Bjorn Borg v John McEnroe - A Tribute

Twenty seven years on from their last Wimbledon final, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe are still enjoying the greatest tennis rivalry the sport has known. In this exclusive video from the ATP Champions Tour, we pay tribute to two great players, and two great champions.

[@passion4tennis8]

"If Bjorn Borg was behind me, the hell with EVERYONE else" - John McEnroe CLASSIC.

[@davidkettelle403]

One of the best matchups ever, not a pure rivalry like he had with Connors, but Johnny MAC said it best that he and Borg were a yin and yang combination, miss them both!

[@pranavsambamurti7746]

These guys are still very good friends. Fire and Ice!

[@wreckanchor]

Legends made friends for life because they battled each other on their field of combat.

[@brianmoran5705]

I just love, McEnroe and Borg ! They always brought the best out of each other !! I'm a Big fan of both of The Legends till the end of time!!

[@stella3265]

They brought out the best in all of us who were playing Tennis in H.S at the time. We all wanted to be like them. Connors was also huge influence

[@bailinnumberguy]

Borg was the only player that McEnroe truly respected. Watch any of their old matches and you'll never see McEnroe act up very much.

[@rentaghostokish5628]

+Randy Bailin Yup, he was quietly in awe of him...and he was genuinely upset when Borg quit in 1981 at only 26 years old. Great to see them getting on so well as old geezers!

[@user-cy6qh8yn1f]

+Rentaghost okish old nutties

[@bearmerica6668]

I don't think he acted up with Connors too. Connors would have beaten his ass.

[@ttrdf]

that's so true and they became great friends, borg is in my estimate a good humanbeing too, both of them actually

[@RichardsWorld]

Yes, John said he respected everyone, but only showed respect to Borg.

[@dimitreze]

the movie Borg McEnroe is amazing!! everyone should check out

[@nursen2106]

I agree - and both actors are amazingly close to the originals

[@Dak108]

Jesss just great!!

[@connieutube]

You are absolutely right. Borg and McEnroe were the two greatest players in tennis I used to love watching those two in the Wimbledon finals

[@pandemonet]

This brought tears to my eyes. I remember my brothers and me learning tennis from the best coach in the world, our Dad. All those MacEnroe/Borg matches we'll watch on our old black & white Zenith television, we wre the noisiest house on the block. God bless you John and Bjorn.

[@hiuwah]

it's amazing how well these guys are still moving

[@DMSJagXK]

Well done guys and thanks for the wonderful memories. Class can’t ever be put down methinks and one thing class depends on is having respect, something you two guys had for one another whether you were winning or losing.

[@BlizzyFoxTF]

Still boggles my mind the tensions between fire and ice in the 80s and then whoop decades later they are good friends. Tennis.

[@joes5695]

If you notice Mcenroe never complained or lost it with umpires when he played borg as he had to much respect for him.

[@elliej11j68]

It was always clear that John had great respect for Bjorn.

[@jimred5700]

3:10;.....That`s priceless: John says "A veteran". In 1979 Bjorn Borg was 24 !!!!!

[@STohme]

Two very great tennis legends.

[@paulelverstone8677]

I've often thought about Rog 'n' Rafa and Mac 'n' Borg and wondered: is one pair really better than the other? Two exceptional rivalries, without doubt. Just makes me thankful that I was able to enjoy both of them... *don'tcarewho'sbetter*

[@VenusianTaureau]

OMG my mom would've loved to have seen this match. She's a huge tennis fan and she believes Mac and Borg were the greatest players ever and their rivalry can never by matched. I'm just looking at their ages and I'm scared one of them will hurt themselves LOL but both are still moving so beautifully. I wish I had been alive in the seventies and early eighties to watch these two and there many battles, I missed really high quality tennis. Borg and Mcenroe set the standard for a real sports rivalry

[@AkhyansuPattnaik]

2 legends with Completely different techniques.pretty much like nadal n federer.

[@suzannep8371]

Borg and McEnroe two legends in arms

[@elinovak3770]

The greatest Wimbleton match of all time 👍

[@michaelnivens6267]

legends of thegame

[@perfuzz]

By the way, these two players really raised the level of tennis. There were others to back then, but this two were sort of the foundation...

[@wendyransome6618]

It was tough being a McEnroe fan back in the early eighties! It was just me and my sisters!

[@ragnarjonsson1122]

Wendy Ransome nope, I was a fan of his as well at that time

[@keryjr785]

good to kniw he had 3 fans in the 80's 😂😂😂

[@yellowdeer7163]

I remember these long matches on Sundays. They were awesome to watch. Haven't been that interesting since this era. McEnroe, Connors and Borg the greatest ever.

