Stats for 1981 USO final (McEnroe-Borg)

[borg number one]

You may be right Borgforever. There is a "gap" in my memory there. I do DISTINCTLY remember seeing glimpses of him with that ALL BLACK frame around 1982. You may be right, because I also was under the impression that he basically had Donnay at his disposal, and they were crafting his next frame, and heading towards perhaps a high percentage graphite frame (composite with fiberglass perhaps, who knows what the end result would be??)

That frame at AKAI could very well be that larger head Donnay Frame, with more graphite that you describe. That racquet shift (almost a gateway frame between a small wood racquet to say the first Wilson Pro Staff in about 1985 or so) would certainly be enough to produce more power/ease of hitting (slightly larger sweet spot), especially if that was coupled with some more strength training. I will say this, even though he was listed at 5' 11" and just 160, that guy was STRONG and lean. People underestimate the strength he possessed, not just in the legs, but his "core strength" and arm/wrist strength as well.

[borg's headband]

Or could it be a paint-job? The new Borg Pro painted as a Bancroft?

What was the story anyway, did he use Donnays in the US, painted as Bancroft, or were they actually Bancroft raquets?

[borg number one]

You may be right Borg's Headband, but I'm not certain. I actually played with a Bancroft Borg for a while as a youngster and I really loved it!

Per this TW thread, he may very well have used a "paintjob". See the next to last post here:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/archi.../t-144797.html






I think the person or persons that maintain this site would likely know though. It has lots of interesting info.

http://www.80s-tennis.com/pages/2borgpro.html

[krosero]

Originally Posted by krosero

McEnroe won 46 of 61 points on first serve (75%) and 26 of 53 on second (49%).

Borg won 40 of 62 points on first serve (65%) and 23 of 50 on second (46%).

Success on serve in rallies of 2 or more good shots:

McEnroe 56% on first serve (19/34) and 47% on second (18/3.
Borg 46% on first serve (19/41) and 50% on second (20/40).

Nothing really unusual about these numbers, I don't think.

[the green god]

Originally Posted by krosero

McEnroe d. Borg 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3

McEnroe hit four volley winners to hold at 2-4 in the third set and then four winners from the baseline to break: 8 winners in 11 points. That could have been the most brilliant pair of games he ever played.

This was the end as far as Borg was concerned. Nearly losing Wimby in '80, losing the '80 Open, losing '81 Wimby in 4, and then Mcenroe played this game, it was like he saw the writing on the wall, and did not want to see the finish.

[krosero]

McEnroe beat Borg after losing the first set both at Wimb and USO in '81, which turns out to have been a rare feat.

During the AO final a couple of weeks ago ESPN showed this graphic:

HIGHEST WIN PCT
AFTER WINNING 1ST SET

1. Bjorn Borg .954
2. Novak Djokovic .953
3. Rafael Nadal .949
4. Jimmy Connors .945
5. John McEnroe .943
6. Roger Federer .933
7. Ivan Lendl .932
8. Andy Murray .928
9. Eddie Dibbs .925
10. Juan Martin Del Potro .924

I assume those stats refer to entire careers and are not restricted to the Grand Slams.

(And since these are ATP stats they do not include many matches played by the older players: Borg, Connors, McEnroe, Lendl and Dibbs.)

In the Slams, only three men defeated Borg after losing the first set: Ashe at the 1975 Wimbledon, Stockton at the 1977 USO (Borg retiring in the third set with a deteriorating shoulder) and McEnroe twice in 1981.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by krosero

McEnroe beat Borg after losing the first set both at Wimb and USO in '81, which turns out to have been a rare feat.

During the AO final a couple of weeks ago ESPN showed this graphic:

HIGHEST WIN PCT
AFTER WINNING 1ST SET

1. Bjorn Borg .954
2. Novak Djokovic .953
3. Rafael Nadal .949
4. Jimmy Connors .945
5. John McEnroe .943
6. Roger Federer .933
7. Ivan Lendl .932
8. Andy Murray .928
9. Eddie Dibbs .925
10. Juan Martin Del Potro .924

I assume those stats refer to entire careers and are not restricted to the Grand Slams.

(And since these are ATP stats they do not include many matches played by the older players: Borg, Connors, McEnroe, Lendl and Dibbs.)

In the Slams, only three men defeated Borg after losing the first set: Ashe at the 1975 Wimbledon, Stockton at the 1977 USO (Borg retiring in the third set with a deteriorating shoulder) and McEnroe twice in 1981.

Eddie Dibbs did not win too many first sets right?
Loved fast Eddie anyway

[krosero]

Originally Posted by kiki

Eddie Dibbs did not win too many first sets right?
Loved fast Eddie anyway

Yeah Dibbs is the odd man out here. You would never guess his name to end up on that list.

[Goosehead]

Originally Posted by the green god

This was the end as far as Borg was concerned. Nearly losing Wimby in '80, losing the '80 Open, losing '81 Wimby in 4, and then Mcenroe played this game, it was like he saw the writing on the wall, and did not want to see the finish.

thats not why he retired..stop making stuff up.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by krosero

Yeah Dibbs is the odd man out here. You would never guess his name to end up on that list.

Dibbs was a great player, though.He kept himself in the top ten for a while and made it twice to the FO semifinals.One of the best clay courters of his generation, who also played very well indoors.

[kiki]

in 1978, he reached the much coveted WCT finals last match, but Gerulaitis easily overwhelmed Dibbs to win his second big title of that year, after his AO triumph.