Stats for 1977 Wimbledon SF (Borg-Gerulaitis)

5) Lendl-Gilbert
4) Federer-Roddick
3) Henin-Kuznetsova
2) Seles-Sanchez Vicario
1) Borg-Gerulaitis and Connors-Gerulaitis

strange choices for the women. a 16-2 edge for Henin & 20-3 for Seles really aren't close to being the most lopsided rivalry in womens tennis. Navratilova was 33-1 vs Garrison. 39-3 vs Shriver.
 
And Borg has more winners from volleys/overheads than from groundstrokes (that wasn't true in the '77 match).

True, but he did serve and volley quite a bit in the 77 final, just a bit less than 81. The 79 semi was the Wimbledon match versus Connors where Borg didn't serve and volley as much.

He was broken just twice; so was Mac.

That's right. There as another break.
Borg was up a break in the third, 4-1 IIRC, it ended in a tiebreaker. That means Mac broke him twice. Still, twice in 4 sets with 2 tiebreakers isn't much.

Borg versus Federer. On occasion, I have seen Federer come in about as much as Borg would indoors or on a hard court. But I don't think he does it as much as he used to.

Someone brought up Connors/Gerulaitis, and it's true that after the 80s Masters match Gerulaitis beat him multiple times. Almost like that was a breakthrough match for him.
 
strange choices for the women. a 16-2 edge for Henin & 20-3 for Seles really aren't close to being the most lopsided rivalry in womens tennis. Navratilova was 33-1 vs Garrison. 39-3 vs Shriver.
I think they just wanted some newer faces. Those numbers by Garrison and Shriver are practically approaching Kramer-Pails territory. You could throw Evert-Shriver in there too.
 
Which brings up an interesting question, which is the most impressive very one sided matchup in tennis history? Is it Borg/Gerulaitis? Is it Laver/Ashe? Is it Federer/Roddick? I think Rosewall had some one sided matchups with Stolle and Olmedo. Maybe it's Federer/Soderling.

I think Jack Kramer in his book claimed to have a 55-0-1 record against one top player but I forgot who.

I think Laver was 22-3 against Ashe. Laver beat Ashe even in 1975 when Ashe was number one. Here's the ITF website head to head which is far from complete.

LAVER, Rod (AUS)

Versus Arthur ASHE (USA)
Year Tournament Round Surface Winner Score
1968 Wimbledon SF Grass (O) R.LAVER 7-5 6-2 6-4
1969 Wimbledon SF Grass (O) R.LAVER 2-6 6-2 9-7 6-0
1969 U.S. Open SF Grass (O) R.LAVER 8-6 6-3 14-12
1970 Los Angeles SF () R.LAVER 6-0 6-3
1970 Masters Singles Carpet (I) R.LAVER 6-3 6-2
1971 WCT Philadelphia SF () R.LAVER 6-3 7-6 3-6 6-1
1971 Rome SF Clay (O) R.LAVER 6-3 6-2 6-1
1971 WCT Bristol SF Grass (O) NP
1971 WCT Bologna FR () R.LAVER 6-3 6-4 6-4
1971 WCT Finals SF () R.LAVER 6-3 1-6 6-3 6-3
1972 WCT Richmond SF () R.LAVER 6-2 7-6
1974 WCT Philadelphia FR () R.LAVER 6-1 6-4 3-6 6-4
1974 WCT Palm Desert SF () R.LAVER 6-7 7-6 6-2
1975 WCT Puerto Rico FR () R.LAVER 6-3 7-5
1976 WCT Rotterdam SF () A.ASHE 7-5 5-7 2-6

Connors vs Lendl during the late 70´s - early 80´s.I think Lendl had to wait till their 11 th match to beat Connors.By that time, he had already beaten Borg in 5 sets, and was clearly owing Mac Enroe,Vilas....
 
here are my stats on their 1981 Wimbledon meeting

Borg d Gerulaitis 76(4), 75, 76(6)

Borg served at 62% (68 of 109)
Vitas served at 60% (75 of 126)

