marriage. Reflecting on that time, Evert once shared the reason behind their split, speaking about it with an emotional tone.

Evert and Connors first met over lunch during the Queens Club Championships in 1972, and Connors soon began taking her out on dates. Their relationship became public in 1974 when both won the men’s and women’s singles titles at Wimbledon. It was later revealed that the two had gotten engaged, with Evert only 19 at the time and Connors just two years older.

A wedding was planned for November 1974, but fate had other plans, and it was eventually called off.

### The Real Reason Behind Their Breakup

In a 1975 interview with *The New York Times*, shortly after her split with Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert revealed the real reason behind their breakup. She explained that while they both enjoyed being engaged, they eventually realized they were not mature enough at the time to get married.

“It was serious,” she said. “You just can’t throw two and one-half years out the window because you decide you’re too young to get married.”

“Jimmy and I made the decision. How? That’s an interesting question. I don’t know. I think when we were engaged, we enjoyed being engaged, but never thought of how it would be if we were married. When we stopped and thought about what marriage meant, we realized both of us weren’t mature enough,” she added.

### Jimmy Connors Speaks Out

Like Chris Evert, Jimmy Connors has also spoken in the past about why their marriage never happened. In his 2013 memoir *The Outsider*, Connors revealed his version of the events. He suggested that Chris Evert became pregnant with his child earlier that year and chose to have an abortion without telling him beforehand.

Connors wrote:
“Listen, an issue had arisen as a result of youthful passion and a decision had to be made as a couple. I was staying in an apartment and Nasty [Ilie Nastase] was there when Chrissie called to say she was coming out to LA to take care of that ‘issue.’ I was perfectly happy to let nature take its course and accept responsibility for what was to come.”

“Chrissie, however, had already made up her mind that the timing was bad and too much was riding on her future. She asked me to handle the details. ‘Well, thanks for letting me know. Since I don’t have any say in the matter, then I guess I’m just here to help,’” he added.

Evert later responded to those claims, saying she was disappointed that Connors had shared such a deeply private matter publicly and without her consent, in a statement to Reuters.

### Aftermath

Their relationship ultimately ended, and by 1979, both had moved on and married other people. Connors wed Patti McGuire, and the two have remained together for more than four decades, while Evert went on to marry three times — to John Lloyd, Andy Mill, and Greg Norman — though each ended in divorce.

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**About the Author**
*Pritha Ghosh*
Pritha is one of the driving forces behind Sportskeeda’s tennis coverage, serving as an assistant content manager and editor. What began as a casual escape from her tiring biotechnology degree course in early 2022 has blossomed into a passion she loves, cherishes, and breathes every day.

Pritha’s love for the sport was sparked by her dad, who showed her clips of “GOAT” Steffi Graf’s matches. Despite a thwarted dream of playing professionally due to injury, she finds solace in reporting the sport while mentoring other writers to ensure every article is error-free and top-notch.

She double-checks credible sources, such as tournament/player handles and major tennis media outlets, and gives proper credit where required. Pritha’s journey at Sportskeeda is marked by more than 2,000 articles and close to 16 million views, with the “dream-come-true” moment of having her article shared by Chris Evert serving as a highlight of her career.

A lifelong Wimbledon fan, Pritha also adores Rafael Nadal, Elena Rybakina, and Naomi Osaka. When she’s not seeking unique angles to elevate tennis coverage at Sportskeeda, she loves to channel her inner astrophysics “nerd” by exploring new sci-fi series and movies. A big Lionel Messi, Lewis Hamilton, and Randy Orton fan, she is always ready to engage in sports conversations anytime, anywhere, albeit not without a cup of coffee.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/we-realized-us-mature-enough-when-chris-evert-got-emotional-talking-ex-fiance-jimmy-connors-breakup