John McEnroe versus Bjorn Borg...1980 U. S. Open Finals

[don_budge]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZKxKWfzUic

It's evolution baby! From 1972...fast forward to 1980. From Ilie Nastase to John McEnroe...bad guys. From Arthur Ashe to Bjorn Borg...good guys. From the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills Queens to Flushing Meadows right next to the Mets stadium. There's something for everyone.

John McEnroe...The American Volcano. Smoldering genius. Björn Borg...The Swedish Ice Bear. Björn means bear in Swedish.

Another great match of polar opposites. Tennis has evolved in fact in these eight short years. The two handed backhand has grown from a seed in the imaginations of the tennis playing public...planted by Jimmy Connors and Chris Evert among others. Here come Björn to take the tennis world by storm. He has won five Wimbledon titles in a row to this point and Johnny thinks that he is the guy to put a stop to this nonsense. He's stepping up. He's creeping in...on the net that is. At every single possible opportunity.

It's not that it's a monologue. It's only that it has a theme. A concept. From the description of the Nastase and Ashe match it was my hope that readers might catch on to that theme. I think that some did and obviously some only take exception to what for all intents and purposes was only a story...a story about a wonderful tennis match between two wonderful characters that had a magical ending. Just another tennis story...and so is this. Something out of the past...in the memory banks of an "old timer" as someone so kindly put it.

But I get it. I see it from both sides now. There isn't anything that I don't understand about the modern game of tennis. Afterall...I have done my homework. I make use of this site. I have other resources too...if that's ok with you. Tennis was evolving. This was as it turns out...the end. We are nearing the end of classic tennis with this match. Although the tennis public was largely unaware of what was happening...nobody asked them. They were a bit like sheep too...like sheeple. The lambs to the slaughter...as 10splayer so eloquently put it although not in that context.

You don't have to read along...if you don't want to. Remember that...but what else are you going to do? Play tennis? Just remember it's only a game. God's gift to mankind in terms of recreation. Keep that in mind. It's only a hobby Bob Brett told me. It isn't life and death...said don_budge.

God speed all...and to all a good night.

[don_budge]

The Racquets...

The earnings and sales speak for themselves.

Really, no one wants crappy wood rackets, heavy frames, awful string, bad shoes and and slow pathetic rallies.

The powers that be created a financial machine and global superstars out of a sport that was once just a cottage industry.

The world has changed.

That pretty much describes every old school match to a T. Except the gut string, vs imperial, was not awful, just powerful.

John McEnroe using the Wilson Pro Staff wood and Björn Borg using his beloved Donnay wood strung at 2 million pounds of tension. An all wood crafted classic.

[don_budge]

The John McEnroe Continental Gripped Game...

All continental...all of the time. A refresher course on the forehand and backhand strokes of John McEnroe...by yours truly...don_budge.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/bulletin/showthread.php?t=2238&highlight=john+mcenroe+continental+backhand

http://www.tennisplayer.net/bulletin/showthread.php?t=2252&highlight=john+mcenroe+continental+backhand

"It's only a hobby", said Bob Brett to don_budge at the Stockholm Coaching Symposium. "Yeah...I know. It certainly isn't life or death", don_budge replied.

Don't get your panties in a bunch you know who...I am not recommending that anyone play the game this way. But I am not going to demand that they don't play this way either. To each his own...this game was designed to be played different ways...once upon a time. As a teacher it is best to be well versed in every single facet of the game. It's a long study. A long haul. Stick with it kids...as Jack Kramer was referring to Arthur Ashe and Ilie Nastase in 1972.

It was only some mental gymnastics...well actually physical too. I actually trained myself to play this way one winter here in Sweden. I had run out of things to do. Or maybe...just maybe I did it out of love for the game. Just like I am writing about this match now.

But John McEnroe is a fascinating character...in more ways than one. Even the Church Lady could see some rather redeeming qualities about his character. Or was it Jiminy Glick?

http://www.google.se/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=jiminy+glick+john+mcenroe&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&gfe_rd=cr&ei=orjXU-CYNovK8gfp24GgDQ

To be continued...