[@alan30189]

Great comments at the end by McEnroe.

[@T9RX3]

This video was nice to watch. Thank you.

[@9Ballr]

Borg is underrated among the all-time greats, in my opinion. He retired at age 26 with 11 Grand Slam titles, and 5 Wimbledon titles in a row. The only other guy to do those two things is Federer, and it took Federer longer to win 11 Grand Slam titles.

[@T9RX3]

I agree.

[@artlover1477]

IMHO, the 70s to 80s just had so many great players. A wide variety of styles to watch... Borg, Nastase, Connors, Gerulatis, McEnroe, Vilas, Lendl, etc.

[@ulfurkarlsson5885]

Björn Borg was so stylish and cool, sports stars today dont have that style today

[@michaelireland7239]

it truly brings a tear to the eye

[@MrZashiratori]

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH N CALL THE SCORE!!!" Ive missed John so much....

[@leilahastings5147]

No

[@Arturo-sm1tb]

that was totally for show. He admitted he was encouraged to do that for the crowd. He would never do it otherwise when playing Bjorn.

[@BigBadJerryRogers]

You have to have that, that's his thing. It's like pro wrestling, he should also have his own entrance music.

[@UnitedGlorySquad]

What a great rivalry they had..... Good stuff.

[@DanyWildTV]

I like both !

[@ralfnorenberg3130]

in their prime ,they could compete with novak and roger. borg is the goat for me

[@paolodascenzo3429]

The Biggest Tannis's players!

[@ATPChampionsTour]

I can assure you of one thing - although you might not like the screaming at umpires, it is NOT done for contractual reasons. The guy still wants to win, desperately, and he still genuinely gets p***ed off. He is not acting.

[@ace942]

Borg vs McEnroe was one of the great rivalry in tennis. I also enjoyed watching McEnroe vs. Connors although not as much since McEnroe and Borg had different styles of play that was entertaining to watch.

[@fottballplayer54]

Bjorn Borg is a combo of federer and nadal he was the best on clay but he also was the best at wimbldon

[@YoSoyZuri]

i love this video... my God! Bjorn Borg vs John McEnroe! :) Speechless!!

[@nolopa20]

Better than this was the confrontation McEnroe - Connors. They truly hated each other and anything was possible during their matches.

[@oldtimer7635]

"They truly hated each other " and that was better than this? Weird.

[@FHC_TV]

@ChampionsTennis I couldnt agree more, the differences between borg and mcenroe are so big and it made it only more epic!

[@longtalltexan63]

Mc had the best hands in tennis. Best net man of all time. His rage in the old days were confused with cockiness. He just was so hungry to win it almost controlled him...As they say in the replacements, "Winners always want the ball."

[@TATER1971]

I love these guys

[@Roggiedodgie]

Bring back wooden rackets!!! We miss the volleying!!!

[@steffanhoffmann]

No

[@KEEFNESS]

Borg was the greatest

[@emr1028]

What I love about watching Mcenroe play isn't the tantrums or his attitude. What I love is that when you watch him swing, it's like watching a teenage girl, yet he somehow makes it work to be one of the best.

[@accadoza]

borg is a legend full stop.

[@alessandroalessandro6771]

this is the famous rivalry that never was. They played Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows finals 80 and 81 and never again, because Borg retired.

[@johnp515]

Quality not quantity

[@geojoyjames3115]

Two legend

[@gatosusu]

each one to their time... the evolution is good welcomed to the new generations!!!!

[@nicktheclicker]

Heja björn du är nåt som Sverige kan vara stolta över!!!

[@ilparquet8787]

Veramente TOP .... niente di meglio

[@marcomarky3028]

Without McEnroe there'd be no hawk eye today....great character pushed the snotty boundaries forward

[@dennmaloudenn]

How can you be senior citizens and still HOT AF 😍😍😍

[@douglee1911]

The perils and pitfalls of age, although they still look pretty good!

[@urvashibhagat5015]

McEnroe always craved attention - it didn’t matter how he got it : throwing tantrums was the easiest way until self-respecting level-headed players like Borg openly affirmed his talent. Randy Bailin, I‘d say that Borg was the only player who accepted McEnroe in spite of his theatrics.

[@Mollikar]

Bjorn could have doubled his titles but I think he just got burned out from the pressure.

[@EFFROSDR2]

BJON BORG FOREVER from Greece

[@chriscoleman6466]

Borg is in my top 5 sportsmen of all time..he's alongside Muhammed Ali !

