Borg Versus McEnroe

Borg Versus McEnroe

The 1980 Wimbledon final is acclaimed as the greatest game ever played on the lawns of SW19. Borg was going for a record-breaking fifth consecutive title, McEnroe his first. The players seemed diametric opposites. Borg the ice-cool, unflappable baseliner, McEnroe the volatile serve-volleyer.

The focal point became the legendary fourth set tie break which saw Borg waste five match points before McEnroe levelled the contest on his seventh set point. Borg came back to win the final set 8-6 and as he sank to his knees in victory the Centre Court crowd stood as one to applaud both players. This was to prove Borg’s last Grand Slam victory over McEnroe and within 2 years he had retired altogether. This 25th anniversary celebration of the classic sporting event is laced with first-hand accounts from players and personalities. The author will tell the story of the great rivalry between Borg and McEnroe as they headed towards their climactic showdown and the shift of tennis supremacy that followed.