[don_budge]

Jiminy Glick and John McEnroe...the transcript

Comic genius...perhaps Jiminy's best. John McEnroe is the perfect foil for Glick's double entendres and sardonic wit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rK_1xGp7cg

JG: Hi...I am sitting here with an absolute living legend...and I know this because he told me to say that. So if he said it, it must be true. The wonderful John McEnroe.

JM: Don’t lie to your fans here and your viewers that I had told you to say that...you are...can I say bad words here?

JG: Say it...go ahead.

JM: You’re bullshit.

JG: Ha ha, wonderful. But you know what...we’ve set the level so just try and keep it down. I know that’s your gimmick and it works...it’s like an old stripper who has beads or something.

JM: You’re not going to get me going.

JG: And you just kept going up to those linesmen when you were playing raquetball or whatever sport you did...and you would go up and say, “you’re full of...you’re an idiot...you’ve got to be kidding... or what was that phrase?”

JM: (In his best reverberating voice) YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!!!

JG: So that was kind of in the eighties...”you look marvelous”...it was like your catch phrase, wasn’t it?

JM: You’re damn right.

JG: You have these temper tantrums...was this a publicists idea or do you really have mental prob...

JM: It was really for...

JG: ...lems.

JM: hahaha...is there a third option?

JG: No...I think that’s enough boy.

JM: I think I’d go more with the second than the first.

JG: Mental issues?

JM: Mental issues...

JG: Mental issues.

JM: I don’t have a publicist.

JG: You went to Stanford University.

JM: That’s correct.

JG: And you didn’t graduate.

JM: (Nods in the affirmative)

JG: You flunked out!

JM: I didn’t flunk out. They would have kept me anyways even if I had flunked out because I could hit a stupid tennis ball over the net, alright? My kids tell me this...they say you wouldn’t have gotten into Stanford if you didn’t play tennis.

JG: They speak like gangsters...your kids?

JM: Did that sound like a gangster?

JG: You didn’t go to Stanford...until you go...that sounded like we were doing a production of “Guys and Dolls” and Lorna Luft was late for her cue. Now let’s see...we’ve discussed your limited brightness. You won at Wimbledon...what was that like? I never played at Wimbledon...that’s in England.

JM: That’s correct...it’s a tremendous feeling. The tradition there is fantastic. And sometimes even the Queen and King show up.

JG: The King and Queen showed up.

JM: You know that I knew Princess Diana, right?

JG: (Sobbing)

JM: See...you feel the same way I do.

JG: Did the Queen kill Diana...answer me yes or no?

JM: Uhhh...I refuse to answer that on the grounds that I may be incriminated.

JG: I am referring to Queen Latifah...there is a rumor that Queen Latifah killed Diana....

JM: That I hadn’t heard.

JG: She hit her...she hit her with a...with a...

JM: ...hit her with her ass?

JG: Hit her with her ass...that’s what I heard.

JM: (imitating JG’s voice) That’s it you got it.

JG: Hahaha...you’re doing me now. And you said you were limited in your craft.

JM: (clenching fists) I’m doing it!

JG: You can do it...you just shouldn’t do it for lots of people. That’s all...

JM: (raging at camera) Then that’s the perfect show to do it for.

JG: He’s losing it...he’s losing it! This boy is losing it! Oh that’s good...this has been fun. (Big yawn)

JM: Get him an expresso.

JG: Do you know who I love? That Anna K...Kr...Kurna...Kurnakatetawho.

JM: Kournikova?

JG: Kornokovagavea...she’s a...she says she’s a virgin.

JM: If she’s a virgin then I’ve never questioned a call in my life.

JG: Hahahaha...that’s wonderful! Prince...yea...whatever those expressions...that’s wonderful.

JM: I’m going out on a limb there.

JG: But you know she’s with Inglesias...

JM: Enrique.

JG: Enrique...he’s Julio’s son.

JM: Not Julio?

JG: No, no. Julio’s about 77 years of age. Enrique’s current...he’s dating this girl Anna Korn...Kornocav...kornea.

JM: I predict them to last another two months.

JG: How come John McEnroe?

JM: Musicians and athletes...

JG: Oh...it never does last does it?

JM: Oh that’s right...I’m married to a musician.

JG: And this is your book which is a wonderful...wonderful...book.

JM: Thank you...that’s what I wanted to mention.

JG: It’s called...it’s called John McEnroe...

