Are you hitting your second serve too fast?

An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of the Top 10 from the 2019 season uncovers a paradoxical relationship between second serve speed and the corresponding win percentages. A more powerful shot in tennis, especially with a serve, has always been looked upon as more desirable than a slower shot. That belief may not be as set in concrete as we once thought.

The first thing to start with is to organise the 2019 year-end Top 10 in order of fastest to slowest with average second-serve speed.

2019 Year-End Top 10: Average 2nd Serve Speed

When you cut the group in half, combining the fastest five averages and the slowest five averages, something eye-opening emerges. The five players who had the slowest second-serve speed all climbed higher in the group when examining win percentages. The only player to be in the leading five players in average speed and win percentage was Dominic Thiem.

Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Daniil Medvedev and Roberto Bautista Agut owned the five slowest averages of the Top 10 ranked players in 2019. They combined to average 95.5 mph for their second serve while the five leading players averaged right at 100 mph.

The following table re-orders the Top 10 with percentage of points won from second serves in 2019.

2019 Year-End Top 10: 2nd Serve Win Percentages

The clear pattern is that the five slowest servers all climbed the ladder to a higher position when analysing their win percentages while the five fastest servers all dropped to a lower rating when comparing mph to win percentages.

Comparison: Five Slowest Second Servers

•Rafael Nadal: Speed = 6th / Win % = 1st
•Roger Federer: Speed = 8th / Win % = 2nd
•Novak Djokovic: Speed = 7th / Win % = 3rd
•Roberto Bautista Agut: Speed = 10th / Win % = 4th
•Daniil Medvedev: Speed = 9th / Win % = 6th

Comparison: Five Fastest Second Servers

•Matteo Berrettini: Speed = 1st / Win % = 7th
•Alexander Zverev: Speed = 2nd / Win % = 10th
•Gael Monfils: Speed = 3rd / Win % = 9th
•Dominic Thiem: Speed = 4th / Win % = 5th
•Stefanos Tsitsipas: Speed = 5th / Win % = 8th

Below are five strategic possibilities why this dynamic is occurring:

1. A faster second serve gets back to the server faster, taking time away to prepare.
2. The five slower servers are stronger defensively with their Serve +1 forehand and backhand.
3. The returner is “out in front” of the slower second serve, not timing it as well.
4. The five slower servers have a better mix of location to keep the returner guessing.
5. The five slower servers rely more on spin, direction & depth to win second-serve points.

Performance around second serves is critical to reaching the elite level of our sport. Raw speed is just one of the layers that directly effects how many second-serve points you win.

Your favourite players are all at home, but they’re finding plenty of ways to pass the time. From Borna Coric’s dog walks to Jack Sock’s wedding planning, find out how the biggest names in tennis are keeping busy.

Coric kept up his morning routine of long walks with his dog, Nala.

Enjoying morning walks with Nala ? pic.twitter.com/t2szIbe0jI

— borna coric (@borna_coric) May 7, 2020

Sock confirmed that Nick Kyrgios and John Isner will be groomsmen at his wedding this year.

 

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SOCK PARTY OF 22 coming soon!! ?? So thankful that even though it couldn’t be in person, we were able to ask our friends and see their incredible reactions! I can’t wait to have all of you beside us on our big day!!

A post shared by Jack Sock (@jack.sock) on May 12, 2020 at 5:42pm PDT

Novak Djokovic shared a throwback video of his basketball skills.

⛹?? #tbt #stayhome #stayactive pic.twitter.com/rbEl5AC3mB

— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) May 14, 2020

Roberto Bautista Agut took on Villarreal CF football star Santi Cazorla in a fun challenge.

It’s #tennisathome challenge time ?

World No. 12 @BautistaAgut takes on @VillarrealCF‘s @19SCazorla! ??@LaLiga | @ATPTour_ES pic.twitter.com/fNq79vDuLW

— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 14, 2020

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga got the whole family involved in his goal of TikTok stardom.