[@Summon256]

just as i said Stefan Edberg was the last serve& volley God in my opinion, who brought a justice to this style of play, and fully fullfiled it...

[@perfuzz]

I'm from Sweden and I remember watching these two. Fact: Borg would just be another Federer or Agassi had it not been for McEnroe. Instead McEnroe ensured him a place in history, outside tennis.

[@connieutube]

Borg is gorgeous and still is! John!! calm down lol! Used to love watching these two play against each other in the earlier wimbledon days

[@clewandow1]

Less of McEnroe and more of Borg would have made this recording better. Borg always had more class, more calm, more raw talent. And what a drop-dead-gorgeous smile! I will always love him.

[@stevefields187]

old men off the porch running around the yard like they're still big dogs, love it.

[@Dak108]

Still so fit..unbelievable how they move...respect..and Borg is more handsome than ever🤪😋😋😜😜

[@ATPChampionsTour]

The reason he says that is because he thinks it sounds better than to admit that he still genuinely loses it. He might occasionally ensure the crowd get their money's worth if nothing much is happening, but I have seen the contract - there is nothing in it to say that 'flare ups' are required.

[@rhoodie123]

Great player borg

[@Summon256]

also dont forget, that on how players perfomr their strokes, and shots as the whole...it determined by well-timed strokes and vary possibility between early and late attacks...also you can have fast and powerful stroke moment, but yet weak and instant swing...because swing and stroke moment is different thing...just as much as POWER and SPEED of those two aswell...people used to not distinguish those things...because powerful shot isnt always determined by speed...

[@elrafagongora]

Exactly. Looks like an inexpert runner kid. But 30 years ago was the Ice-Borg. You are right.

[@Summon256]

by the way congratulations...Federer now is a new champion on Roland Garros ! ...and i must say he totally deserved to win...i hope he also win wimbledon this year...but i'm aware however that he wont be ready to defend his US open title this year...something weird telling me that :( ...

[@perfuzz]

I never knew that BB took him under his wings. But then again, it's not strange that BB felt for JM. BB acted out in the same way early on, just like JM probably did when he first saw him.

[@Garapetsa]

Borg son is the next big one. I can't believe he's only 14.

[@Summon256]

...i'm more into serve&volley thing...it looks much more interesting, spectacular and technical...players really seem to transform court into some kind of filed of action, where its not about just rude power and stamina...but it determines how much of variety players put in the game, other than physical parameters...

[@Summon256]

...BUT i remeber one match nowadays though ! ...and i'll always remember it ! ...guess what ? ...hehe thats right its match of Tsonga against Nadal at Aus Open last year ! ...when i was watching those match, i realized suddenly that there isnt so much bad, that there're left players on this earth that can make tennis to look LIKE THAT...Tsonga played on that tournamnet almost like Sampras at hism prime...and that is what i call spectacular match...

[@jmlbloom]

wow they both look quick still

[@Summon256]

...^^ sorry for that had to prove my point...thanks for argument anyway, thats always nice to meet person who have something else to say, other then spitting all the shit with rude words ;) ...so yet againthanks for that ! i wish you all the best !

[@MrMakemyday3]

why is the whole video centered on McEnroe?????????????????

[@89Pleasek]

In terms of level play, I think that Federer-Nadal matches have produced the sickest points ever. But they victor was always predictable, when Federer was still young he won on hard and grass courts, Nadal took the clay matches. Once Federer got older, Nadal took over. Even though I'm a Fed fan I used to like the Sampras-Agassi matches more cause they were the same age and played mostly on hard courts which worked for both and you could never predict who's gonna win.

[@horstgunther9521]

89Pleasek would you like to rethink about your comment? 7 years later? :D

[@tattwa1]

Horst Günther Hahaha if he is alive and got the notification, he better be replying😂

[@sonjaekstrand1660]

Borg is so damn hot😫

[@shalom1948hellyeah]

@ChampionsTennis exactly. borg-mcenroe, especially that wimbledon tiebreak MADE tennis. tennis became part of the lexicon of sports. wimbledon itself took on a huge new footprint in the US that it never had before. it was a seminal moment not only in sports history but also something that made modern tennis into what it is today. there's nothing comprable. the only reason miguel even know about federer-nadal is on the base that mc-borg laid maybe in 20 year li na's first win for chinese?

[@thormichaelpleym4975]

Well, as a swede I can understand Björn B all the way. Better have him piss out of the tent, than in to the tent. / Micke P

[@Summon256]

you jusy have to agree that Edberg had big (wide area) of sight and he felt both court and his oppont the same time well, thus why it allowed him to cover much of the angles of the net...so i say even Federer who play volleys with an exception has a bit poor angle vision and possibilities of attacks compared to others, who played earlier...also good volley play also determined by good confidence, concentratio, ball control, racquet area (that is what influenced by angle vision while at net...)