JM: ...YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!!! (in his best reverberating voice)

JG: Oh that’s wonderful...and look at you looking moody...you’re looking moody.

JM: I’m look pretty alright...right?

JG: You look good...you do.

JM: Compared to you...you fat turd!

JG: Oh no...more of your rage...more of your anger. This has been fun John...I want you to come back again.

JM: And next time you’ll promise right...next time you’ll promise that...will you’ll ask me some nice questions next time...some better questions.

JG: You’re telling me that I didn’t ask you nice questions.

JM: They were out!

JG: They were perfectly on the line!

JM: They were in.

JG: You have got to be kidding me!

JM: Come here and kiss my ass!

JG: I don’t want to kiss your ass unless there’s money involved!

JM: Give me a break!

JG: You give me a break!

JM: You give me a break!

JG: You stop it...and you hear me out...you hear when I say and speak to you. You stink!

JM: I’m outta here...I’m outta here.

JG: Oh you’re outta here...how about you were out of here before you sat down.

JM: Thanks man...

JG: Oh man! Suddenly we’re in a beatnik movie. God...I wish Björn Borg was in town. He is. Let’s get him over here.

JG: Oh man! Suddenly we’re in a beatnik movie. God...I wish Björn Borg was in town. He is. Let’s get him over here.


This is hilarious...I never get tired of it. John McEnroe demonstrates he has some comical timing as well.

[don_budge]

The Draw Sheet for the 1980 U. S. Open...

Here is the singles draw for the 1980 U. S. Open...Björn Borg had tough come from behind wins in the quarters and the semis. He faced a booming left handed serve with Roscoe Tanner in the quarters which should have served him well in his preparation for John McEnroe. He came from two sets down against Johan Kriek in the semis to get to the finals.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Share/Event-Draws.aspx?e=560&y=1980

McEnroe for his part defeated Ivan Lendl in the quarters and then gutted out a tough five set win over Jimmy Connors in the semis. A great match in its own right...I considered writing about this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4YfqSg-NzI

Keep in mind that Johnny Bad Boy also played in the doubles. He and his partner Peter Fleming lost in a tough, tough final against Stan Smith and Bob Lutz in five sets. In all he played 16 additional sets of tennis that two weeks at the Open. Considering that he played Connors the night before and got off of the court around 8 PM or so it is rather remarkable that he performed at the extremely high level that he did. Perhaps he wasn't given the credit that he deserved in some respects. No wonder he "appeared" to be ornery at times.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Share/Event-Draws.aspx?Year=1980&EventId=560&Draw=md

Side note: See the name Francisco Gonzales in the doubles draw...Johan Kriek's partner. I lost to him in 1977 in a dual college match with Ohio State. He had a win over Connors at some point. I have played some pretty good competition...just in case you were wondering. But I have always considered myself to be a better teacher than a player. I started rather late...14 years old was the first time that I touched a racquet and we didn't have indoor courts until I was 18 years old in my town. But enough about me. Let the match roll...Action!

[stotty]

I remember Borg's match against Kriek. Kriek was talking himself up really big before that match, saying he would run every ball down and match Borg shot for shot and rally for rally...and he did for two sets. He was in the best form of his life at that point and really fancied his chances of toppling Borg. But he couldn't keep up his form of the first two sets and lost the next three 6-1 6-1 6-1.

Anyone else remember that one...?

[klacr]

I remember Borg's match against Kriek. Kriek was talking himself up really big before that match, saying he would run every ball down and match Borg shot for shot and rally for rally...and he did for two sets. He was in the best form of his life at that point and really fancied his chances of toppling Borg. But he couldn't keep up his form of the first two sets and lost the next three 6-1 6-1 6-1.

Anyone else remember that one...?

Let your racquet do the talking. Borg did that quite nicely. Humility is a real skill.

I've been incredibly fortunate in my life to have met and hung around some truly great players as well as some really good players. It's funny what I've picked up. I've never heard a great player say that they were great but I've heard many really good player say they were great. Funny how that works.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[GeoffWilliams]

Heard lots of guy say they were great, and were only good. Never heard a great player say he was great, as they don't need to brag and lie and cheat.

