Borg (to Connors): "The real rivalry was you and me"... "[McEnroe] came later."

[borg number one]

The last set at a major they played. 1981 semifinal at Wimbledon. Connors bageled Borg the first set , then Borg returned the favor in the fourth set. The crowd is into it as these two legends take it to a fifth set.

 

[jrepac]

The last set at a major they played. 1981 semifinal at Wimbledon. Connors bageled Borg the first set , then Borg returned the favor in the fourth set. The crowd is into it as these two legends take it to a fifth set.

Didn't they meet again at the USO? w/Borg winning in straights?

 

[borg number one]

Didn't they meet again at the USO? w/Borg winning in straights?

I totally missed it! Absolutely. This is second to last. Thanks my friend.

 

[jrepac]

I totally missed it! Absolutely. This is second to last. Thanks my friend.

Well, I might forget that last one as well....nowhere near as exciting as the semi at W

 

[bigjimbofan]

People that weren't alive or too young to remember that era don't understand what tennis was like at that time. Everyone played. Tennis was on the news on TV. There were multiple tennis magazines in circulation. Heck there was even Vic Braden TV giving lessons on PBS TV.

Our town had 16 lit courts at the park in the center of town and we new we couldn't get on them until at least midnight so my pals and I would head into town at that time and the courts would be packed with play. We would wait in line to hit and when we were done there would people waiting for our court. It was a blast.

Great post and great memories.

 

[Drob]

Interesting H2H stats. Connors took 8 of the first 13 matches, then Borg beat him the last 10 times they played, kinda turning the rivalry into a butt-whoopin' by the time it ended.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borg–Connors_rivalry#Official_matches_(23)

February 1981, Connors beat Borg in straight sets, at an independent tournament in Toronto. Big money, strong field. Eight-man RR, SF, F. Not talking "Exhibition". Serious tournament, just not sanctioned. Like Challenge of Champions or ECC, but not quite as strong. So, Jimmy did break the losing streak before 1982, IMO.