Replay of Borg - McEnroe 5th Set

During the rain delay at Wimbledon, they're replaying the 5th set of the 1980 Borg - McEnroe Wimbledon final. Here's a few observations. Borg's two-handed backhand was much different than today's two-handers. It seems that Borg only used the left hand for support. He even releases his left hand after contact on many backhands. Today's two-handers are almost lefthanded forehands. Second, people think Borg was exclusively a baseliner. Actually, he played serve and volley on almost every first serve. And third, I think the modern rackets and strings help even more with ground strokes and service returns than with the serve. That's why the serve and volley has all but disappeared. The players' eye hand coordination and reflexes are the same as 27 years ago but the pace of the service returns with modern rackets is probably 20% greater than with wood rackets.

Here's a few observations. Borg's two-handed backhand was much different than today's two-handers.

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his 2 hander was different than most 2 handers of his time as well, like Connors'

And third, I think the modern rackets and strings help even more with ground strokes and service returns than with the serve. That's why the serve and volley has all but disappeared. The players' eye hand coordination and reflexes are the same as 27 years ago but the pace of the service returns with modern rackets is probably 20% greater than with wood rackets.

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A number of pros hit with wood racquets earlier this year(link below)
Some of their comments:

"It's the first time in my life" to hit with it, said Djokovic, born in 1987, long after wood joined the museum shelves of tennis history. The fifth-ranked player in men's professional tennis who competes with a Wilson nBlade graphite racket added, "Now I realize how tough for the players it was 30-40 years ago to play."

"It feels like a different game out there, to be honest," 2005 U.S. Open semifinalist Robby Ginepri said. "It doesn't give the pop or the spin that the graphite rackets have today."

"Your chances of missing are a lot higher," top-10 player Tommy Robredo of Spain said. "That racket doesn't get much spin. … If I played with a racket like this, for sure I would have a lot more touch, because you cannot play with power. You have to play with other things"

"You only get 50%-60% of your normal power," said Bob Bryan, who nonetheless would like to see a "cap" on some of the advancements in racket technology.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=140275

Second, people think Borg was exclusively a baseliner.Actually, he played serve and volley on almost every first serve.

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Yeah, this is one of the more annoying myths I read on this board. Amazing how illinformed so many are about Borg, its not like he played in the 1800s or something. Borg had one of the biggest serves of his time, he wasn't just tapping it in & getting rallies started. It was impossible to win Wimbledon exclusively from the baseline in his time(or the 80s, that's why Lendl changed to a S&V game there as well)

Where were they showing this? I haven't seen the fifth set in years and have been trying to get my hands on this.

It was on the ESPN2 coverage in the States during the second rain delay. We never did see the last couple games because the rain delay ended and they went back to live coverage.

I wonder who won...

dirtballer said:

During the rain delay at Wimbledon, they're replaying the 5th set of the 1980 Borg - McEnroe Wimbledon final. Here's a few observations. Borg's two-handed backhand was much different than today's two-handers. It seems that Borg only used the left hand for support. He even releases his left hand after contact on many backhands. Today's two-handers are almost lefthanded forehands. Second, people think Borg was exclusively a baseliner. Actually, he played serve and volley on almost every first serve. And third, I think the modern rackets and strings help even more with ground strokes and service returns than with the serve. That's why the serve and volley has all but disappeared. The players' eye hand coordination and reflexes are the same as 27 years ago but the pace of the service returns with modern rackets is probably 20% greater than with wood rackets.

Click to expand...

you are exactly right !