 

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Mood à la fin du confinement ?? #tsongateam #tiktok #tiktokdance

A post shared by Jo-Wilfried TSONGA (@tsongaofficiel) on May 12, 2020 at 2:09pm PDT

Benoit Paire appeared to ditch his beard grooming habits while in lockdown

 

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Heureusement que le confinement se termine bientôt!!!! ??‍♂️

A post shared by Benoit Paire (@benpaire) on May 6, 2020 at 9:34am PDT

Juan Ignacio Londero continued to stay on top of his fitness.

Para no perder la costumbre ? ?️‍♂️

??? @juanlondero | #TennisAtHome pic.twitter.com/dY5mFm9xfw

— ATP Tour en Español (@ATPTour_ES) May 12, 2020

Juan Sebastian Cabal enjoyed some bonding time with his newborn son.

 

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Por mil noches mas así ?? . . . @jvasquezb

A post shared by Juan Sebastián Cabal (@jscabal) on May 12, 2020 at 5:48pm PDT

John Millman gave a shout-out to one of the winners in the Emirates ATP Fan Essay Contest, who wrote about how the Aussie inspired him.

Thanks mate for such a nice article. Brilliantly written, capturing one of my favourite nights, which was made so special by people like yourself in the crowd cheering me on. https://t.co/3Xkpnydudb

— John Millman (@johnhmillman) May 11, 2020

The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the US Open, opened its doors to support the city’s battle against the coronavirus, transforming into a temporary hospital.

The tournament announced on its website Thursday that the final patient being treated at the temporary hospital has left, and the space used for it — 12 indoor courts — will now be broken down, sanitised, and returned to its original form.

“The hospital has officially closed, and we are currently in the shutting-down mode,” USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Chief Operating Officer Danny Zausner said, according to the US Open’s website. “[Crews] will be in there for the next three to four weeks disassembling, sanitising and getting us ready to open up for indoor business when we can.”

The first patients began arriving at the temporary hospital the second week of April, but the facility was never forced to maximum capacity. 

Teams have utilised Louis Armstrong Stadium, the centre’s second-largest stadium, to fulfill meal packages to be sent to patients, healthcare workers and school children. Since starting by preparing 150,000 meals per day, the program has been scaled back to provide hot food for first responders. Zausner says food production is set to end on 22 May.

“We were just trying to do our part. We were limited in terms of what our capabilities were, but we were able to provide a safe haven for first responders and, with our food service partners and Restaurant Associates, were able to feed them,” Zausner said. “We felt really good about that. But as we said all along, relative to what people are doing out there day by day, 24 hours a day, we were just scratching the surface.”

After seven years of persistence as a pro tennis player, Gianluca Mager was rewarded by cracking the Top 100 after reaching his maiden ATP Tour final this February at the Rio Open presented by Claro. But the Italian is still waiting to enjoy the benefits of his labour.

Two weeks after his inspired run, the COVID-19 pandemic halted play on Tour and Mager returned to his hometown of Sanremo. The 25-year-old has remained at home since then, but normalcy is slowly returning to daily life in Italy and he recently resumed some of his training.

“We’ve started to play tennis for the past week,” Mager told ATPTour.com. “I tried to do some exercises in my house before that, a lot of core work and stretching. I tried to eat well and not gain too much weight. It’s not easy because my house isn’t that big and I couldn’t go out, but I did my best.

“The situation is a bit difficult because our job is to travel every week, so to stay in one place for three months and do the same thing every day is strange. But I’m happy because I can stay with my family and my girlfriend. I’m trying to take advantage of spending time with them.”

A smile still flashes across Mager’s face when he talks about his week in Rio de Janeiro. He arrived with two tour-level wins in his career, but came through qualifying and took out Buenos Aires champion Casper Ruud in the opening round, then followed up with a stunning quarter-final upset over then-World No. 4 Dominic Thiem. Mager moved from No. 128 to a career-high standing of No. 77.

