John McEnroe: Bjorn Borg made me better

[@danielhughes4005]

Borg was the only player who McEnroe truly respected. So much so that he always behaved impeccably in their matches.

[@GH-jb6bq]

McEnroe said he couldn't afford to get mad, to lose his concentration when he got mad would have killed him against Borg

[@billyperry7991]

Borg would probably be the hardest of all the greats to play.He never got rattled,never flustered.No mental breakdown,just calm,cool,and calculated.

[@theman2017inc]

Borg had the PERFECT temperament

[@ZiggyMercury]

Just like McEnroe! :P

[@lethrneck4]

borg also claimed he never got tired, ever, during any tennis match due to his streuous training...mcenroe said "im the best player for 2, maybe 2and a half hours...after that...my odds go down" thats what made Borg like a robot

[@zakkwyldesdmf13]

I think Borg started out the very opposite but then forced himself not to show any emotions any more.

[@bearslair2010]

You had to live through that era to appreciate the level of physical and mental performance of Borg, McEnroe, Connors, Lendl - esp. given the training and equipment.

[@talktech1]

Some of the best tennis ever considering the technology.

[@jondough3014]

John became likeable when he became a commentator. His insights are brilliant.

[@nancyyoung9799]

Agreed.

[@jmad627]

My all time favorite tennis player....and I agree with you.

[@rivierarocket]

So true!

[@erindav1]

So true Jon...hated him back in the day but now I respect. him so much.

[@stormhawk3319]

John admitted he was devastated when Bjorn retired so early. He’d lost his greatest rival and even though he was the number 1 player in the world didn’t seem happy and even said he’d rather be number 2 just to have Bjorn come back.

[@ralphfurley123]

It has been said that “styles make fights”! It is evident in the Celtics/Lakers rivalry of the 80s with fast break vs half court. Ali vs Frasier, with Ali’s finesse and Frasier’s relentless approach. Borg vs McEnroe is another clash of styles that was incredibly mesmerizing! Borg the quiet Norse god who had ice in his veins and was the master on the baseline! McEnroe was the obnoxious, bratty loud mouth from New York who was extremely volatile, but was a relentless genius with the serve & volley game!!! Two opposing styles with differing personalities, who shared the love of the game, the desire to be the best, and the immense talent that kept us riveted for a couple of unforgettable years!!! ☮️🖖🏽

[@rickmemmer5625]

Your comment represents the finest of what social media has to offer.

[@mrstarstuff]

Are you a writer? Perfect analysis and well said.

[@John-uu1wu]

Well said.

[@user-mv6he6gl8m]

The Borg retirement is still an enigma. He started at like 11 and then on it was tennis 24/7 for 15 years straight. But, still, the question lingers - did he in McEnroe see his nemesis that would only grow bigger and bigger? A player even more talented than himself that would surpasse him on the world stage scene?

[@williamfall6945]

as a swede and die-hard Borg fan, I appreciate McEnroe and his talent, for without great competition Borg wouldn't have cemented his legacy in the way he did

[@usaslakt]

Great rivalry and the Golden years of tennis. Great memories! I'm a swede and I just worshiped Borg as a little kid. Some People say Borg quit to early but you got to have in mind that he turned pro at fifteen. Guess he was fed up, even though he was still young.

[@michaeldavis6607]

Borg was my favorite of all time. Wish he would have played longer .

[@sknkwrksowner]

Past girlfriend of mine's (Swedish) parents owned a restaurant in Stockholm in which Borg would frequent. On a visit, her mom had arranged for me to have drink/lunch with him. The man is incredible and very humble (almost shy). Besides the obvious 'hero comment', we never spoke about tennis, which I think made him talk even more. One of the best moments of my life.

[@johneldridge8678]

My all time favorite as well.

[@ZiggyMercury]

@@sknkwrksowner Very interesting, thanks for sharing!

[@sheldonwalz4016]

McEnroe has earn people's respect both as a player and a commentator .

[@canadiannavigator3346]

Super Brat ... that’s what I remember ... Borg was the quiet professional. Loved Borg. However, Super MAC has become a terrific sports commentator / analyst. I appreciate the honesty in the interview. Awesome !

[@bobblount7183]

Borg very rarely complained and when he did it, it was silent complaint, he would stare you down and never say a word, McEnroe was USA and Borg was not but I always pulled for the guy class against bratty little Punk.

