Bjorn Borg and Vijay Amritraj

Amritraj d. Borg at the 1974 USO in Forest Hills, 6-1, 7-6, 3-6, 1-6, 6-2.

[@knaraya936]

I learned to play with wood also. I can testify that moving away from wood changed the game not always for the better. Thanks for the upload. Vijay's younger brother and i played doubles together, winning the Tamil Nadu state championships.

[@shankyrathore]

He is the greatest indian sportsman of all time

[@perjordeus9265]

I have to agree, the game is not as fun any more. I liked the variety of players from that time, Nastase, Orantes, Connors, Mcenroe and the king himself Borg

[@travelfan70]

Agree absolutely with you as I started with wooden racquet in 1982 on a grass court!! The nuances of the game are withered now!!

[@VSV659]

For the record, Vijay won this match - true gem of a guy

[@hehehehehahahaha2025]

Never seen this guy play before. Nice volleys and solid looking serve biomechanics.

[@thomashumphrey7395]

Vijay had an orthodox, beautiful, classic service motion. Much like Pancho Gonzales.

[@SquidDesign]

Vijay had such a smooth game. Gave Borg trouble at Wimbledon as well.

[@kkokonadggupta390]

Vijay ....still in heart of an Indian tennis addicted..

[@gardenvarietypenis]

Thank you for this tennis gem of yore! First time to see vijay in his prime and what a streaky talent and beautifully fluid serve and volley game he possessed.

[@ripperduck]

i met vijay in the san fernando valley back in the early 90s. he was doing a sitcom, and you couldn't have found a nicer guy. he talked a few minutes about tennis and some of his injuries. hope he's not hurting as much, great guy....

[@Provemewrongwithfacts]

A match from the early 70s where i can see the ball. Great!

[@fepatton]

Amritraj had such a beautiful game. Classic strokes. My first good tennis racket was a Donnay Flex Pro, which was the racket he was using when I was in high school. I eventually "upgraded" to a Borg Pro, though, as I was a huge Borg fan.

[@bh5606]

Loved watching Vijay play. Classic game and classy guy.

[@shankyrathore]

Vijay Amritraj is the greatest indian sportsman ever❤

[@glennjonsson1819]

Oh yes. Brilliant clip. Thanks. Didn't remember that Borg served that well already back in -74. Vijay is playing some great tennis. Almost ousted Borg from Wimledon a few years later.

[@sharpasaneraser]

these 2 players have such complementary style and they're both beautifully fluid athletes. borg had just turned 18 and vijay was 20. and the great booming voice of frank hammond in the chair. really a superb upload. thanks

[@casheasy]

Great points that you made here. And anytime Frank Hammond was in the chair, I liked it. His voice was powerful and his presence was felt immediately most matches.

[@markcripps1819]

Superb tennis. Armitraj's volleying is almost perfect - wonderful control of the racquet head. As for Borg his double handed backhand is fantastic. Loved the little dink he did early in the clip.

[@gunternetzer9621]

Borg's backhand pass is one of the greatest shots in tennis history - absolutely killing.

[@skyjuke2006]

Have you ever seen an 18 years old player like this?? THis is a miracle!

[@gerrymarko5893]

At this age Boris Becker already was a two times Wimbledon champ.

[@alanchong7513]

These guys are playing unreal tennis. Not the endless baseline rallies of today's game. Tennis has become a bore nowadays.

[@purveyoroffinefoodslaszlo9955]

+Alan Chong Totally agree. The racquet skills these guys had, especially Amritraj on his volleys, and Borg's return of serve, great stuff. This type of game is so entertaining to watch. Speed is a weapon the players had to generate on occassion, not something that simply came with racquet technology. So much more rewarding to watch.

[@alanchong7513]

purveyoroffinefoods laszlo This matchup between a young Borg and Vijay...I could watch it all day. The camera angle is great too! Everytime Vijay serves to Borg's backhand, Borg nails it! Hahaha. Unreal!

[@tennislegendsonlineretrotennis]

+Alan Chong is there a year we can say where today's tennis became a different game to this incredible tennis? I would say probably mid 90's maybe earlier? It is SUCH a different game nowadays and much much worse. Give Djokovic a 420g, 63sq" head, with old strings and balls and he would be no better than Borg! Tennis is my passion but I can't watch modern tennis anymore. Once Federer goes that's it. I give pro tennis 15 more years tops!