Borg won 57 of 68 pts on 1st serve(84%)
He won 24 of 41 on 2nd(59%)

Vitas won 55 of 75 pts on 1st serve(73%)
He won 26 of 51 on 2nd(51%)

Borg had 45 non service winners: 14 fh, 7 bh, 7 fhv, 13 bhv, 4 ov
Vitas had 35: 7 fh, 4 bh, 14 fhv, 8 bhv, 2 ov

Borg had 19 passing shot winners: 14 fh, 5 bh
Vitas had 7: 3 fh, 4 bh

Borg had 7 aces, 2 df's
Vitas had 4 aces, 2 df's

Borg had 21 unreturned serves, 4 I judged service winners
Vitas had 26 unreturned serves, 2 I judged service winners

Borg was 2 of 7 on break points
Vitas was 1 of 4

Borg won 126 pts, Vitas 109

net pts

Borg 59/79(75%)
Vitas 71/110(65%)

serve & volley pts

Borg 46/57(81%)
Vitas 49/73(67%)
I saw this match a few days ago, and I don't think there were as many great rallies as in the '77 semifinal. The rate at which points ended with winners was more or less the same, going by our stats, but the rallies didn't seem as long in '81. Just a first impression.

Also I noticed Gerulaitis staying back on almost all his second serves. He did try to work his way in if he got a chance later in the rally, but in '77 he was going to net directly behind all of his serves.

So that might be one reason he kept his double-faults down in the '81 match: he wasn't following his second serves in and didn't need to take risks with them.

He served just two double-faults and they came in the tiebreaks, so they were due to nerves.

Anyway this '81 match is a little unusual because every other time we've done stats for Gerulaitis (77W, 79USO, 80RG), he's got a lot of double-faults and few aces, if any.
 
Here's the Connors vs. Gerulaitis head-to-head as far as I can see:

Jimmy Connors 17-4 Vitas Gerulaitis
1974 Roanoke SF: Jimmy Connors def. Vitas Gerulaitis (6-4, 6-4)
1974 Little Rock SF: Jimmy Connors def. Vitas Gerulaitis (6-2, 6-1)
1974 Salt Lake City F: Jimmy Connors def. Vitas Gerulaitis (4-6, 7-6, 6-3)
1975 Salisbury F: Jimmy Connors def. Vitas Gerulaitis (5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 3-6, 6-0)
1975 Hamilton, Bermuda F: Jimmy Connors def. Vitas Gerulaitis (6-1, 6-4)
1976 US Open R16: Jimmy Connors def. Vitas Gerulaitis (6-4, 6-3, 6-1)
1976 WCT Challenge Cup SF: Jimmy Connors def. Vitas Gerulaitis (5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 6-1)
1978 Pepsi Grand Slam SF: Jimmy Connors def. Vitas Gerulaitis (6-2, 6-4)
1978 WCT Rotterdam SF: Jimmy Connors def. Vitas Gerulaitis (4-6, 6-4, 6-4)
1978 Wimbledon SF: Jimmy Connors def. Vitas Gerulaitis (9-7, 6-2, 6-1)
1979 Birmingham, Alabama SF: Jimmy Connors def. Vitas Gerulaitis (7-6, 6-2)
1979 WCT Dorado Beach RR: Jimmy Connors def. Vitas Gerulaitis (6-0, 6-4)
1979 WCT Dorado Beach F: Jimmy Connors def. Vitas Gerulaitis (6-5, 6-0, 6-4)
1979 Memphis SF: Jimmy Connors def. Vitas Gerulaitis (3-6, 6-3, 6-2)
1979 Tokyo Indoor SF: Jimmy Connors def. Vitas Gerulaitis (6-7, 6-2, 6-3)
1980 Masters SF: Vitas Gerulaitis def. Jimmy Connors (7-5, 6-2)
1980 French Open SF: Vitas Gerulaitis def. Jimmy Connors (6-1, 3-6, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4)
1981 Cincinnati R16: Vitas Gerulaitis def. Jimmy Connors (7-5, 7-6)
1982 Brussels SF: Vitas Gerulaitis def. Jimmy Connors (6-2, 7-5)
1983 Wembley QF: Jimmy Connors def. Vitas Gerulaitis (6-4, 6-2)
1985 Montreal R16: Jimmy Connors def. Vitas Gerulaitis (6-4, 6-2)