[@kazkaz2212]

Such honesty and no BS, truthful about himself good and bad. Have been a fan forever and this interview just makes me admire him more. Tennis has never been the same since he retired - a brilliant tennis player and always so entertaining.

[@g.holland4862]

The first match that I ever watched was Borg vs McEnroe in the Wimbledon final that Borg won. It was such an amazing match. Needless to say, it wasn't my last. I'd still say it's in the top 3 greatest Wimbledon finals of all time.

[@John-uu1wu]

Top 2, maybe even #1

[@juanaltredo2974]

the most painful regrets in life are those "could've should've", but fair play to john for admitting it.

[@borgtennis]

Me too I kept hoping Borg would come back... and turn the table. When McEnroe came, he changed the game and Borg had to change with it. Had Borg burn out? Couldn't reach deep anymore? What a rivalry... wished we saw more. Wished I had seen Borg falling on his knees after winning Wimbledon live on TV and not as a replay... I have grown to respect and appreciate McEnroe. He certainly is the giant killer. So was Lendl.

[@TheCrusaderRabbits]

The Interviewer really knows his stuff. Good on him.

[@davidmalsher4038]

AND knows when to shut up and appreciate he's not the star of the interview

[@yongwoo1020]

He’s awkward and eager.. meh...

[@iamshadowbanned699]

I love your profile pic.

[@SMSJSC]

Yeah, but he's asking Mac the same old questions. The sort of questions Mac has been asked a hundred times before.

[@chiefryback7906]

McEnroe was the absolute most fun to watch ever. His brilliance makes him No.1 all time. We all just wanted to watch him no matter what.

[@bobblount7183]

his antics made it hard to root for an asshole, loved Borg, just played without all the antics.

[@bobblount7183]

McEnroe was a brilliant player but he was not all time # 1 -- Borg was 1, Conners 2--McEnroe was 3. but he was No. 1 when it came to being a class A asshole punk.

[@michaelbarlow6610]

@ Chief Ryback. I have always felt (and continue to feel) that McEnroe is the greatest male tennis player of the graphite era because at his absolute peak in 1984, he played a level of tennis not only never seen before, but also above the level of Sampras or Federer at their best. It is impossible to compare the all-time great players of the wood/metal rackets era with the best players of the graphite era. Laver, Budge and Tilden in no particular order, were the three greatest players of the wood era. But I have always stated and firmly believe that if McEnroe had won that 1984 French Open final against Lendl and not screwed it up as he did, and if he had gone down to Australia in December of that year and completed the Grand Slam by winning the Australian Open, then he would be regarded by most tennis experts, knowledgeable tennis fans and historians as the greatest player of all-time because he would have won the Grand Slam on 3 different surfaces (grass, clay and hard courts) whereas Laver and Budge won it on only 2 different surfaces (grass and clay).

[@michaelbarlow6610]

@ Bob Blount. You can't consider Borg as the greatest make tennis player of all-time when clearly, Laver, Budge , Tilden, McEnroe and Sampras were better! Realistically (and I am a huge Borg fan) Borg is about the 9th or 10th greatest male player in tennis history. Because the dimensions of the tennis court favor net play over baseline play, the greatest serve-and-volley players of all-time were better than Borg including Laver, McEnroe, Kramer, Sampras, Becker and Edberg, even though Kramer, Becker , McEnroe and Edberg did not win as many major singles titles as Borg. Third, you can't put Connors as either the #2 greatest player of all-time or ahead of McEnroe on the all-time greats list. Connors lost two huge U.S. Open semifinals to McEnroe and got creamed by McEnroe in the 1984 Wimbledon final. Granted that in 1984 McEnroe was at his absolute peak and Connors was significantly past his prime. Yes Connors defeated McEnroe in the 1982 Wimbledon final, but McEnroe's serve-and-volley was clearly better than Connors' baseline play most of the time. Connors is probably about the 11th greatest male tennis player of all-time.

[@michaelbarlow6610]

@ Bob Blount. I misspelled the word "male" as "make" at the beginning of my above posted response comment about Borg, Connors and McEnroe.

[@blarae50]

Borg is a genius...

[@ronbonora7872]

I loved watching Borg. But both Borg and McEnroe were great players in their time!

[@justinmix143]

Mac’s about the coolest dude ever in retirement. Like someone who’s be so fun to just kick back and chill with. Although I was hoping for a “doink doink” in this interview

[@novatime59]

Great interview! Wow, John was that good. Won the French Juniors...what a player!