[@alanchong7513]

Jimmy Connors Tennis Matches That is a good question. I would go so far as to say that once graphite rackets became the norm, this type of contest between the serve volleyer and the baseliner was never the same. Wooden rackets made it a better contest. I can't watch today's tennis. Every player is a baseliner. It's terrible!

[@alanchong7513]

Jimmy Connors Tennis Matches Players used to look to come to the net. Nowadays, there is no volleying because groundstrokes are too powerful. How boring has it become! The best baseliner wins each tournament now. So predictable!

[@niaohui]

thanks for uploading it amazes me that vijay only reached no. 16 in the world when he won so many tournaments, and beat the big players pretty often...

[@beavercleaver7848]

I remember that he was over .500 vs. Jimmy Connors in singles lifetime.

[@claudio130]

Borg was already on his way to greatness. Vijay Amritraj had all the skills but maybe not the mental strength to win the big ones. Here he defeated Borg. At Wimbledon 77 or 78 I believe he took Borg to 5 sets again but this time Borg won as part of his run of 6 consecutive finals. Fantastic times those days!

[@thomashumphrey7395]

Amritraj had a beautiful, classic service motion of falling into the serve and forward effortlessly and naturally, like throwing a ball.

[@markmauk8231]

Yeah kinda like almost everyone back then...

[@NikhilBorse123]

Absolutely! I'm a nadal fan but I like the serve and volley players too. Infact, volleying is something I do better than retrieving, but the faster surfaces are disappearing now a days. But people seem to misunderstand it, the homogenisation of courts isn't the biggest factor, it's the racquet technology that has evolved the sport into what it is today

[@jimbobdrg3247]

Borg was so great on the passing shots! A real pleasure to watch this match.

[@alanchong7513]

This upload REALLY is AWESOME! I love it! Thanks!

[@GinDubonnet]

I know, really. Vijay's game is unbelievably stylish. Bjorn is nice, too.

[@fb30xhk]

In 1984 I had the pleasure of watching India play Denmark in a Davis Cup match. I guess Vijay was slightly past his peak, but he still won both his matches (on clay) comfortably and in his usual smooth and effortless style. However, the real star of the show was Ramesh Krishnan, a player of such naturally gifted abilities that it doesn’t really compare to any other player I have seen

[@rogerparker4468]

He was compared to the great Aussie Ken Rosewall by many commentators

[@rajuon827]

I never thought Vijay would have played so well in his prime and that too with Master himself Bjorn Borg...

[@vikky867]

ABC of tennis.. Amirtraj , Borg , Connors.. but Amritraj didnt majors like the other 2..and lacked stamina..

[@Logans3Run]

Vijay was such a talented player and would be one, the top seeds would want to avoid meeting, in the first round of the Grand Slams.

[@downtherabbithole1353]

Vijay had a beautiful serve-volley game and i didn't know Borg played that well already in 1974!

[@NikhilBorse123]

Amazing. I've heard vijay do a lot of commentary during the wimbledon championships but I never knew he could play so well and beat the legendary Borg. I'm going crazy. Wish we had someone like vijay in india today

[@understandinglife2481]

Nikhil Borse Vijay Amitraj wasn't the best Indian Tennis player ever but Ramanathan Krishnan was .... He reached career high in Singles World No 3 and came 2 time's in Wimbledon Semi Finals

[@circuitdesign]

This guy Amritraj was really good! I'm surprised I've never heard of him since I'm a huge tennis buff!

[@pramodkrishnamurthy3707]

Fantastic to see this ! Thank you !

[@dfb1976]

Elegant game of amritraj - wow what a player .

[@stevesnellgrove1518]

Borg knocking the cover off ... with a wood racquet... the beginning of greatness!

[@jayap3557]

at 1:43 "1st name "VeeJay" means victory in hindi..." says the english commentator... that's how well they inform themselves of matters foreign to them...nothing has changed much in commentary boxes between '74 and now... same sort of commentators... :-) :-)

[@speedoflite1]

cool demeanor. majestic topspin forehand/backhand drives, with some well placed classy drop shots mixed in = BORG!

[@adsalespro]

Real men using real racquets wearing real clothes - Here's to the sunny slopes of long ago!