[klacr]

Great players never say they are great. Good players always say they are great. Bad players know they are not great.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

McEnroe the Great...takes the first set

Great players never say they are great. Good players always say they are great. Bad players know they are not great.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZKxKWfzUic

John McEnroe vs. Björn Borg...1980 U. S. Open Championships

First set...

John McEnroe has defeated Jimmy Connors in a five set thriller in the semifinals and Björn Borg has come from two sets down to defeat Johan Kriek in the other semifinals. McEnroe has also made the finals of the doubles where he and partner Peter Fleming have lost to Stan Smith and Bob Lutz. On the very first point McEnroe serves wide to the Borg forehand...Borg starting four meters behind the baseline moves up a couple of steps and lunges to his right just getting his racquet on the ball but he hits a pretty nice down the line return that McEnroe comes in a plays perhaps just a bit to nonchalantly. Borg sends a lob over his head that McEnroe has to bounce for a half hearted smash...Borg wins the ensuing rally.

McEnroe is the defending champion...of both the singles and the doubles and Borg is pursuing the only Slam that he hasn’t won yet. On the second point of the match McEnroe serves wide again...this time the lefty slice takes Borg way to his left where again he manages to get his racquet on the ball and return it down the line...but McEnroe is swooping in and just knifes a backhand volley cross court that the fleet Borg can only chase in vain. Two more McEnroe first serves and two returns in the net...it’s 40-15.

At 40-15 McEnroe hits a second serve into the body of Borg who returns down the middle. John fails to get enough angle on his volley and Borg takes several very small, very quick steps and bends down to the ball and unleashes a crosscourt clean winner. At 40-30 McEnroe hits a first serve to the Borg backhand but Borg feels the pace now and laces the ball back across and McEnroe cannot handle the stream and his backhand volley is lost wildly long. Deuce. Another missed return...advantage McEnroe. Serve and volley once more...game McEnroe.

Borg holds 1-1. McEnroe didn’t sleep well. McEnroe serve up a variety of spins and slices to hold easily for a 2-1 lead. With Borg serving at 30-love, Tony Trabert begins to make a comment that if he could talk to John he would tell him to try and get into some rallies with Borg in the first couple of games on his serve...try to get some feel. As if on cue...a scintillating exchange...a Borg first serve to the McEnroe forehand blocked short. Borg hits deep middle cross court with topspin and McEnroe sidesteps and hits a solid half volley pass to the backhand. Borg moving swiftly to his left volleys back to the McEnroe backhand and textbook McEnroe...a simple turn of the shoulders and the racquet is cocked back into position and then he unwinds. A clean crosscourt pass that skims the top of the net. Pat Summarall quips...”he might listen to your advice”.

Another rally...McEnroe power slides his forehand down into the Borg backhand corner and Borg hits long for 30 all. Borg manages to hold serve however as Tony Trabert makes the comment that spectators have turned out in record numbers...a sign that the game is prospering. It’s two all. McEnroe to serve. He goes down 0-30 on two passes by the Borg forehand...the legendary forehand. But McEnroe doesn’t flinch and he wins two straight points encroaching on the net. Serve and volley courage...passed twice yet he perseveres with a kamikaze bravado. At 16.17 and two points later...advantage Borg we get the first point where both players are totally engaged together in a dance of dueling shots. Borg finally misses by an inch with a decisive backhand pass attempt. Back to deuce.

McEnroe eventually wins his serve after saving four or five break points and Tony Trabert makes a comment after a half volley attempt. Average golfers are scared to death of the fan (shot?) shot and average tennis players are scared to death of the half volley but the more accomplished players just take them in stride. 3-2 for McEnroe then Borg serves out at love for 3-3. John holds easily for a 4-3 lead...on serve.

At 23.00 Tony Trabert dispels one of the myths about Björn Borg...”It really wasn’t long ago that Borg would come to the net when he was forced to the net but really hadn’t much of an idea about what to do with the volley. He now comes in there with a purpose and he can make an awfully good volley.“ It looks like McEnroe likes to play something that slides a bit into the Borg two hander. Something with a bit of underspin...particularly off of his backhand. The quick decoturf of Flushing Meadows stadium is rather receptive to this tactic. Borg holds for 4-4.