[@benkeel2966]

Johnny respected all his opponents, he just admired Borg the most.

[@SMSJSC]

I don't think he respected John Scanlon or Brad Gilbert somehow.

[@rayoflight9709]

Excellent interviews. They were great games of tennis between Borg and McEnroe. McEnroe in the top 6 or 7 probably.

[@stevenspannari6033]

When McEnroe arrived he turned the tennis world upside down. His fierce competitiveness and passion was new and controversial. He was a genius, an artist, an entertainer, a gifted athlete and pure box office. He was compulsory viewing when on court and definitely my favorite player ever.

[@bearinthewoods3]

The interviewer is great

[@andrew1212w]

I love McEnoroe I was a big fan when he played on the tour and I think he is the best tennis commentator ever 👍🎾

[@dks13827]

The golden age of tennis.... great players and great tv announcers. Will never forget it.

[@fundhund62]

Absolutely. I actually enjoy rewatching those old classics more than I do following today's tournaments. Back in the day McEnroe wasn't very very well liked, but today people fondly look back on his time. He was one of a kind, and there hasn't been another one like him. On top of that, he was the obvious inspiration for some of the biggest talents this sport has seen (Leconte, Mecir, Edberg).

[@toddbishop1139]

I really enjoy listening to John. Very cool interview. The guy doing the interview does a great job with the questions.

[@wkatc007]

Mac will always be in my Top 10

[@ronyeahright9536]

Like him or loathe him, one thing you gotta say about Johnny Mac these days; there is no bs, he sounds very honest and sincere.

[@lenraby5920]

The golden age of tennis now it's sterile. To me Mac and Borg were tennis, they made the game more than it had been before.

[@normadesmond6017]

today it's so boring. and it's about guys who are middle-aged. I am watching it and it think: what the hell do I care? I wasn t like that then. I was like all Borg.

[@brucekilby9957]

It was a great age for Tennis with greats like McEnroe,Borg,Connors and Lendel.Now it seems like so many good players come and go so quick,but the old crew still keep going,but there will be the top players and the rest.Medvedev is a future star after The Joker,Nadal,Federer. The great game go's on, but things don't change.

[@DTun-yt1bz]

Very different style of game.

[@caprise-music6722]

@@normadesmond6017 not anymore

[@normadesmond6017]

@@caprise-music6722 o yes. That's why Nadal keeps on winning the French. That's why Federer has won so many Grand Slams. Because there in nobody else to steop into their footsteps. And there were then.

[@buckodonnghaile4309]

I saw McEnroe vs Borg in a big money (I think it was 125 grand to the winner) 8 man exhibition tournament at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto as a little kid. I was cheering for Borg but John bested him that day.

[@jjmarz1001]

Hey! I was there too!!!

[@geraldillo]

good interview!

[@dmlevitt]

McEnroe such a great guy. very self reflective. someone I would love to have a drink with. loved him since I was a kid.

[@JTDutch]

I always felt Borg vs. McEnroe was like confection for the connoisseur and that McEnroe vs. Connors was like meat for the masses. And it says a lot about McEnroe that he was good enough, versatile enough, to adjust to both guys as well as he did.

[@dylanmain9534]

Excellent analysis nice point

[@eddieingalls534]

As a kid I hated Mac as I knew he was getting Borg's number on the faster services but the truth is he added to and made the tension, the excitement, the pure brilliance of the (sadly few) matches they played. When you watch re-runs of the 1980 Wimbledon final and the tiebreak, it may not seem the most brilliant tennis being played but at the time the tension, the atmosphere and no one knowing how the match would end - quite incredible times.

[@tamayozgokmen9596]

You make good interviews with interesting folks; keep it up.

[@GrahamBensinger]

Thanks! Glad you're enjoying them. -AD

[@Underhills]

Borg was so easy to like. McEnroe was so easy to dislike. Every time Borg won we all felt that justice was made in a way. It was more than just sports.

[@theman2017inc]

The good guy vs the bad boy of tennis of the late 70’s/ early 80’s

[@nancyyoung9799]

Mac brought --what on oh something to the game that Borg or anyone as ever had not. That was interest. Mac here was interesting win or lose.

[@benkeel2966]

One of the MOST influential American athletes of the last century. John McEnroe inspired generations.