[@huss2372]

I love modern tennis, but this is classy players, so much style at the net and no fist pump every points well no silly fist pump at all and no one to ask the towel to the ball-boy.

[@danieIlondon]

lol my dad became best friends with VJ while he worked at the baileys hotel in london during the 80's (random, but true lol)

[@markbrandis5684]

beautiful tennis, indeed!Great variety, completely different to nowadays!

[@ishankgoel1514]

Tennis was just so different earlier

[@dustylover100]

Borg was the one who was the transition to the modern game as we know it now.

[@alanchong7513]

Frank Hammond was the umpire at the famous McEnroe vs Nastase US Open blowup. I can't remember the year. In the late 70's. Either 1979 or 1980.

[@ashashroff6351]

VA is a Genuine Gentleman.

[@bobbydazzler1780]

1974 US Open. 6/1 7/6 3/6 1/6 6/2 to Amritraj. That’s a great win considering Borg seemed to be coming back strong.

[@pradeepkumar-vm5ue]

Vijay lost but won the hearts of million with his classic serve and volley.If he won he would have changed the fate of Borg who won 5 times continously Wooden rackets were used. Class is missing now a days . If our record breaking players of to day play with heavy wooden racket the ball never cross the net. Murray , Jokovich , Nadal and Federer got injuries and keep out of tennis for a long time.

[@absoluteb22]

I think you are mixing this match up with Wimbledon a few years later. Either way, i wish wooden rackets were still used and only small headed.

[@Nocturnbandofficial]

To me, Vijay's racket looks like a metal racket?

[@gmediagroupss]

I cant see Indian Tennis Players of today matching Nadal, Federer and Djocovic. Those days India had great players.

[@gmediagroupss]

@Golden Calf Indians had Ramanathan Krishnan who played two wimbledon semi finals. He defeated players like Rod Laver. Today Indian Tennis players are simply reached 1st round of Grand Slams. I had even seen Leander Paes reaching second and third rounds of almost all the Grand Slams. Mahesh Bhupati was also reached 2nd and third rounds of grand slams. India's best Indian Player in the past 2 decades was Somdev Varman. All he could do is reaching 2 nd rounds of a Grand Slam. To be frank I didnt see any Indian reaching 3rd round of a Grand Slam in the next ten years. In India I have seen many girls practicing Tennis. And after Sania we didnt hear a name. We dont have infrastructure. Financial support is hardly there. Ramanathan Kishnan was actually a businessman. He was an amatuer. He even missed prestigious tournaments to take care of his business interests. And still he could reach semifinals of Wimbledon twice. And these days all we could produce is worthless Tennis Academies. They are there to make money for incompetent coaches.

[@gmediagroupss]

@Golden Calf Ajay Amritraj, brother of Vijay, reached 3rd round of US Open and 2nd round of Wimbledon.

[@gmediagroupss]

@Golden Calf Earlier India had players who are atleast good at doubles like Paes, Bhupati, Ajay Amritraj, Bopanna. Post Bopanna era we dont even see Indian players who could go deep in doubles. Thanks for ur optimism. But what all I could see is downfall of Indian Tennis.

[@DanyWildTV]

so geil das da einfach links und rechts noch Plätze sind .Tennis damals hat einfach einen eigenen Charm .

[@oneUNITED7SS]

TOO GOOD. WIDE. WHAT A PASSING SHOT.

[@gmediagroupss]

Oh God. I never knew that Indian Tennis Players of those were matching the level of Laver and Borg. And still not much is written about them in newspapers. This country loves Cricket so much that it doesnt even care about its achievements in other sports. Newspapers write pages and pages about cricket everyday. They have visual material like this and they still dont write about Indian Tennis. And Today Indian Tennis is almost dead.

[@markmauk8231]

Everyone played kind of the same way back in the day. Borg was a refreshing exception.

[@Nocturnbandofficial]

You must be kidding..

[@markmauk8231]

@@Nocturnbandofficial Not at all

[@markmauk8231]

@@Nocturnbandofficial I was specifically referring to Borgs Top Spin on both sides and his way to play on grass. Connors had a unique style but still played the typical stiff wrist straight strokes, slice and net dominated grass court game everyone else tried to play as well. The way Borg played on those grass courts was very unique and amazing. It was something entirely new.