[@daveyork0]

Does Mc still stay in touch with his dad Bill O'Reilly?

[@bobmalack481]

Though Mac has had his moments, overall Mcenroe really was about fairness, accurate line calling, fans not shouting & fiddledicking in the stands, obnoxious courtside photographers & reporters, etc. The New York attitude gave Mac the bad optics, not disimiliar from Trump who I respect also. I was fortunate to get ONE set off him at the L.A. tennis club in the quarters in '79. He went on to the finals against Peter Fleming (his doubles partner) who beat him. Robert at 69.

[@johnp515]

It was not about fairness. If ever there was a bad call in his favour he would shuffle about looking at the ground acting like he really hoped his opponent wouldn’t question it.

[@bobmalack481]

I stand by my assesment, and Mac is an excellent courtside color commentator and interviewer, and just gets better with age. ​@@johnp515

[@bobmalack481]

I stand by my assesment which I edited, Mac is also an excellent courtside color commentator and interviewer who just gets better with age.

[@TheSeanm102]

great rivalry these guys had personalities not the robot players today

[@colinglen4505]

Roddick,djokovic,federer,nadal ...you can't ask for more personality than that.

[@bobperra]

John McEnroe played like D'Artagnan...

[@ace942]

Does anyone know their results versus each other? Just curious.

[@ShutupHollywood]

He respected Jimmy Connors too. Cant't deny that. Very similar crafty lefties. Don't count out Jimmy Connors tenacity with guys like Nadal, MeCnroe, and Pete Sampras...

[@telmolicious]

Yeah... but he never liked him. That's the difference.

[@ATPChampionsTour]

Statistics do not always tell a story. Borg vs. McEnroe transcends tennis. Ask someone on the street who cares nothing for tennis, and they will tell you they remember the Borg vs.McEnroe rivalry. In 20 years, I doubt they will say the same about Nadal vs. Federer, great though it has been. Same with Sampras vs. Agassi. For tennis insiders or fans, perhaps, but not overall.

[@MattiasBok]

You could say that borg=federer and mcenroe=nadal because they are similar characteristics in them

[@Summon256]

...better exapmle in terms of success as for volley based gameplay is Stefan Edberg ! ...God just check him volleying and you wont believe your eyes, he covers almost ALL of the net, and make it effective...its even doesnt metter how powerful you can make passing shot, he always manage to turn the wining point against YOU and make YOU struggle to win ! ...thats impossible nowadays, because there're no serve&volley Gods, who can make tennis game spectacular !

[@YoSoyZuri]

what are you talking about? we are in 2009. Nadal and Federer are today; BORG and McEnroe are yesterday. Don't be disrespectful!

[@clogue5117]

I remember when I was in the high school watching them on TV playing against each other in I remember Borg was serving the tennis ball so hard and so fast that it hit Mcenroe in the nuts. Right there on live television. I thought to myself Mcenroe deserved it because he was a jerk.

[@Kommaseir]

@miguelucho20008 Those are great stats but so what? You can't quantify the emotional impact from stats, nor how remarkable and memorable things are from stats. That's what the Borg vs. McEnroe rivalry evokes: something beyond just stats.

[@RSO-IV]

I adore them both. Yet eventually, I ended up seeing their friendship in jelousy. Holy fcuk!!!

[@maxpower789z]

You CANNOT be serious!

[@howardparks6218]

1:45 Vintage McEnroe!

[@bobmalack481]

You can't be serious!!...Robert at 67.

[@marcoaureliomassimo3546]

Mitici

[@Summon256]

i woudnt put henman here as an example...Henman failed to suceed in this style of play even at his best in era, when he was playing...90% of his net rushes ended by by passing shots of his opponents...so technics wise - Henman has YES! one of the most beautiful and well performed, controlled whatever volleys, but it isnt all what Serve& Volley style player should have in order to suceed...you also have to have, good footwork, reaction, starting rushes and dash ability...

[@Summon256]

i know about all that offcourse...but yet YOU also have to agree that a REAL serve & volley master wouldnt rely on those things (like surfaces, racquets etc...)...because for the real and i really mean REAL serve & volley maser it doesn metter WHERE, WHEN with which racquet he plays...someone like Edberg for example...even though surfaces were much faster in the era he was playing, that doesnt metter he always felt easy and comfortable when he rushed the het...

[@nubbs1320]

so who won the match?

[@saelaird]

Borg!