[@andrewworrall4302]

great interview

[@GrahamBensinger]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it. And thanks for subscribing! -AD

[@andrewworrall4302]

@@GrahamBensinger you handle difficult topics and potentially volatile people with grace. You want genuine information and not to put the person down or shame them

[@tboneito]

Prime John McEnroe best of all time.

[@peterbrown6434]

Brilliant,interview!!!

[@og1689]

I like John as I feel that he is very honest!

[@timothy9596]

Johnny Mac will always be my favorite. I couldn't care less that he never won the French.

[@PretentiousStuff]

Federer almost always never won the French. Soderling handed him that win on a silver plate. I bet Fed never even thanked him for that.

[@ShaftTheLot]

McEnroe , the only guy that could make Jimmy Connors look like a reasonable human being.

[@lyndonchastain3181]

You are an absolute idiot if you think Mac was worse than Connors

[@mattcorcoran7082]

@@lyndonchastain3181 Don’t shoot the devil in the back. What if you miss?

[@LaserRanger15]

It was a shame that Borg retired so young. Before Nadal came along, Bjorn was the best clay court player in history. Tennis was so much better in the 70's and 80's before it became mostly an all power game. Only a few players today play an all court game.

[@SMSJSC]

I really miss tennis greats from the past, but McEnroe is extra special because his kind of game simply doesn't exist anymore (and hasn't for a very long time). I would go as far as saying that Mac is THE player of all time when it comes to artistry.

[@robinpayne1365]

McEnroe my favourite player. serve & volley at its best. Dont forget McEnroe & Fleming doubles.

[@oteliogarcia1562]

6 seasons. His 1984 was unbelievable

[@findkip]

John is fantastic and entertaining

[@johnoneill7947]

Vicki Nelson-Dunbar played Jean Hepner in a 29-minute, 643-shot rally. The rally remains the longest point played in a professional tennis match. Nelson-Dunbar says the two-set match lasted 61/2 hours. She says other points in the game could have been longer.

[@chocolatetownforever7537]

One of the craziest things in sports history is the fact that McEnroe never won another grand slam after the 84 US Open. He was as dominant of an athlete in his sport as any other in history that year, its incredible that he never raised a grand slam trophy again. What would have the betting odds have been in Vegas if there was such a prop bet? It would have been astronomical.

[@jeremypearson6852]

Always wonder how many slams Borg would have won if he hadn’t retired so early.

[@KnightOfSummer1995]

One of the all time great

[@MapleSyrupPoet]

John gets better looking, as he ages ...handsome level, goes up 👍✌

[@luisf.2903]

Pretty honest man.

[@rbilleaud]

Ah, yes, I remember the '84 final against Lendl. I think that was the moment that fitness became a thing in tennis. McEnroe had Lendl on the ropes. He won the first two sets 6-3, 6-2, the lost the last two at 4, 5 and 5. It was hard fought, but you could tell Mac was getting gassed. Lendl was running him all over the place because Lendl had the all-court game that Borg didn't so he could do that to McEnroe. And you could tell McEnroe was getting frustrated because he didn't have an answer. And Borg was keeping him back so he couldn't serve and volley, which was what Mac was most comfortable doing. Certainly one of the all time great matches.

[@Nkosinati]

Yes i remember that match like it was yesterday! I was 14 living with my grandparents. Hated McEnroe. My granddad loved him. Watch the first two sets, then had to go to church. Granddad did the silent "i told you so" routine with me; he was loving it; i was so pissed; Mac was dominating. Came home, saw the highlights..... i was so happy that i literally ran around the house screaming like a little girl. I don't think Granddad ever talked with me about tennis again. He was sincerely upset. Not just about the match, but about the fact that i was pulling for the what he called the "Ruskie" : )

[@samanthabusch643]

did you just say borg did not have the all court game lendl did i gues six french opens on clay and 5 wimbltons on grass is not an all court game how many of those did lendl win lendl was my second favorote player but come on could not hold a candle to bjorn if you no anything about tennis

[@Nkosinati]

Borg was the most dominant player of his generation, period. That said, he did not learn to dominate hard court tennis. I'm not saying he couldnt have done so had he played longer... but he didn't. But he ruled England and France for half a decade! No one has ever done that. Nadal is the only other person who's even won the RG-Wimby double since Borg. Borg was every bit as all-court as Lendl. Borg couldn't master asphalt. Lendl couldnt master grass.