Walkover matches
1975 New York F: Vitas Gerulaitis def. Jimmy Connors (Walkover)
1982 Toronto SF: Vitas Gerulaitis def. Jimmy Connors (Walkover)
I was looking for your list, since we were talking about this rivalry in the other thread. You're right, one Connors victory is missing, which would make 16 wins in a row.

And their very first match was a Gerulaitis win, in December 1972 at the Clean Air Classic in New York (6-4, 4-6, 6-3).

When Vitas finally beat Connors again at the Masters, the AP and New York Times reported that it put him up 2-16 lifetime in the H2H, not including a victory by default in 1975.

That Masters tournament in Jan. 80 was really something of a breakthrough for Vitas. He lost to Borg again but beat McEnroe for the first time ever, and Connors for the first time in seven years.

In the calendar year 1980, Gerulaitis went 2-0 against Connors and 3-1 against McEnroe -- but 0-5 against Borg.
 
New stats for '77 semi

Borg won 70 of 93 points on 1st serve (75%) and 34 of 70 on 2nd (49%).
Gerulaitis won 70 of 93 points on 1st serve (75%) and 47 of 97 on 2nd (48%).

Remarkably, each man won 70 of 93 points on first serve.

Borg won 9 straight first-serve points toward the end of the match: ie, he won 14 of his last 16 points played on first serve. It might not be an exaggeration to say that his first serve pulled him through in the end.

Gerulaitis won 13 straight first-serve points to end the fourth set and start the fifth. He had also won 11 straight to end the first set and start the second.

Borg’s longest overall streak on serve was 7 straight points, early in the second set.

Gerulaitis’ longest overall streak on serve was 8 straight points, closing the second set.

During one stretch in the third set the two men won 14 straight points on serve between them, starting with the last 3 points of that marathon 22-point game served by Gerulaitis.


These are the numbers for success on serve when serves were successfully returned (ie, in rallies):

Borg 62% on first serve (38/61) and 46% on second (28/61).
Gerulaitis 64% on first serve (41/64) and 44% on second (32/73).


Borg served on 163 points and 38 serves did not come back: 23.3%
Gerulaitis served on 190 points and 44 serves did not come back: 23.2%


Borg drew return errors with 29 first serves, 6 second serves.
Gerulaitis drew return errors with 26 first serves, 14 second serves.

Gerulaitis drew more return errors than Borg did on second serve, partly because Vitas went to second serve 97 times in the match compared to Bjorn’s 70. Nevertheless, even with that factor taken into account Gerulaitis was more likely than Borg to draw return errors with second serves. That was due to two things: Borg stayed behind on most second serves while Vitas almost invariably came in; and the Gerulaitis second serve was just more potent than Borg’s, in my opinion.

But both men came in behind first serves, and Borg drew slightly more return errors from first serves than Gerulaitis did. Both men put 93 first serves into the box.


Borg drew 29 FH and 9 BH return errors.
Gerulaitis drew 19 FH and 21 BH return errors.

Gerulaitis came close to making all his BH returns in the second set. But he slapped FH returns long throughout the match, hitting them too flat or even apparently with underspin.


Gerulaitis followed all his serves in, with a few exceptions on second serve. Probably the most important was in the fifth set; serving up a break at 3-2, 40-30, he stayed back and came in on a later shot but was passed.
 
borg sf here was the 2nd one looking at the shadows on court..and the finals back then were still on saturday so.....:)

..was borg's sf on thurs or friday evening if the final was saturday at 2pm.
 
borg sf here was the 2nd one looking at the shadows on court..and the finals back then were still on saturday so.....:)

..was borg's sf on thurs or friday evening if the final was saturday at 2pm.