What a moment for Gianluca Mager ?

The Italian qualifier gets the job done in straight sets against the World No. 4 ?

?: @TennisTV | @RioOpenOficial pic.twitter.com/QY1wtQBPDa

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 22, 2020

Although Mager initially imagined that he’d be competing in ATP Masters 1000 events and making his Grand Slam main draw debut this month at Roland Garros, the pandemic has shifted his priorities. With more than 223,000 cases of COVID-19 in Italy and 31,368 related deaths as of 14 May, he’s simply grateful to be healthy.

“I feel a bit sorry because this is the first time I could play in the main draw of ATP Tour events and Grand Slams. I was playing well, felt confident and could have done even better in my results,” Mager said. “But I’m still happy because my family is healthy and nobody got sick [with COVID-19]. A lot of people died in Italy, so in these moments, tennis is only a second priority.”

Mager’s surge into the Top 100 is even more surprising given his unconventional path. He only competed in three ITF junior events and preferred to spend his teenage years enjoying the picturesque views of his hometown. But after being introduced to former ATP Tour player Diego Nargiso, he ditched his partying ways and dedicated himself to the sport at age 18.

First Final Feeling!

Qualifier Gianluca Mager reaches a maiden ATP final 7-6(4) 4-6 7-6(2) over Balazs. He meets Garin for the ?#RioOpen pic.twitter.com/bgzgtK1nwR

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 23, 2020

In his first year as a pro, Mager took a train and bus every day to practise in Beausoleil, a French commune that adjoins Monaco. Despite the grueling commute, he never missed a training session.

“I didn’t give too much importance to tennis when I was younger. I preferred to be with my friends and stay outside,” Mager admitted. “When I was 18, I started to take it seriously. I stopped going out and started going to bed early. When I met Diego, he helped me to become motivated and it finally became a real passion for me. I started to practise better and was more professional.”

It’s a lifestyle that the Italian has grown accustomed to. Although he’s enjoyed strengthening his relationships with loved ones that he doesn’t get to see much during a normal year, Mager is eager for play to resume on Tour.

“I can’t wait to enjoy the tournaments that I would have played during the lockdown,” Mager said. “I was playing a lot of smaller tournaments before this, but now I’ll get to be on the ATP Tour and it’s going to be a completely different thing.”

Former World No. 1 Andy Murray is on a roll off the court.

Two weeks ago, the 32-year-old won a video game tournament: the Mutua Madrid Open Virtual Pro. Now, he has won a quiz contest against Manchester United star Marcus Rashford.

“If I win, you’re getting me box tickets!” Murray proclaimed before the quiz began.

For his part, Murray said that if he lost, he would get Rashford Wimbledon Centre Court tickets. But the 46-time tour-level titlist cruised to victory, 4-2.

Murray knew how many goals Rashford scored in his first-team debut (2), his jersey number (10), how many goals Rashford has scored for England (10) and the year he won the FA Cup with Manchester United (2016).

“I’m happy with my day’s work now,” Murray said. “How are you planning on delivering those tickets to me?”

“You can steal my box for the game,” Rashord responded with a smile.

Rafael Nadal played an incredible clay-court season in 2017, going 24-1 with four titles, including a triumph at Roland Garros. However, a 23-year-old Dominic Thiem prevented the Spaniard from clay perfection that season.

Thiem stunned the legendary lefty 6-4, 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia for one of the biggest wins of his career, ending Nadal’s 17-match winning streak.

“It’s a great achievement for me. If you’re up a set and a break, you never feel safe because he just doesn’t give you one easy point. You really have to finish the match off, and that’s what I did today,” Thiem said. “He’s this kind of player who never gives up. [He is] probably the best fighter in tennis. Especially on clay, it’s one of the toughest things to beat him.”

