Some rivalries last decades. Borg versus McEnroe lasted only a few years, yet it is still remembered as one of the most captivating in sport. It pitted a calm Swede against a fiery American, and their 1980 Wimbledon final is often ranked among the greatest matches ever. In Part 7 of The Greatest Rivalries in Sport, we revisit it.
Ice and fire
Björn Borg, from Sweden, born in 1956, was nicknamed "Ice Borg" for his calm, emotionless manner on court. He played mostly from the baseline with heavy topspin and remarkable fitness. He won the French Open six times and Wimbledon five times in a row from 1976 to 1980.
John McEnroe, from New York, born in 1959, was a left-handed serve-and-volley genius with incredible touch. He was also famous for his temper and arguments with umpires; his line "You cannot be serious!" became legendary.
Wimbledon 1980: the tie-break
In the 1980 Wimbledon final, Borg was chasing a fifth straight title. McEnroe won the first set easily, but Borg took the next two. In the fourth set, Borg had championship points, but McEnroe saved them and forced a tie-break.
That tie-break became one of the most famous in history. It lasted about 20 minutes, with McEnroe saving five championship points and winning it 18 to 16. Many expected Borg to collapse in the fifth set. Instead he served superbly and won it 8 to 6, claiming his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title.
1981: McEnroe's revenge
A year later, McEnroe beat Borg in the Wimbledon final, ending Borg's 41-match winning streak at the tournament. Two months later, McEnroe beat Borg again in the US Open final. Borg never won the US Open, despite reaching four finals.
A sudden ending
After the 1981 US Open, Borg largely stepped away from top-level tennis and effectively retired in 1983, at just 26 years old. Many fans and players, including McEnroe, were stunned. McEnroe later said he missed Borg as a rival and that tennis lost some of its magic for him after Borg left.
By the numbers
- They played 14 official matches, splitting them 7 to 7.
- They met in four Grand Slam finals: Borg won Wimbledon 1980; McEnroe won the US Open 1980, Wimbledon 1981 and the US Open 1981.
- Borg won 11 Grand Slam singles titles; McEnroe won 7.
Friends after all
Despite their opposite personalities, the two became good friends. They later played exhibitions and senior events together, and both have spoken warmly about each other in interviews and books. Their story was dramatised in the 2017 film Borg vs McEnroe.
Why it matters
Borg and McEnroe showed that rivalry thrives on contrast: in style, in temperament and in culture. Their brief but intense battles helped tennis boom in popularity worldwide in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
In Part 8, we look at the longest great rivalry in tennis: Chris Evert against Martina Navratilova.
The Greatest Rivalries in Sport: the full series
- Part 1: Federer vs Nadal
- Part 2: Ali vs Frazier
- Part 3: Real Madrid vs Barcelona
- Part 4: Senna vs Prost
- Part 5: Magic vs Bird
- Part 6: The Ashes
- Part 7: Borg vs McEnroe (you are here)
- Part 8: Evert vs Navratilova
- Part 9: Yankees vs Red Sox
- Part 10: Coe vs Ovett
Records, scores and statistics are commonly cited figures and may vary slightly between sources.
