Is Borg The Father of Modern Tennis?: Lessons with the Legends Ep 2.

[@flukyreview9128]

Sir thank so much for creating and sharing this informative video on Bjorn Borg. Borg is a pioneer to modern tennis indeed and was also using semi western grip when everyone was using continental.

[@Picus13]

Western said by Borg himself.

[@ripleypipe]

Some good points about his style Peter, Bjorn Borg was certainly the one who made me sit up and take notice all those years ago. Cheers, Gordon.

[@PeterFreemantennis]

yes glad you liked it...to me looking back it is even more impressive when you compare his style to his peers

[@pedroV2003]

Loved this video. Borg remains my favorite player of all time and I agree that he basically invented the modern game. As for suggestions I think it would be fun to look at Nastase. He was one of the most naturally gifted shot makers the game has ever had. He was extremely volatile so I don’t think he ever was as successful as his talent warranted but he sure could paint the lines and was amazing to watch. My $.02

[@giovannispinotti]

Yes. Father, grandfather, brother, cousin, little sister, aunt, everything.

[@sanjaygandhi7962]

You hardly notice him use any effort to run around the ball -- completely effortless movement that looks like it doesn't wear himself out to get into position. Few people are as fast as Borg and most would not be able to do what he is doing.

[@JimArthurVanWyck]

Yes...I like the format...fun and interesting

[@pavelclaudiopatino419]

He absolutely is. He was often asked when he wil stop using 2 handed backhand. As nobody had used it before. Also, heavy top spin was his mark. His footwork & speed is to me the best ever. Extraordinary player, extraordinary character. Cool, calm, controled & totally collected. I put him in the same boat as the Big 3. Maybe, better. Borg did it with a wooden racket!!

[@seveglider8406]

If Borg played in today's era, he would be the top ranked player! Against Federer he would be his equal on grass and hard courts. On clay he would slaughter Federer. Against Djokovic, He is Djokovic's equal. On clay and grass Borg has the advantage. Against Nadal. They're equal on clay. On Hard Court Borg has an edge. On Grass, Borg has a big advantage!

[@thebigmonstaandy6644]

@@seveglider8406 if he would play now ,he would have different technigue.especially backhand

[@seveglider8406]

@@thebigmonstaandy6644 Obviously, You either never saw Borg play or You don't know anything about his style of play. Borg was a master of top spin on both his forehand and backhand. If Borg played today, he would not have to change anything about his style of play. His strokes would be more devastating because he would be using a modern racquet instead of a small size wood racquet.

[@thebigmonstaandy6644]

@@seveglider8406 YOu cant play good backhand with sich technigue : you have no time to drop your racket so long. i saw Borg : he played vs somebody like Mcenroe or Connors , who did not play fast from baseline.Nowdays tennisplayers are playing much faster. Noo Borg would change his backhand technigue ,otherwise it would not be effektive. New rackets dont help a lot ,if you have a old not effektive technigue. You sayed also ,that Borg was a master of spin.But spind alone is not enough ,you need power.and you cant develop a power , if you have such strange backhand swing without shoulder rotation

[@seveglider8406]

@@thebigmonstaandy6644 Today's players have more power because modern racquets generate more power. Borg played with a primitive racquet which reduced power. If he played with a modern racquet he would have had more power. Even with his primitive racquet, Borg generated plenty of power. Today's players are basically clones who play the same style from the back court regardless of the court surface. Most of them can't even volley effectively. Today's tennis is BORING!

[@thadcgrudin3018]

Edberg for serve and volley.

[@clementbretanno1116]

Interesting. Who do you think would win Jimmy Connors (classic style) or Rafael Nadal (modern style) supposed they met at a real match of which both were in their prime?

[@constable144]

Great. What about looking at tennis from: some of the old black and white matches that feature Maria Bueno, Margaret Smith and Billie Jean Moffit (later King). These matches at Wimbledon shows much of the old women's matches were played at the net with very short rallies; a contrast with today's tennis.

[@PeterFreemantennis]

interesting do you have a video you can share

[@constable144]

Yes, I have to black and white dvds of the women's Wimbledon finals of 1964 and 1966.

[@ken-mb5cp]

Do Miroslav Mecir for his footwork. “The Big Cat” though not a legend I know but a cool player to watch.

[@sw15sport]

is it just me or are there striking similarities to Borg's FH and Graf's - grip, set-up, footwork, occasional follow-though over the same shoulder?

[@overkongen34]

They are quite different.