What makes the Austrian’s straight-sets victory even more impressive is that earlier that clay season, he lost twice against Nadal without winning a set. Entering their clash at the Foro Italico, the Spaniard led their ATP Head2Head series 4-1. Nadal’s four victories came in straight sets, and Thiem needed a final-set tie-break in his win.

But Thiem came out firing in Rome, looking to dictate play at every opportunity in his one-hour, 51-minute win.

“I came in with a very aggressive game style, because I knew that if I wanted to have a chance, then I would have to do something different and be more aggressive,” Thiem said. “I knew that if it goes in, everything, maybe I have a chance. If not, maybe I’d also lose easily. But today was one of these days where I really felt the ball great on the racquet, and a lot of risky shots went in.

“It was a very, very good performance and I think probably one of my best matches.”

Thiem was clutch under pressure, saving six of seven break points he faced. He won more points behind his second serve (58%) than Nadal did behind his first serve (55%).

“The opponent played very well. [I] just congratulate him, because he was better than me this afternoon,” Nadal said. “He played great in all aspects. Just well done for him.”

Thiem, who lost in the next round against Novak Djokovic, went on to reach his second consecutive Roland Garros semi-final. But against Nadal, he wasn’t able to conjure the same level he found at the Foro Italica. Nadal dismissed the Austrian 6-3, 6-4, 6-0, and he went on to lift the trophy without dropping a set.

Did You Know?
Nadal currently leads Thiem 9-5 in their ATP Head2Head series.

David Goffin is the No. 10 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings with four ATP Tour titles to his name.

ATPTour.com looks at five things you should know about the 29-year-old.

1) He Played His Idol On His Roland Garros Debut
In 2012, as a lucky loser, Goffin survived two five-set matches en route to the Round of 16 at Roland Garros. The 21-year-old faced his idol, Roger Federer, for a place in the quarter-finals.

After taking the opener, Goffin pushed Federer in the second set before falling to a four-set defeat. Following the match, Goffin and Federer shared a joint interview on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.

2) He Returned In Style In 2014
After breaking his left wrist in September 2013, Goffin reached new heights the following year. The Belgian arrived at the 2014 Generali Open on a 15-match and 30-set winning streak, after capturing ATP Challenger Tour titles in Scheveningen, Poznan and Tampere.

Searching for his first ATP Tour trophy, the 23-year-old cruised through to the semi-finals in Kitzbühel without dropping a set, before earning three-set comeback wins against Maximo Gonzalez and Dominic Thiem to take the title. At the 2014 Nitto ATP Finals, the Rocourt native received the 2014 Comeback Player of the Year trophy.

3) He Ended 2017 In Top Form
At the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals, Goffin earned three Top 4 victories en route to the championship match. The 26-year-old overcame Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem to advance to the semi-finals, where he rallied from a set down to upset six-time champion Roger Federer.

Goffin met World No. 6 Grigor Dimitrov in the final, but fell in three sets to the Bulgarian. With titles in Tokyo and Shenzhen, Goffin ended the year with a 59-24 record.

4) 2019 Was A Year Of Two Halves
“Last year was a lot of ups and downs for me. At the beginning of the year, it was really tough. I was a little bit lost,” said Goffin.

In his opening 15 tournaments of the 2019 ATP Tour season, Goffin earned just two Top 30 victories and failed to win more than two matches at any event. But the Belgian reversed his fortunes at the NOVENTI OPEN in Halle, beating three Top 30 players in four matches to earn his place in the championship match.

Despite his loss to Federer in the final, Goffin continued to build in confidence through the remainder of the year. After a quarter-final run at Wimbledon, the four-time ATP Tour titlist reached his first ATP Masters 1000 final at the Western & Southern Open and advanced to the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships semi-finals in Tokyo.

“I changed coaches. I started to work with Thomas Johansson and then week-after-week, I started to play much better,” said Goffin. “The second half was much better. I finished the year No. 11 [in the FedEx ATP Rankings] so, at the end, it was a good year.”