It was on a Thursday Goosehead after looking on Google. Borg mentioned during an interview that he got a call from Vitas at his hotel the next morning asking if he wanted to practice and Borg was very happy that he did. Nice gesture given that Vitas had just lost that close match.

http://www.tennis.com/players/2012/06/this-date-in-wimbledon-history-june-30/36940/#.UT4Ma9aTxVk (includes a video link to the match)

Legends of Wimbledon: Bjorn Borg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoB9KnKn-vA
 
It was on a Thursday Goosehead after looking on Google. Borg mentioned during an interview that he got a call from Vitas at his hotel the next morning asking if he wanted to practice and Borg was very happy that he did. Nice gesture given that Vitas had just lost that close match.

http://www.tennis.com/players/2012/06/this-date-in-wimbledon-history-june-30/36940/#.UT4Ma9aTxVk (includes a video link to the match)

Legends of Wimbledon: Bjorn Borg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoB9KnKn-vA

thanks :)a bit different to nowadays..thats a good quality vid too,
and good old dan maskell and his minimalist commentary (andrew castle take note)..so thurs evening 5 sets then sat afty 5 sets..more evidence of borgs amazing stamina,

i know you know this but i didnt..noticed borg came from 2 sets down v mark edmudson in 2nd round :shock:)..still had a bit of RG clay in his shoes.

MUST WATCH ledgends of borg wimbledon vid..

v/o patrick allen did v/o for scary uk govt nuclear war 'Protect and Survive' public info films from early 80s..
"In the event of a nuclear attack, you and your family must take cover"..etc..but enough of cold war video nastys.
 
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You're welcome and thanks Goosehead. Yes, love the commentary in the video. That Legends video is very cool. You'd enjoy it if you haven't seen it before. It gives you a real window into the placid enigma that is Bjorn Borg. That's a good point about the turnaround from the French Open to Wimbledon, but in 1977 Borg couldn't play the French Open due to his participation in WTT. It was a strange rule, but the Tour was turbulent in those days. Vilas took the '77 FO, but Borg won the 1978 FO with the loss of just 32 games total, beating Vilas handily in that final. Then, he went on to blitz Connors in the 1978 Wimbledon final in 3 sets, cementing his place as the top guy in the world and as the champ at both Wimbledon and the French Open.
 
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Are they any other matches at Wimbledon or elsewhere with rallies (and frequency) like the ones in this match?

It required at least one of the players to not S&V on both serves, which most players did in those days on a fast court, not to mention both players on fire.
 
This is a gem, Borg Nº1...It still amazes me how Borg moved around the court, like dancing and floating.I call him the Nureyev of tennis and I cannot think of any player I´ve seen to move so graciously.
Then Mecir is the Fred Astaire of tennis.
 
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The 81 match is entertaining as well. I think Borg was more aggressive in 81, which possibly foreshortened the points, and Vitas' volleying wasn't as sharp as in 77, but still a great match. Borg's volleying was the best I've seen from him. There were still some 'rallies' up there with what we saw in 77. I think Vitas' ability to rally, and in particular his deep BH slice, is underrated.

It's also home to one of the most bizarre umpireing decisions I've seen. Borg's serve goes quite clearly long, but no call comes. Both players pretty much stop playing, with Borg tapping the ball over when he realises no call, but goes back to the serving position instead of going to his chair as it would be game. Vitas queries the umpire, who says play a let. When Vitas points out this makes no sense, the umpire quickly changes to 'no call, game to Borg'. He then seems to have no clue what the fuss is about, asking Vitas 'which line'? Borg isn't too happy about it and I am sure he would have said nothing if asked to play a second serve. Vitas got pretty annoyed by the end of the match because he was on the end of some rough calls.
 
The 81 match is entertaining as well. I think Borg was more aggressive in 81, which possibly foreshortened the points, and Vitas' volleying wasn't as sharp as in 77, but still a great match. Borg's volleying was the best I've seen from him. There were still some 'rallies' up there with what we saw in 77. I think Vitas' ability to rally, and in particular his deep BH slice, is underrated.

