Lendl vs Borg in their prime at the AO rebound ace
- Thread starter arvind13
- Start date
tennistiger
Professional
Lendl for sure! But in my opinion Lendls playing (not physical) prime was 93/94 when he used the Bosworth Fox. Look in YouTube...
Winners or Errors
Legend
Borg at a hard-court slam beating Lendl?
BorgTheGOAT
Legend
Why not. Borg is criminally underrated on HC. Not saying that he is as accomplished as Lendl but sure as hell he can beat him there.
Musterrific
Hall of Fame
Interesting what-if:
Forehand - Lendl
Backhand - even
Serve - Lendl
Volleys - Borg
Fitness - even
Speed - Borg
Mind - Borg
Very tough call.
Forehand - Lendl
Backhand - even
Serve - Lendl
Volleys - Borg
Fitness - even
Speed - Borg
Mind - Borg
Very tough call.
Winners or Errors
Legend
I don't think it'd happen in Lendl's prime. He was a better hardcourt and carpet player than Borg. Borg owned him on slow surfaces before his prime, but lots of people owned Lendl before his prime.
I don't consider rebound ace much of a hard court....
I might say they are even on FH and Serve, honestly. Fitness, even if you are talking mid-80's.
BorgTheGOAT
Legend
Borg was a monster on Carpet himself having a positive H2H against prime Mac who is often considered one of the best carpet players of all times. He would definitely be able to beat prime Lendl - not saying that more often than not. On HC Borg reached 3 finals in 4 HC slams he ever entered only loosing to the two US Open GOATS of his time, while being injured in the 4th one. Sure Lendls 8 consecutive USO finals are impressive but he is also 3-5 so more often than not he was on the loosing side in finals. Borg is way closer to Lendl here than people think.
skaj
Legend
Backhand - Borg
Winners or Errors
Legend
Fair enough.
CyBorg
Legend
Lendl was a mental midget who only came into his own when Connors regressed and McEnroe flamed out. He dominated 1986 against no one.
Look at the competition. Becker got better, Edberg got better and that was it for Ivan. Lendl couldn't even beat Wilander at the US Open in '88 - a poor man's Borg at best.
This is no contest, folks. And what nonsense I'm seeing here about Lendl being better on carpet. Baloney.
As for Borg's hard court record... Well, how many grand slam events did Borg even play on the surface? Guess.
Four. That's it. Just four. What can you extrapolate from that? By the way, he reached finals in three of them.
Look at the competition. Becker got better, Edberg got better and that was it for Ivan. Lendl couldn't even beat Wilander at the US Open in '88 - a poor man's Borg at best.
This is no contest, folks. And what nonsense I'm seeing here about Lendl being better on carpet. Baloney.
As for Borg's hard court record... Well, how many grand slam events did Borg even play on the surface? Guess.
Four. That's it. Just four. What can you extrapolate from that? By the way, he reached finals in three of them.
Well, we've heard this argument before...from Jimmy Connors, actually, and I'm always a bit conflicted about it. There IS some truth to it, yet at the same time, Lendl really stepped it up when you look at '85-'87. I mean, the guy was nearly untouchable, outside of grass courts. I think the Mac "flame out' is what resonates since so much was expected after his stellar '84. Reality with Connors was that while he was still formidable, age was catching up to him. He couldn't push Lendl around the way he did earlier on (and Lendl played him smarter). It's really a tough one to sort out. Regardless, I do think Borg was surely capable of beating Lendl on any surface, fast, slow or in-between.
Musterrific
Hall of Fame
I too feel like Borg would have the edge against Lendl, peak vs peak. He was simply more athletic, talented, consistent, and mentally sound overall, even if Lendl might have had more power in his shots.
skaj
Legend
Borg was able to retrieve Lendl's heavy balls well, Ivan's forehand did not work against him quite as well as it did against most players; he could keep up with him in terms of stamina, outrun him and outmatch him mentally. Also he was a good returner, big serves were not that effective against Bjorn, so overall he's simply a little better, I think.
Winners or Errors
Legend
Wilander was #1 in the world and won 3 of the 4 slams that year. The guy was phenomenal. Sad how much people underrate him. Highest tennis IQ of the open era.
How deep did Lendl take Borg on clay as a youngster? Let's get real. In finals, Borg was 3-2 against Lendl. Overall, he was 6-2, with 4 of those wins on clay. That means that off clay he was 2-2 against baby Lendl. Seriously, Lendl of 79-81 was nothing like Lendl at his 85-87 peak. I'm favoring Lendl, even to sneak in a few clay wins.
You will have to factor racquet evolution into the equation. The graphite revolution, especially from 1985 onwards, means that Lendl now can blast Borg off the court.
skaj
Legend
It's a hypothetical, so I thought they have the same equipment.
I think if Borg stayed on the tour, he eventually would have upgraded to graphite, so that would be a wash
Olli Jokinen
Hall of Fame
Lendl had better volleys.
Olli Jokinen
Hall of Fame
Lendl's racket in 1985 was the same as in the 1981 FO final. Lendl was not the same, though.
skaj
Legend
I would say so, but both were baseliners. Lendl better forehand, Borg backhand.
skaj
Legend
How about Borg's?
Olli Jokinen
Hall of Fame
Sorry, I thought I replied to the "The graphite revolution, especially from 1985 onwards, means that Lendl now can blast Borg off the court" comment.
Lendl was using a graphite frame by 1981? I honestly don't recall. I thought it was later.
Olli Jokinen
Hall of Fame
DerekNoleFam1
Hall of Fame
Lendl for me, on hard courts.
Just too much power for Borg on this surface.
Just too much power for Borg on this surface.
CyBorg
Legend
Tbh, I used some hyperbole in my post (I was in that kind of mood). I like Lendl, but it's annoying seeing people overrate him.
Lendl techniques, especially the forehand, also better suited graphite.
Lendl in 1985 also bulked up a lot compared to 1981, his fitness also vastly improved. Lendl literally championed off-the-court fitness training.
skaj
Legend
I asked about Borg's equipment in that match, but anyways. Borg was also synonymous for fitness and stamina, and he used wooden racquet. Ivan did not bulk up significantly in 1985, he was lean and mean as always(well, not today
)
CyBorg
Legend
Some people want to say that Lendl would have been highly effective against Borg in the mid-80s because he took Bjorn to five sets at RG in 1981. That's really faulty logic.
That's like saying that Johan Kriek was at Borg's level because he took him to 5 at the 1980 US Open. One match is one match.
One could similarly argue that Borg would routine older Lendl because he wrecked him at Akai Gold in 1982. Nonsense.
Borg was always the better player. End of story.
That's like saying that Johan Kriek was at Borg's level because he took him to 5 at the 1980 US Open. One match is one match.
One could similarly argue that Borg would routine older Lendl because he wrecked him at Akai Gold in 1982. Nonsense.
Borg was always the better player. End of story.
Winners or Errors
Legend
H2H off of clay between Borg at the height of his powers and baby Lendl was 2-2.
CyBorg
Legend
Yeah, including the match Lendl won in Toronto in 1980 when Borg withdrew while leading.
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