McEnroe double faults on his first service point. On the second point he serves wide only to watch Borg’s cross court return go screaming by him...he doesn’t even make a move at it. As it turns out McEnroe mildly protests that the serve was out...0-30. Second serve to Borg’s forehand and he takes a big cut and it’s a mishit...it goes over McEnroe’s head and lands a foot inside the baseline. Trabert...”It was an absolute mishit. He got as much wood on it as he did gut! But it counts.” At 0-40 McEnroe serves it way wide to the Borg backhand only to watch the return sail past him down the line and Borg is serving for the first set. Are McEnroe’s legs under him or are late match yesterday and poor sleep taking it’s toll.

Borg misses a sitter in the forecourt off of a short McEnroe return of serve...0-15. Borg wins the next two point before McEnroe makes a sweet pass down the line. Deuce. A backhand exchange is culminated with a Borg missed passing shot...this is followed by a McEnroe approach concluded with a smash. McEnroe breaks back...5-5. McEnroe misses the first volley on his serve and makes some rather goofy gestures and Trabert mentions that McEnroe can get sort of winded up like a Mickey Mouse watch that goes twang. At 32.00 McEnroe misses another volley and he yells at himself...”You lazy bum!” Borg passes on the next point on a rather tentative volley. Break point. John composes himself and evens the score but he goes on to lose his serve on a disputed line call.

Borg once again serving for the first set at 36.39. First point is a telling point...a point that illustrates the McEnroe/Borg rivalry to a tee. It’s a thirty stroke point that is culminated with McEnroe picking off a volley on a ball that Borg had volleyed from no man’s land. Great stuff from both players. During this point...McEnroe chased Borg wide to his forehand three times with a knifing, driving underspin volley that Borg played back crosscourt only to find himself being moved way over to the backhand side again. Short and wide to the Borg forehand with underspin then deep and close to the sideline on the backhand side...again with underspin. Classic McEnroe slice and dice...0-15. Double fault by Borg...0-30. A missed short forehand by Borg for 0-40. Borg to the net but McEnroe chases him off with a lob...a little cat and mouse...break to McEnroe. Tie-breaker.

Borg captures the first two points...then misses another short forehand trying to put too much topspin on from close range. McEnroe evens with a strong volley off of a good first serve. At 41.43 watch as Borg comes as close to disputing a call as you will ever see on a second serve ace by McEnroe. He comes back with a really good first serve...he didn’t let it bother him in the end. 3-3...the players change ends. Borg misses another midcourt forehand...4-3 to McEnroe. A lefty corkscrew serve chases Borg about three meters outside the court and McEnroe closes to finish off the easy volley...then he misses a volley off of a tough Borg return for 4-5 on Borg’s serve. At 44.40 McEnroe makes a daring approach and wins with a volley...he concludes the set with a net approach off of the Borg serve and a winning volley.

First set to John McEnroe.

[don_budge]

First set analysis...McEnroe wins the first 7-6

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZKxKWfzUic

Both players are coming off of five set semi-finals at the 1980 U. S. Open Championships the day before. McEnroe has also been playing in the doubles so he has had in all probability another recent match under his belt. Ironically it is Borg who appears to be not quite 100% engaged in the match in the first set.

McEnroe has pretty much managed to carry the attack to Borg. He is the aggressor more often than not...dictating the terms of play. His technique provides for greater variety of attack therefore his tactical book is more plentiful. Notice how he uses the slicing, driving backhand, wide to the Borg forehand varying the depth. Notice how he knocks the Swede off balance a bit and then he pounces on the opportunity and comes down the line in a variety of spins, speeds and trajectories even. Never the same ball two times in a row.

Interesting enough both players are probably equally competent and stable off of either wing. McEnroe's vastly underrated groundstrokes (see post #3) are used surgically to dissect his opponent with spin and placement and relatively disguised pace. A mixture of pace...he floats one deep and then he is moving quickly forwards to get on top of the next one to drive it into either corner. Borg likes to crack it as if slugging a baseball...both wings. He is not nearly so subtle as the cerebral McEnroe.