[@Nocturnbandofficial]

@@markmauk8231 - your "specific" reference to top spin was not visible in your first comment. Ok, for top spin, look at Vilas for example... Laver had used it before btw. ... Nastase could play topspin if he wanted to, and could use his wrist extremely well... Did you notice that Borg served-and-volleyed a lot on grass, especially on his first serve?

[@markmauk8231]

@@Nocturnbandofficial Of course I noticed that as it was very hard to win if ypu exclusively played from the baseline in those days. The balls didnt bounce atraight twice in a row, it was very hard to control the ball. Compared to Birg all Vilas did was playing loopy balls, that wasnt a modern Top Spin. Laver was able to do it in certain situation but also almost always on the forehand, Nastase the same. They couldnt do what Borg did, he played like a modern Tennisplayer only held back by the material he played with. Winning Paris and Wimbledon so many times in a row is very unique and the reason why he was able to do it, was his ability to play with constant top spin. He wasnt as dependent on slice as everybody else. Thats why he played unlike anybody else. Ahead of his time.

[@TheWEBLANDSTER]

I love this video please, i want all this video thank you i'm proud to be tamil

[@dustylover100]

Can you imagine Borg with the modern rackets?

[@beavercleaver7848]

When he made his fairly brief comeback attempt after some years away from the sport he insisted on using his old wooden racquets versus everyone else's modern metal and composite racquets. I wondered what would have happened if he'd made the switch.

[@dustylover100]

@@beavercleaver7848, he put a lot of topspin on the ball with his old wood racket, but the amount he could put on with a more modern racket would have been insane.

[@overkongen34]

@@beavercleaver7848 He did make the switch right after the comeback in Monte Carlo, but the spark was gone. Never won a tournament match again.

[@MrLjnla]

Borg is crushing the ball. That is a 125 mph serve with 90 square inch Snauwert wooden racquet, unbelievable. This was when tennis was a real game.

[@alanchong7513]

Tennis was more fun to watch back in this time. Now we get Murray vs Ferrer type matchups. Boring, right?

[@thomaslucia3059]

Boring? These guys are amazing, but each point lasts 2 seconds: it's big serve then volley. Point over. That I find boring.

[@Parramatta84]

Neverending debate about generation! I guess Mr is 50 and Mr Lucia is 20? Aren't you?

[@jeffreypachuau]

That serve and volley is super boring to watch, today's style of play is on another level comparing to this.

[@dustylover100]

Federer is the best all around player ever.

[@sushil626]

Vijay Amritraj thrashed Bjorn Borg in the end. Go Vijay..go go go!!!

[@7Lukibi99Tore7]

@ Lawrence Johnson. If the wood tennis racket that Vijay Amritraj played with in his 1974 U.S. Open match against Borg was a Snauwert racket , it would have been a 70- square inch racket not a 90- square inch racket because 90 -square inch tennis rackets were not introduced into tennis until the early 1990's in the graphite era in tennis history.

[@Nocturnbandofficial]

Vijay's racket looks like a metal racket here?

[@josephbarbarie692]

I love Amritraj's face after Borg aces him 3X in a row.

[@pukulu]

This was the only time that Amritraj beat Borg, who had a somewhat disappointing career at the US Open, compared to how dominating Borg was at Wimbledon and the French Open. The US Open was not held on a grass court for much longer. It was held briefly at Forest Hills on clay and then switched for good to hard courts. www.atptour.com/en/players/fedex-head-2-head/bjorn-borg-vs-vijay-amritraj/B058/A022

[@Surcoufful]

Yes, Sampras is a champion aggravated by dullness often for the onlooker.

[@kutti5950]

never knew amritraj served this well

[@xaamir]

can you please post the conclusion? thanks for hosting this!!

[@ANITATKT]

I was there!

[@BorlandRIP8]

Insane passing shot at 00:05

[@aleksandrpondios]

I do think they serving over o near 200 km, tennis was always good and interesting sport to watch.

[@mrvishal1000]

wow he defeated borg, sht awesome!

[@TheWEBLANDSTER]

bonjour, j'adore cette vidéo. Auriez vous la suite ? Ce vijay amritraj, quel joueur ! pourquoi n'a t il jamais gagné un tournoi du grand chelem ?

[@Nocturnbandofficial]

I would have loved to see the end of the match.... and by the way, what racket is Vijay using here?