[@jimbolaskowski7527]

So true...I'm sure b.b . Did rue the leaving...so young..with so much left unsung

[@nielsjohannsen2854]

I was always impressed with Johns richus temper.

[@boskey10]

Hey John, had Rod Laver play in you're era, you would of played even better. Maybe even a career grand slam winner.

[@Ryan2022]

McEnroe didn’t choke in the 1984 French Open Final. He got tired and Lendl switched tactics by chipping returns and then hitting topspin lobs. More importantly, for the first time in his career, Lendl didn’t fold in the big match.

[@bborud]

Young me liked Borg. Older me likes McEnroe. In the long run I think even Borg would have wanted to be McEnroe.

[@weirdead829]

Totally feel the same

[@EnligUlv]

It’s cool to that he lived long enough to have old man wisdom. I always thought someone would lose it and murder him 😉 Fascinating.

[@mkedmusa9416]

Awesome

[@leoderosia9279]

Borg, mac, Connors was a great time for tennis

[@gideonsmit4344]

What would be the reason that Borg bowed out in 1982 at age 26??

[@aaronjohnson3463]

Wow DNA will prove that Walter Matthau was john's father.

[@weirdead829]

Lol

[@joetanaka6446]

Nyers

[@ricknesar1627]

The rivalries of Sweden´s great three were awsome. Borg-Wilander Wilander-Lendl Edberg-Becker As I Swede I value Edbergs to Wimbledon titles the highest. Beating Boris Becker in two Wimbledon finals when Boris was so damned good was out of this world

[@mikec886]

Borg v McEnroe great movie

[@eldodpuppy9665]

Good Interview Mac👍

[@rickhayden3343]

don't watch tennis much anymore buy boy it was super when Mac came along. he served and volleyed which has departed the game which is now just baseline.

[@timtuason8611]

I'd pay to watch McEnroe's Biopic especially if Paul Rudd played him

[@aditisk99]

There is a movie about that final match though.

[@stevenmeyer9674]

McEnroe's game can only be described as being "beautiful"

[@nigelgunson1025]

I don't agree about the French being a lesser title. The Australian open from 76 to 82 83 was useless. Very few, if any top ten players participated. The French had borg ,vilas, vitas, nastase.

[@CMRinehart]

Graham should have told Mac to wipe his nose.

[@wkatc007]

Yeah they could've paused and edited that

[@CMRinehart]

OK so I wasn't seeing things. Mac kept wiping his nose but the thing didn't budge. But it was a great interview.

[@zildog]

I did notice that funnily enough - was somehow conscious of it - but the message is awesome. John was true champ.

[@godisbollocks]

2:05 "My mom was always sort of 'wahry' of anything..." Dude, that's not how that word is pronounced. It rhymes with 'fairy'.

[@80sruler]

Mr Tennis

[@maddymud]

5 year run for championships

[@Slowhand871]

A great athlete and amongst the worst sportsman of all time.

[@josephnicholson2593]

Cocaine is a hell of a drug...

[@luisf.2903]

Joseph Nicholson tell me more

[@johniii8147]

Graham is pretty hot

[@brain8484]

When unwashed hippys played tennis

[@corbysherman4710]

John was fucking awesome. Sometimes a little bitch but always a warrior on the court.

[@foxtrotA1]

Mac sounds shallow in this interview. Having nightmares still (ever!) about losing the French Open. Come on, bro. Yeah, you had a great heyday! Maybe you need to hire a copywriter to craft more interesting stories involving other players, maturation points in life, who you cared about and what they taught you. Level up, man

[@danielsmith1027]

Hey John, to win at the French Open you need to play from the back of the Court, grind out a victory no?

[@fredwright5954]

You sound shallow in your opinion

[@Ed-wh8sx]

Borg didn't care to get better, he quit like a loser

[@JulioLeonFandinho]

You need to learn some tennis, idiot

[@ronbonora7872]

@@JulioLeonFandinho I agree!

[@willnill7946]

Agree

[@shanefrancis8947]

You don't know anything about tennis, or what was going on at that time. First, Borg beat Mcenroe in their last meeting, in 1983, before Borg was officially done. Borg was getting death threats at tournaments, and he was kind of the first "rock star" of tennis, hounded relentlessly. He was worn out by it.. He continually worked on his game, even when winning, Wimbledons, working on his serve, slice, volley, etc. He got worn out by the whole thing