McEnroeisanartist
Hall of Fame
After I just watched the 1980 U.S. Open Final, I couldn't help but ponder if I had just witnessed the greatest tennis match in history. Rarely in sport, does a contest with high expectations live up to its billing, but this match did and so much more. After the divine Borg won the French Open and Wimbledon, he came to the U.S. Open in hopes of achieving the immortal Grand Slam. The young, brash McEnroe was hoping to defend his hometown title. In the semifinals, Borg came from two sets down to defeat Johan Kriek, and McEnroe played an amazing epic that stretched for four hours and 17 minutes against his greatest rival, Jimmy Connors, winning 7-6 in the fifth set.
With a capacity crowd hoping for another classic, the #1 Seed (Borg) and #2 Seed (McEnroe) gave the fans a treat in the first set. With McEnroe charging constantly to the net, Borg passed him numerous times. Borg served for the 1st set, but lost it in a tie breaker. Deflated after such a blown opportunity, Borg played terribly in losing the 2nd set, 6-1. Battling fatigue, McEnroe's game dropped a little, while Borg found the range again on his passing shots, allowing the latter to win the 3rd and 4th sets, 7-6 and 7-5. After Borg hit another backhand return winner to win the 4th set, McEnroe looked as though his "body was going to fall off." In the 5th set, McEnroe would tap into his fiery soul and play courageous tennis. Hitting in amazing 60% of his first serves, McEnroe denied Borg any chance of breaking him. After McEnroe broke Borg in the all-important seventh game of the final set, it was up to the youngster to hold serve twice more. Borg, who had won his last 13 five set matches, suprisingly appeared defeated. One final angled forehand volley sealed the victory for McEnroe, as he won the match, 7-6, 6-1, 6-7, 5-7, 6-4, in four hours and 13 minutes. In becoming the first American to win the U.S. Open in consecutive years since Gonzalez in 1948-1949, McEnroe displayed the greatest amount of effort ever in tennis.
With a capacity crowd hoping for another classic, the #1 Seed (Borg) and #2 Seed (McEnroe) gave the fans a treat in the first set. With McEnroe charging constantly to the net, Borg passed him numerous times. Borg served for the 1st set, but lost it in a tie breaker. Deflated after such a blown opportunity, Borg played terribly in losing the 2nd set, 6-1. Battling fatigue, McEnroe's game dropped a little, while Borg found the range again on his passing shots, allowing the latter to win the 3rd and 4th sets, 7-6 and 7-5. After Borg hit another backhand return winner to win the 4th set, McEnroe looked as though his "body was going to fall off." In the 5th set, McEnroe would tap into his fiery soul and play courageous tennis. Hitting in amazing 60% of his first serves, McEnroe denied Borg any chance of breaking him. After McEnroe broke Borg in the all-important seventh game of the final set, it was up to the youngster to hold serve twice more. Borg, who had won his last 13 five set matches, suprisingly appeared defeated. One final angled forehand volley sealed the victory for McEnroe, as he won the match, 7-6, 6-1, 6-7, 5-7, 6-4, in four hours and 13 minutes. In becoming the first American to win the U.S. Open in consecutive years since Gonzalez in 1948-1949, McEnroe displayed the greatest amount of effort ever in tennis.
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