5) He Entered The History Books At The 2020 ATP Cup
Remember this for future quiz nights: David Goffin was the first player to use Video Review in ATP Cup history.

In his opening match of the 2020 ATP Tour season, the 5’11” right-hander unsuccessfully challenged a foot fault call during his match against Radu Albot. Goffin went on to clinch the tie for Team Belgium with a 6-4, 6-1 victory and ended the team competition with a 3-1 record.

In the Final Eight, Goffin became only the second man to beat Nadal in singles while playing for Spain (excluding Olympics). Nadal had won 32 straight such contests heading into the match (32-2).

In December, four tournaments were recognised for excellence in standards set across the global ATP Challenger Tour and for their steadfast commitment to growing the game. These integral events in Puerto Vallarta, Heilbronn, Braunschweig and Szczecin have become player and fan favourites for their dedication to providing a world-class experience both on and off the court.

This week would have been the seventh edition of the NECKARCUP, which earned Tournament of the Year honours in three straight seasons from 2017-19. Despite being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Heilbronn remains one of the more scenic and sparkling destinations on the circuit.

With five of its six champions currently residing in the Top 40 of the FedEx ATP Rankings, Heilbronn has been a breeding ground for the future stars of the ATP Tour. World No. 34 Jan-Lennard Struff captured the inaugural title in 2014, followed by No. 7 Alexander Zverev, No. 27 Nikoloz Basilashvili and No. 32 Filip Krajinovic, winner in both 2017 and 2019.

Heilbronn has also been the site of teenage breakthroughs, featuring 18-year-old Zverev as its champion in 2015 and 17-year-old Rudolf Molleker in 2018. Molleker had never won a match at the Challenger level entering the week and he would leave with the trophy. And on the doubles court, Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies captured the title last year, before sprinting to their maiden Grand Slam crown at Roland Garros.

Tucked in the southwest corner of Germany, less than an hour north of Stuttgart, is the sleepy town of Heilbronn. With the river Neckar curling around the downtown district and a vast expanse of vineyards dotting the surrounding region, Heilbronn’s tranquility provides players with an idyllic setting for a tournament.

Enter the grounds of the NECKARCUP in Heilbronn and your immediate impression is one of a modern facility, built especially for a world-class tennis tournament.

Turn to the left and you’ll find a corridor of entertainment, featuring a stage for concerts and comedy shows, and nationally renowned dining, including Thomas Gödtel’s Tenno Sushi Lounge. Then shift to the right and stroll past the two main show courts, weaving through the VIP centre and a sponsor village that features a 3D printing machine.

But despite its lush ambiance, this venue actually has quite a long and storied history. One of the longest on the Challenger circuit, in fact. Turn back the clock more than a century and you will find this very stadium at the forefront of German tennis. Not only is the TC Heilbronn Trappensee the second-oldest tennis club in all of Germany, but it is also the third-oldest on the ATP Challenger Tour today.

Founded in 1892, it celebrates its 128th anniversary this year. Only the grass-court facilities in Ilkley (1880) and Surbiton (1881) have a longer legacy on the circuit, but Heilbronn boasts arguably the most colourful history.

The original site was constructed on the expanse of land adjacent to the current stadium, but during World War II, the city was the target of numerous bombings by the British and United States Air Forces. In April 1945, the U.S. military seized control of Heilbronn and the persistent air raids culminated in a nine-day battle. Located along the Neckar River, the city was an important battleground towards the end of the war.

Tournament directors Mine and Metehan Cebeci say that troops from the United States army were stationed in the region immediately surrounding the city, which was nearly entirely destroyed by more than 1,000 allied bombs. Following the war, the American forces helped the locals rebuild the tennis club, assisting in the construction of the current indoor facility that today houses three carpet courts. During the tournament, the building is transformed into a sprawling player lounge, dining area and event offices.