McEnroe has the uncanny ability to close on the net and anticipate the opponents passing attempts. He is not dismayed to get passed once or twice in a row...he keeps on coming. What makes his volleying so effective are the shots that he comes in behind on. His approaches are so well played and so well crafted that he can virtually rule out certain parts of his court as reachable by Borg's passing attempts. Of course the serve is much the same...he knows by his placement, speed and spin which parts of his court are reachable and which are low percentage. He is playing the odds. He is banking on astute calculations that he has built up in the memory banks over the years. Playing this type of game takes a longer time to develop than the Borgian strong gripped forehand and two handed backhand...the precursor of the modern game? The modern game being the Borgian paradigm on steroids...figuratively speaking.

The difference being that even though Borg wasn't shy about venturing forwards, his approach game wasn't nearly as sophisticated as Johnny's. But it was a bit tougher to get to the net here at the U. S. Open on Deco Turf, an acrylic hard court, than on the lawns of Wimbledon...which Borg had won five times in a row. At this point in their rivalry Borg owns a 5-3 edge head to head. The most recent match being the 1980 epic tie-break five setter at Wimbledon. Johnny is playing this match with vengeance in his heart...he doesn't intend to take no for an answer. Even though Borg served for this first set twice and McEnroe possibly on some rather shaky legs he perseveres for the first set. Well done...in my estimation. All things considered.

[don_budge]

McEnroe the Great...takes the second set too

JG: Hi...I am sitting here with an absolute living legend...and I know this because he told me to say that. So if he said it, it must be true. The wonderful John McEnroe.

JM: Don’t lie to your fans here and your viewers that I had told you to say that...you are...can I say bad words here?

JG: Say it...go ahead.

JM: You’re bullshit.

JG: Ha ha, wonderful. But you know what...we’ve set the level so just try and keep it down. I know that’s your gimmick and it works...it’s like an old stripper who has beads or something.

JM: You’re not going to get me going.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZKxKWfzUic

John McEnroe vs. Björn Borg...1980 U. S. Open Championships

Second set...45.05

After losing the first set in a tight tie-breaker after failing to serve it out twice...Bjorn Borg comes out as laconic as ever. Does this guy even have a pulse? But trust me...Bjorn is not only being calm...he is being Swedish. That’s how it is. So to start up the second set he comes out and wins the first couple of points as if nothing has happened. Then he misses two straight backhands for 30-30.

At 46.25 and deuce he hits a second serve to the McEnroe backhand which John drives hard and wide to the Borg forehand...Borg manages a ball up the line towards the middle and McEnroe drives a continental gripped forehand with underspin to the middle of the court which Borg takes on his backhand after recovering from outside of the doubles alley from McEnroe’s return of serve. Borg’s backhand is sliced somewhat defensively to the McEnroe forehand. Johnny now begins to take the real initiative and hits hard with his forehand down the middle of the court. Borg hits a bit timidly to the McEnroe backhand and John really lays his shoulder into a wickedly sliced backhand deep into Borg’s backhand...Borg’s crosscourt backhand is just a bit defensive into the middle of the forehand side of McEnroe’s forehand and McEnroe is all over it with another crosscourt drive of the forehand...Borg manages a fairly well struck backhand down towards the middle of the lefty’s backhand side. But this is where McEnroe is being John McEnroe...he anticipates and remarkably he takes this ball midway between the service line and the baseline on the half volley bounce and strokes it away for a clean crosscourt winner. Vintage McEnroe. Touche. Trabert calls this point a symphony in motion by both players. On the ensuing point...a break point, McEnroe takes the second serve running around his backhand to hit the forehand straight and hard up the middle...Borg parries with a forehand to the McEnroe forehand and John takes all of the steam out his shot and deftly guides it over the net and short. A drop shot volley off of a bullet. Service break with some magnificent tennis in the first game of the second set to McEnroe.

During McEnroe’s first service game of the second set the announcers Trabert and Summarall give tribute to the business end of things. Total paid attendance for the match was 18,551 and for the tournament it was 331,140. Business was good. Record gates. It was booming as a matter of fact. Interest in tennis was at perhaps an all time high. Perhaps the McEnroe and Borg rivalry had a lot to do with it. Their final at Wimbledon was as dramatic a match that had ever been played in recent years. It’s a tribute to tennis, Slew Hester and the New York fans...Trabert maintains. McEnroe goes up 2-0 in the second on a love service game. He’s pretty much rolling over the Swede...Borg not only looks laconic, he looks almost listless. Strangely dead in the water. I would love to ask Slew Hester a few questions.