[@joehasenauer1288]

I like the oldies but goodies. How about Ken Rosewall? I prefer to hit a slice backhand and I think Rosewall could be the godfather of the backhand slice. Best fishes

[@dreamersover3020]

you are 3rd request so we have to do it

[@pavelclaudiopatino419]

True. Rosewall had a great backhand.

[@eposz2]

For me his forehand grip seems to be semi western. Is it right? He rotates it further than e.g. Federer (who has an eastern grip)

[@Ben-bs4od]

Who was overall greater? Borg or McEnroe? Most rankings put Borg first. Tough to argue. But McEnroe for me is so close a second from that era before Lendl. I loved his style of play, his talent, and his greatness at his peak. Connors for me is third because in his decade of dominance there weren't so many top players competing. McEnroe, Connors, and Borg reminds me of the domination of Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal. I would argue Djokovic and Federer are my favorites for greatest with Nadal a close second. Federer is more like Mcenroe and Djokovic a mixture of Borg and Nadal. But one could argue for Nadal right up there with those 2 and I wouldn't argue. But I enjoy watching Federer and Mcenroe the most.

[@iverliwag6039]

At 25 or 26 years old, Borg accomplished a lot of unsurpassed records compared to any players in any eras then and now.

[@kennethmoh9042]

He never played Australien Open either. I regard Borg and Laver as the best tennis players of all time.

[@rockpayet6524]

Dommage,qu'il a arrêté a 25 ans

[@canr1944]

Really good idea. I've always wondered when, where, and how the modern forehand originated. How did it evolve from the old pendulum swing of Connors and McEnroe? Now we know two things: Borg was one of the pioneers, and he started it in the wooden rackets era! Who else? Lendl? While we're on the subject: wasn't it Connors who invented the two-handed backhand?

[@johncarpenter7883]

Not even close. Pancho Segura showed up in the 1930s with a two hander and was literally credited with saving tennis in the USA at the time which had become filled with staid and boring personalities. A great Australian player used a two hander way back in the 1930s before Segura and can be seen on film. I grew up in same town as Connors (East St. Louis) and I know he went to learn under Segura when he was 14 and 15 in the summers, which is why he kept the two hander but I was forced into a one hander when I took my first tennis lessons and they thought I was crazy citing Cliff Drysdale (one of the Handsome Eight in the 1960s) and an older kids from my neighborhood now playing at UCLA (the aforementioned Jimmy Connors) as showing two handers could be hit. Luckily Chris Evert came along shortly thereafter and she and Connors popularized the two hander. I still have a decent one hander as I turn 60 next year.

[@jashasan5909]

Marcela Rios

[@fsilber330]

I remember Arthur Ash and another commentator (maybe Tony Trabert) discussing Bjorn Borg who was playing. Arthur Ash we discussing all things Borg did wrong, until the other guy finally asked, "Is there anything Borg does that club players should imitate?" Ash said, "Yeah. _Run_ like Borg." People used to marvel about him, wondering just how good he could have been if only he'd learned to play the game correctly.

[@ken-mb5cp]

fsilber I saw him play up close once. Fastest player of his generation

[@PeterFreemantennis]

who should I do next?

[@kevinbrowne9298]

Yeah, good stuff, Sir Pete. Borg was THE Mod Squad of tnns. Stefi basically modeled her game after him. Next up: how about featuring arguably the greatest 2-handed backhand EVER? Of course I'm referring to the Connors rocket-launcher.

[@PeterFreemantennis]

Connors is on my hot list for sure and I loved his two hander...he has a lot we can look at

[@kevinbrowne9298]

Super. Can't believe though, Pete, that no one (at least no one I'm aware of) teaches the Connors backhand. Sure it's a liability against low balls (e.g., slice shots) but with today's high bouncing topspins, it's a counter-weapon.

[@ken-mb5cp]

heard a story Borg could practice for an hour without missing

[@kevinbrowne9298]

Doesn't surprise me. And when he did miss, it was probably by a hair width.

[@ken-mb5cp]

Kevin Browne amazing athlete but a terrible investor. All his investments went bust so they say

[@mitchellsewell275]

Did we see a sneak peak of Vilas?

[@PeterFreemantennis]

vilas is coming...another tennis pioneer for sure

[@mitchellsewell275]

Just another quick of Bjorn. Fila and hair and was such a flash, thought maybe it was Willie.

[@KamarajRetnasami]

Connors next!

[@miguelbarahona6636]

Tom Okker had a "modern" forehand 10 years before Borg. And if you look closely: Laver, Ashe, Rosewall used extensively the open stance for the forehand. And the reverse forehand (buggy whip) was used by many players years before Borg.

[@PeterFreemantennis]

very cool Miquel I will study them...do you have any videos you like that I can look at?