Today, the surrounding region is home to hundreds of vineyards. Heilbronn is known for its bustling wine industry, with more than 1,300 acres of land dedicated to the craft. It’s one of the more picturesque settings for a tournament on the ATP Challenger Tour. And that’s exactly why the Cebecis established the event. In just six years, it has become one of the premier stops on the ATP Challenger Tour, serving the players with all the amenities they need, from round-the-clock shuttle service to buffet lunches and dinners, a large warm-up and cool down area and six practise courts.

Metehan’s father, Erdogan, was an iconic figure at the club for many years. He served as the chief tennis intructor since immigrating from Turkey and taught Metehan how to play as a child. In 1988, Metehan moved from Turkey to Heilbronn at the age of 17. One year later, he and Mine met in the city and in 1990 they were married. Today, they live in Heilbronn and with their 22-year-old daughter helping with tournament operations and their 17-year-old son working as a ball boy, it truly is a family affair.

“You feel at home here,” said Germany’s Dominik Koepfer. “The player area is the best you will find on tour. There’s plenty of food, enough bikes and a great place to cool down and warm up. You have your privacy too, which is important. They pick you up from the train station and airport too, which is 40 minutes away. You don’t get that at all Challengers. Transport is every 30 minutes and the hotel is very good. There are enough practice courts too. It’s just a great tournament, which really helps this time of year.”

Moreover, the NECKARCUP is well advertised and promoted in the region, with live media coverage from multiple outlets spanning the entire week. From online publications to newspaper, TV and radio, the tournament is covered from top to bottom. And the public has taken notice, with nearly 6,000 people filling the stands throughout the week.

“It’s always great to play at home,” added Oscar Otte. “Every year the tournament is improving and getting better. The whole organisation is great and the player area is a really high level for a Challenger. There’s also a lot of spectators supporting the Germans. We all like to play here. For me, it’s the best Challenger.”

In the fourth profile of a series on the 26 players to rise to No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, ATPTour.com looks back on the career of Bjorn Borg. View Full List

First week at No. 1: 23 August 1977
Total weeks at No. 1: 109
Year-End No. 1s: 1979-80

As World No. 1
Bjorn Borg rose to No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings for the first time, for a single week, at the age of 21 on 23 August 1977. His sixth and final stint at No. 1 lasted 46 weeks, between 19 August 1980 and 2 August 1981. He was the year-end No. 1 in 1979 and 1980 and sat at the summit of professional tennis for 109 weeks. “It’s tough when you’re No. 1,” said Borg. “You don’t have any private life, you can’t even walk anywhere. I think that was one reason why I lost my motivation to play tennis.” He was ranked in the world’s year-end Top 10 across eight straight seasons between 1973 and 1981.

Grand Slam Highlights
Borg made his major championship debut in 1973 at Roland Garros, where he reached the fourth round and subsequently returned to win 46 of his next 47 matches in Paris (49-2 overall record), including title runs in 1974-75, 1978-1981. Across the English Channel, the Swedish baseliner was also making his mark at Wimbledon (51-4 record, .927), where ‘Borg Mania’ reached new heights as he won 42 consecutive matches and earned five straight crowns between 1976 and 1980. Often, against the best players at SW19, he serve-volleyed off his first delivery. Borg’s legendary feat of three Roland Garros-Wimbledon title doubles has since been achieved twice by Nadal (2008 and 2010) and Roger Federer (2009). In 16 major championship appearances, between 1977 Wimbledon and the 1981 US Open, Borg won nine trophies from 14 finals. He reached the US Open final on four occasions, in 1976 (on clay) and in 1978, 1980-81 (on hard courts) and competed at the Australian Open only once, as a 17-year-old in 1974. Borg’s four-set loss to John McEnroe in the 1981 US Open final was his last major championship match (141-16 overall record). “I think Bjorn could have won the US Open,” said Arthur Ashe. “I think he could have won the Grand Slam. But by the time he left, the historical challenge didn’t mean anything. He was bigger than the game. He was like Elvis or Liz Taylor or somebody.”