Borg plays his worst game of the match on his serve as he double faults twice and misses an easy smash after he played it on the bounce. He loses his serve at love. McEnroe to serve...Trabert gives another tribute to Slew Hester. Marv Richmond in the picture as well. These are the movers and shakers of the U. S. tennis world. I wonder what they know about the future of tennis and what their motivations are. I find the camera angle rather curious...the match is virtually being shot from one direction. It’s a great view of the receiver on the one side of the court. Borg is almost rear end to the camera lens...McEnroe tends to toe the baseline or he is actually taking the Borg serve and hitting approach shots. McEnroe loses his serve for 1-3 on Borg’s serve.

The first point Borg approaches the net and McEnroe lifts a lob over the backhand side which Borg hits a high backhand overhead or volley...some call it a backhand smash. Borg puts it away. On the second point it is the same scenario except McEnroe makes the slightest adjustment in his swing and get the lob just a bit deeper...Borg nets his attempt.

At 58.20 it’s McEnroe serving at 4-1. He’s rolling now says Pat Summerall...Tony Trabert points out that McEnroe is getting an awful lot of first serves in and a lot of those are on the Borg forehand. Trabert says that there is no way you can keep on looking for that serve coming from a lefty. This is a very interesting point regarding left handed tactics...it’s a completely different book in a sense. In the sense that you are looking at the mirror image. It’s part of what made John McEnroe so tough...his left handedness. What Trabert means is that you instinctively must be looking for the wide serve to the backhand but the spinning serve that spins into the right handed forehand has the effect of handcuffing the receiver as Borg is finding out. Then at 40-0 Borg gets what he is instinctively looking for...the wide out to the backhand. Borg plays it outside of the doubles alley and plays it long. It’s 5-1 to McEnroe...Borg to serve.

On the first point of the game things are getting a bit dicey for Bjorn Borg. After trading a few groundstrokes McEnroe draws Borg to the net and hits a rather soft and dipping backhand slice angle to the approaching Borg forehand volley...he nets the knee high volley. Trabert discusses the Borg situation...he says that in different circumstances Borg might just throw this set away but he says that Borg has to play this game like a fight for his life. One set down he has to show McEnroe that he is going to fight him every inch of the way. It is looking rather bleak for the Swede. At love-15 McEnroe employs the very same tactic on an advancing Borg...he hits the low soft slice forcing Borg to volley from below his knees and once again he nets the volley. McEnroe did the same thing just a couple of games earlier when he made Borg play almost identical backhand overheads. The genius of McEnroe to see the combinations...and to make them work in his favor. Borg capitulates anyways and loses his serve and the set.

Two sets to love for John McEnroe.

[stotty]

I just finished watching the first set. McEnroe somehow sneaked that one. Neither player played that well. Borg was misfiring and McEnroe wasn't hitting too sweetly either.

I think Borg got it wrong standing so far back behind the baseline to return serve from the ad court. You really cannot leave that much gap for McEnroe to volley into. Arthur Ashe showed how standing in to return could be so effective against McEnroe. If Borg had done the same, it might have made all the difference.

It's great to see Borg moving like that. So powerful. Great acceleration...flat out in half a yard.

[don_budge]

Second set analysis...McEnroe wins the second set 6-1

I just finished watching the first set. McEnroe somehow sneaked that one. Neither player played that well. Borg was misfiring and McEnroe wasn't hitting too sweetly either.

I think Borg got it wrong standing so far back behind the baseline to return serve from the ad court. You really cannot leave that much gap for McEnroe to volley into.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZKxKWfzUic

This is one of the great dilemma's for Borg when he is playing McEnroe...Trabert discusses this as he asserts that Borg must anticipate the lefty spinning wide and sort of concede just a bit the forehand side of things when receiving serve in the ad court. Borg was handcuffed many times in this set on the forehand...looking for the backhand.


In my opinion John McEnroe is quite possibly the best tactical player that I have ever witnessed play the game. Technically he is right up there with the best of them. Couple with the fact that he was left handed it must have been maddening to play against him...particularly when he was on. Let's face it...he was on most of the time he took the court. Especially when it came to challenging Borg...his ultimate rival. Borg brought out the best in McEnroe. It was a real struggle for Borg however...as Mats Wilander once said after playing McEnroe on the Senior Tour Championship Final...John has a way of making you feel terrible.