[@jerseyneil1]

Sadly with bigger graphite and composite racquets, along with extreme topspin groundstrokes, the serve and volley players are all gone.

[@shankyrathore]

Sad

[@liverneck2001]

vijay was in a james bond movie i believe

[@maxipaz5597]

Octopussy

[@jzrnsk]

Can someone explain the court? Why are there courts beside the playing court?

[@Hijinked]

I have one of those racquets.

[@BOBBY-et9xb]

Why is it cut short.

[@bix646]

Poetic is the score of the non-electronic match. (Sorry my english i don't know if it's correct)

[@adsalespro]

Borg is actually using a Slazenger racket

[@SrikanthIyerTheMariner]

is he your brother?

[@alanchong7513]

Where's thw finish of this match?

[@understandinglife2481]

Alan Chong Vijay Amitraj won it

[@jondunmore4268]

In the annals of history!

[@alanchong7513]

@@understandinglife2481 Thanks for the response!

[@alanchong7513]

@@jondunmore4268 Clever answer! Haha

[@understandinglife2481]

@@alanchong7513 Anytime bro... Response after 2 years is something special.☺️..Lol

[@nit78]

@Ariamaluum can you name few "great" Tamilian athletes?

[@suenodistinto8464]

BONSOIR LE JOUR OÙ LE ROI BORG À TREMBLER À WIMBLEDON

[@AlanSmitheeman]

Conventional sized racquets gave the men's game finesse and depth of play. That is all gone with the large racquets of today because with the men's game it's nothing but power shots. It has helped the women's game, though, by giving women more power in their shots but it's overkill with the men's game.

[@tomloft2000]

Winners-500 Unforced Errors-2

[@Papahitas]

Vijay was a magician and would have deserved a wimbledon trophy (he was close in 1973 and 79). Nothing like those dull guys Sampras and Federer in spite of all their cups.

[@abhishekanand3989]

Great tennis but rallies are short, though

[@AlanSmitheeman]

Yes but that's typical with serve and volley play and on grass courts which are super fast.

[@Ariamaluum]

@JDANNYJ. There a lot of Tamils who are great athletes but to play these sports, professionally with instruction, players tend to be Christian inclined or influenced when it comes to tennis. I'm not sure in other sports like cricket or field hockey. I'd say the best Tamils are the ones who play with no instruction.

[@Nigelxman]

Mac used to sometimes SNORT coke between matches. :-)

[@JDANNYJ]

he proved that he is tamilian. Tamil race is the tough race in india

[@Allthingstech3108]

This guy Vijay is from one of the poorest countries in the world with practically no facilities.

[@pernell666]

amazing how good these guys were with such shitty equipment. wish they had a qood racquet tournament today. would love to see how today's players faired.

[@7Lukibi99Tore7]

+pernell666. There was nothing crummy about the beautifully made wood tennis rackets of the wood era in tennis history. You obviously are unaware that wood racket tennis was real tennis compared to the vastly cheapened version of the game created by the deplorable and regrettable introduction into and adoption by the game of tennis of modern graphite tennis rackets !

[@theoriginalthinker9199]

+pernell666 look how fast the balls are coming off these rackets. Anyone who disrespects the equipment of this era has to be some young punk who thinks he knows it all.

[@alanchong7513]

7Lukibi99Tore7 Haha. Well said! You know the sport very well, mate!

[@joeenglert]

those metal slazengers were like the worst rackets ever

[@reykjaviktotoronto186]

most people in the crowd are dead

[@bradleysmall2230]

this is not right as vijay lost to rosewall in quarters in 1974- what alternate reality is this

[@Nocturnbandofficial]

This was second round?

[@Nirky]

Vijay was the better actor.

[@Hoobtastic]

Amritraj is getting assimilated

[@NikhilBorse123]

Nadal hasn't insulted anyone . He is an all time great. You are insulting him

[@foreveranuj]

with a serve that slow, how could you even get to the net? Oh well..

[@lebbeus]

There was barely any rally lol

[@cheaterNadal]

oh really? It is regrettable. Nadal has insulted the Sampras era of high speed surface. "It was not true tennis only in the serve." said Nadal. smug arrogant.

[@Uns_Maps_8]

Good players. No rallies, predictable, short matches. Sort of boring

[@aleksandrpondios]

Great grass court game by Vijay,but come on comparing him to Sampras or Federer it is a blasphemy.