[@miguelbarahona6636]

Hi: Look in KZbin : "Arthur Ashe and Tom Okker", at minute 10:50 a great windshield wiper forehand.

[@miguelbarahona6636]

Pete, please watch: Ken Rosewall vs. Tony Roche (1970 US OPEN final): At 5:40 , 5:57 and 6:42 reverse forehands by both.

[@ken-mb5cp]

Borg brought topspin to the masses. He changed how tennis was taught. Before most players hit flat with more eastern grips. Post Borg all western grips in my opinion

[@johncarpenter7883]

Look at Bill Tilden videos on KZbin. Players hit open stance from the 19th century. Coaches taught nothing but open stance long before Oscar Wegner built a tennis method based on the open stance of Manuel Santana. Dick Bradlee wrote a 1958 "How To Play Like Champions"claiming that tennis should be taught open stance first as the primary optimal forehand (my upcoming "The Real History of USA Tennis Instruction" documents and essentially proves USA tennis experts (many of them now "master coaches" didn't have a clue how to teach the forehand. I got that from the players and parents themselves in many quotes. This explains why Richard Williams pulled his daughters from Macci's as well as why Jimmy Arias' father told Nick B to not touch his forehand because the father knew not a single USA certified coach he had ever seen knew how to teach a modern forehand. John Dunn coached many great players since 1946 into D1 scholarships and Grand Slams teaching nothing but open stance to beginners and closed stance as a compensation. Bradlee was blacklisted by the USTA for calling out the "experts" but history proved him right. John Dunn was finally awarded the USTA Lifetime Achievement Award which mentioned his "innovative" teaching style. Peter, I'm in Fairburn, GA and Chuck Tomlin and I are about to announce a new red clay court facility to be built in Georgia in Newnan. My website is www.moderntenniscoaches.com. Look for the announcement.

[@mitchellsewell275]

Don't forget Nastase! While quite the character for a variety of reasons, his game was versatile and maybe he's the granddaddy of Nick, et.al.?🤷🏻‍♂️ Just a thought.🤔

[@PeterFreemantennis]

Nastase could be fun...he was the Father of Super Brat Tennis

[@donquixote...]

And Borg was doing that, heavy topspin and all, with a small wooden racquet...

[@chtomlin]

yet people will tell you modern tennis is all about new equipment because they don't know history

[@donquixote...]

@@chtomlin Yep... Not that I don't appreciate much of the new stuff, but as you allude, the modern game has been built upon the shoulders of giants...

[@chtomlin]

@@donquixote... not sure your point, but due to the demands at a high level, the top guys are forced to keep the game quite simple and efficient, making them excellent models.

[@donquixote...]

@@chtomlin That goes back to previous eras also. Borg again for example, talked about certain techniques and the question of having enough time... And the game itself is essentially simple, it's about a player, a racquet, a ball, and a net.

[@leeteague1795]

Jimmy Connors... 70s triumperative

[@seveglider8406]

I would love to see Nadal playing with Borg's racquet!

[@pavelclaudiopatino419]

Exactly!! Thanks. People are too immerse with the Big 3. But Modern rackets do half of the work. I had a hard time to adjust. Had to shorteneded my swing. Can't compare!

[@seveglider8406]

@@pavelclaudiopatino419 Modern players could not be able to generate as much pace and spin playing with a conventional sized racquet, especially if it is a wood racquet.

[@thebigmonstaandy6644]

@@pavelclaudiopatino419 Borg played also with modern racket later.

[@seveglider8406]

@@thebigmonstaandy6644 Borg played with modern racquets years after he retired from the tour.

[@thebigmonstaandy6644]

@@seveglider8406 and? you sayed ,that modern rackets allows to play faster.so he should play faster.

[@transklutz]

Vilas

[@PeterFreemantennis]

transklutz was just watching Vilas beat Connors at US Open fantastic match. Vilas was fun to watch and another modern style player

[@chtomlin]

Top players have always used modern strokes

[@Picus13]

Tennis history is dived in two B.B and A.B.

[@gmnboss]

Kneesovertoes

[@erik9817]

Just let it play without slow motion.

[@ic5761]

Maybe you should create the videos then.

[@conniekadlecek]

Obviously Becker

[@PeterFreemantennis]

Becker good pick... what part?

[@conniekadlecek]

Crunch Time Coaching against Lendl, AO open final

[@artboy2]

When I was a teen, I idolized Boris, especially his serve. I remember I mimicked his serve perfectly with his straight leg, tucking the but cap before the toss, super pronation. Didn't it cause him some back problems? I luckily got out of that habit myself, but every now and then I try it out for a big first serve.