In the second set we see that Johnny is going to pick right up where he left off in the first set. He was fortunate to escape with the first as Bjorn Borg served twice for the set but lost his serve both times before succumbing in a tie-breaker. I don’t think that Bjorn let opportunities like this slip away very often...certainly not in the finals of Grand Slam events. It’s hard to fathom why it happened...he doesn’t appear to be very sharp and even in the second set he continues to exhibit some rather shaky form. But of course his opponent has a lot to do with it. The tactics of McEnroe on this day are specifically tailored to disrupt the rhythm of the Swede as McEnroe repeatedly takes the initiative on anything that resembles an opportunity to advance on the net. Once at the net...as tennis_chiro puts it...there hasn’t been anybody in the last fifty years that could close and finish like McEnroe. That is real pressure...particularly if you have the reputation of being a backcourt player that would just as soon win with patience.

At 46.25 in the first game of the set on Borg’s serve he plays a rather amazing point where he has Borg on the defensive from the backcourt. Then on the very next point he wins by following his return of serve to the net and executing a deft touch drop volley off of a smoking Borg forehand. His range of tactics is really deep and he has every shot in the book to pull off such a wide repertoire of strategies. On the other hand he could just as well execute the exact duplicate tactic on back to back points as if to emphasize his control over the tempo and execution of the match itself. I ask my students what is power...it’s a rhetorical question as it turns out...the answer is control. McEnroe not only overpowers his opponents by force he wins by controlling the match tactically as well. On one occasion with Borg serving at 1-3 he lifts a lob over the backhand side which Borg executes an almost fortunate high backhand volley past a somewhat surprised McEnroe. So what does John do on the very next point...he does the very same thing only this time he makes the fine adjustment with the lob and it is unplayable for Borg to do anything but plop the ball in the net. This is practically humiliating. On another occasion this time at 1-5 on Borg’s serve once again we see John duplicate the same tactic virtually twice in a row...this time both times successfully. Twice in a row he draws the Swede to the net and merely plays a soft cross court sliced backhand at the Swede’s knees where twice Borg makes the same mistake and volleys into the net. This is sheer genius.

It isn’t the duplicate examples of tactics thought that give McEnroe such a decisive second set at 6-1...it is the fact that he has hammered everything in between at the Swede who is monotonous in comparison. It’s a magic of sorts...almost along the same lines as with Nastase who seemed to be able to change his tactics from sudden power to instant touch at will. Both McEnroe and Nastase just may have been certifiably mad...just as many other true artists thoughout history have been diagnosed. At times they had great difficulties managing their dysfunctions but it is hard to ignore the vastness of their genius. McEnroe overwhelmed Borg in this second set cerebrally as well as any other version of the story might be told.

[stotty]

McEnroe...geometry...Borg had it on all surfaces.

Their match up was perfect, the best I've witnessed in my lifetime - two opposites in every sense.

I never read much into the story that Borg was once a bad tempered player as a kid, who suddenly changed overnight following an incident leading to him being banned from playing.

I think the incident was merely the catalyst to Borg finding himself. He suddenly found who he was supposed to be. He was lucky. Some people never find themselves.

I love the take on McEnroe. When I think of McEnroe I think of geometry. I've said many times on the forum that he could play perfect tennis...right tactics, yes...but also the right the shot at the right time. No one else has ever achieved that or anything close to it.

Nastase relied more on brilliance, shotmaking...or as tennic_chiro wonderfully expressed it: "he ran around and did things".

Yet despite being only moderately talented compared to McEnroe, Borg was actually more of an all surface player than McEnroe. I find that amazing. The US Open was Borg's worst surface yet he made the final four times and lost only narrowly. His records grass and clay are impeccable.

McEnroe did little on clay save for one stellar year in the FO in 1984 with the help of a good draw. That long, slow didn't suit his game at all. So despite his genius, he could never meet Borg on Borg's favourite surface, which was kind of a shame for Borg.

I think that said a lot about the way the game might go. That groundstrokes count more than volleys in the final analysis, that machinery could match or overwhelm artistry.

Lendl was soon to come along to further prove the point...train...be a machine...attrition.

More thoughts on this later...

I better watch that second set tonight.