E-Paper
HT Archives: Borg wins his fifth Wimbledon title in all-time classic
The 1980 Wimbledon final saw Borg defeat McEnroe in a historic match, showcasing contrasting styles and a thrilling tiebreaker, solidifying their rivalry.
What ingredients could cook up a Grand Slam classic? A run-in of contrasting personalities, a clash of game styles, a riveting rivalry, the crowd picking one side, the odds stacking up against the other.
The table for the 1980 Wimbledon title match had it all. On July 5 on those pristine greens of the All England Club, the chefs, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, delivered a dish that would leave a lasting taste for years to come.
Borg, a four-time defending champion, eventually wrapped his hands around a fifth straight Wimbledon title, but not before first-time finalist McEnroe gave him a mighty run for the money in a 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (16-18), 8-6 final. The battle went on for close to four hours, with the tug-of-war reaching a crescendo in the fourth set tiebreaker that whipped up 34 points – a record for a Wimbledon final.
The contest indeed had all the makings of an epic. Borg, the 24-year-old Swede, hadn’t lost at Wimbledon since his 1975 quarter-final exit. McEnroe, the 21-year-old American, was coming off the 1979 US Open triumph as a fast-rising one-handed backhand left-hander.
Borg was more power and baseline play, an early trendsetter to today’s tennis. McEnroe was more touch and net play, a throwback to the sport of yore.
Nicknamed “Ice-Borg”, the Swede’s calm demeanour and composed nature epitomised the sophisticated culture of Wimbledon. Often termed “Superbrat”, the young, unabashed and mercurial American was the exact opposite of that.
Both finalists sported hairbands, and walked on to Centre Court to a round of boos from the crowd directed, safe to assume, towards McEnroe. Not that it put him off.
The American was off the blocks, setting aside the nerves of turning up for a first Wimbledon final and racing to a 6-1 opening set scoreline. Borg was often perceived as being a slow starter. His precise passing shots would soon start making inroads, breaking into McEnroe’s serves late in the second set that Borg won 7-5 to level up.
Then he marched ahead to a 3-0 lead in the third set and thwarted multiple break points to hold on to the set at 6-3.
Borg was ahead, leaving McEnroe now with some catching up to do. Which he did alright.
Borg broke serve again in the fourth set for a 5-4 lead, placing him one service game away from the title. Two match points followed, but McEnroe shut them down with a backhand pass down the line and a forehand winner. The American broke serve with a backhand passing shot, and two games later unlocked a tiebreaker.
That’s when the match turned historic.The tiebreaker went on for more than 20 minutes.
Borg was ahead 6-5, then 10-9, 11-10, and 12-11, but each time McEnroe held on. And when McEnroe edged ahead, Borg pulled him back. Multiple match points and set points exchanged hands. Until, McEnroe’s top-spin return extracted a volley error from Borg. An exhausting 34 points later, the match was all-square for a one-set shootoff.
Sensing the moment, Borg cranked up his first strike. Sending down 80% first serves while losing just three points on serve throughout the set, the Swede remained sublime in the decider. So did McEnroe for the most part. However, when he missed a low volley, Borg stood a point away again from victory. And, at the eighth asking, with a backhand passing shot, this classic finally had a champion.
Borg had lifted the Wimbledon trophy five years in a row, and completed the rare French Open-Wimbledon double for three seasons running. McEnroe was crestfallen, but hardly done. This rivalry was just about getting started, although it eventually met a premature end.
Weeks later at the US Open, McEnroe had his say in the final of his home Slam, beating Borg in another memorable final that carried as much drama after the match was done.
That final would mark the beginning of the end for Borg. He lost the 1981 Wimbledon final to McEnroe and soon retired in his mid-twenties. McEnroe went on to capture two more Wimbledon titles.
That 1980 final, though, remains one of the very best played on that hallowed court, till date.