It's also home to one of the most bizarre umpireing decisions I've seen. Borg's serve goes quite clearly long, but no call comes. Both players pretty much stop playing, with Borg tapping the ball over when he realises no call, but goes back to the serving position instead of going to his chair as it would be game. Vitas queries the umpire, who says play a let. When Vitas points out this makes no sense, the umpire quickly changes to 'no call, game to Borg'. He then seems to have no clue what the fuss is about, asking Vitas 'which line'? Borg isn't too happy about it and I am sure he would have said nothing if asked to play a second serve. Vitas got pretty annoyed by the end of the match because he was on the end of some rough calls.

I posted stats on the 81 match earlier in this thread. I agree Borg was pretty great at net in this one, he had more winners at net than off the ground which wasn't the case in 77.

As far as the poor umpiring, that sort of thing was the norm back then(I've posted about it so many times here, I probably sound like a broken record). You can see why so many players argued with umpires, they were pros dealing with amateurish officials. Pretty much anytime a non call happened the umpire just said play a let. One of Macs most famous blowups was in the 80 W SF when he hit an ace that was called out. Everyone knew it was an ace, so the umpire said play a let. Of course Mac understandably was upset and said it's either an ace or the ball was out you can't play a let in that situation. Mac revived a 'public warning,' whatever the hell that meant and it was front page news the next day. Probably every reporter and fan at the time thought Mac was just being a brat when in actuality he was 100% right. It took a long time for umpires(esp at Wimbledon they only used local officials for many years, not ATP umpires) to get their act together. It seemed like they were just making up rules as they went along because they weren't used to players questioning their decisions. Players were just expected to be 'gentlemen' and accept any inane decisions they came up with.
 
I posted stats on the 81 match earlier in this thread. I agree Borg was pretty great at net in this one, he had more winners at net than off the ground which wasn't the case in 77.

As far as the poor umpiring, that sort of thing was the norm back then(I've posted about it so many times here, I probably sound like a broken record). You can see why so many players argued with umpires, they were pros dealing with amateurish officials. Pretty much anytime a non call happened the umpire just said play a let. One of Macs most famous blowups was in the 80 W SF when he hit an ace that was called out. Everyone knew it was an ace, so the umpire said play a let. Of course Mac understandably was upset and said it's either an ace or the ball was out you can't play a let in that situation. Mac revived a 'public warning,' whatever the hell that meant and it was front page news the next day. Probably every reporter and fan at the time thought Mac was just being a brat when in actuality he was 100% right. It took a long time for umpires(esp at Wimbledon they only used local officials for many years, not ATP umpires) to get their act together. It seemed like they were just making up rules as they went along because they weren't used to players questioning their decisions. Players were just expected to be 'gentlemen' and accept any inane decisions they came up with.

Yeah thanks I know, that's actually what prompted me to seek it out. I think the Borg Gerulaitis was a very dynamic matchup (even if the H2H wasn't), perhaps moreso than Borg Mac because Vitas was more willing to rally with Borg. And of course his serve was much less of a factor than Mac's.

I don't think I agree with you about the umpiring. I think it had a charm to it that these old guys were officiating these young upstarts. I think it kept their feet on the ground to an extent; players behave more arrogarantly nowadays. Yes decisions were sometimes ludicrously poor but all in all I think line calling takes itself too seriously now. In my opinion tennis players should be gentlemen.
 
What's often forgotten about Borg's 5 consecutive Wimbledons is the amount of 5 setters he won. Federer only had the 1 in 2007. Borg had 7.


1977: Edmondson, Vitas, Connors
1978: Amaya
1979: Amritraj, Tanner
1980: McEnroe

He was also down 1-2 in 4 of these to lesser guys Amritraj, Edmondson and Amaya. Very interesting stuff that certainly cements his Iceman legacy.

In 1981, Borg also came back 0-2 in the semifinal to beat Connors.
 
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