Nitto ATP Finals Highlights
The Swede made five appearances at the season-ending championships, starting with his debut as an 18-year-old on Melbourne’s grass in 1974. He went on to reach the 1975 final in Stockholm (l. to Nastase) and the 1977 final in New York (l. to Connors), before back-to-back titles in 1978 (d. Gerulaitis), when he went 5-0 during the week at Madison Square Garden, and 1979 (d. Lendl).

Tour Highlights
In partnership with Lennart Bergelin, his coach from 1971 to 1983, Borg won 64 singles trophies and won 644 matches (.827). Borg, who won 16 titles as a teenager, first represented Sweden in the 1972 Davis Cup at the age of 15 and quickly rose into the Top 20. He won his first big title before his 18th birthday at the 1974 Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome, shortly before he started his love affair with Roland Garros. At 19, he punctuated a 19-match winning streak by helping Sweden capture the 1975 Davis Cup crown, and between 1976 and 1980 he won 90 per cent of his matches in four consecutive seasons. Towards the end of the 1981 season, his motivation waned, and he succumbed to burnout, announcing his retirement in January 1983 at the age of just 26. Growing his hair out once more, he attempted a comeback, using a wooden racquet, in 1991 and 1992, but failed to win a set. He subsequently joined the ATP Champions Tour.

Overall ATP Singles Match Win-Loss Record 644-135
Overall ATP Singles Titles/Finals Record: 64-25

Biggest Rivalries
Borg had two principle rivals, Connors and McEnroe, during his 11-year career. Borg met Connors, who is four years older, on 23 occasions, leading 15-8 overall (5-3 at Grand Slams and 8-5 in finals). Connors, who won six of their first seven matches, ended Borg’s 43-match winning streak in the 1978 US Open final, but Borg won their last match in the 1981 semi-finals. Because of their contrasting game styles and personalities, Borg’s clashes against McEnroe became the era’s biggest rivalry. The pair met just 14 times at tour-level (7-7), from their first meeting in the 1978 Stockholm Open semi-finals to the 1981 US Open final. Borg led McEnroe 7-4, but the American won their last three finals meetings, including at Wimbledon and the US Open in 1981.

Legacy
No modern career has been so brief, yet so bright. During the sport’s boom of the 1970s, every player attempted to replicate the ‘Ice Man’, his controlled, emotional demeanour, but also the way he hit heavy topspin forehands and two-handed backhands (his best stroke) with a western grip. His stamina, endurance and steely focus made Borg practically unbeatable on the clay of Roland Garros and Wimbledon’s grass. With Bergelin, Borg had more than a coach; he was a ‘second’ father and close friend, who protected his charge as Borg’s celebrity shone and developed the style of play that dominates the sport today. Borg was massively superstitious, from sitting on the same chair beside an umpire, to the way he placed his racquets and towels. His first wife, former Romanian player Mariana Simionescu, once said, “He was always very placid and calm, except if he lost a match – he wouldn’t talk for at least three days. He couldn’t stand losing.” His departure from the sport was a massive shock, just as his rivalry with McEnroe was at its peak. Today, alongside McEnroe, Borg is a team captain in the Laver Cup (since 2017).

Memorable Moment
On 5 July 1980, the world’s two best players, Borg and McEnroe, contested one of the most compelling matches in the sport’s history, pitting ruthless baseline play against a classic serve-volleyer. The match was unrivalled until the 2008 Wimbledon final between Nadal and Federer. Borg and McEnroe engaged in a 20-minute fourth-set tie-break, which saw Borg save five set points and McEnroe save five championship points, before the American prevailed 18/16. McEnroe could not break Borg in the deciding set and the Swede won his fifth straight Wimbledon title, 1-6, 7-6, 6-3, 6-7(16), 8-6, after four hours and 13 minutes. “The 1980 Wimbledon final with Borg – that’s the one I was most proud of to be part of,” said McEnroe, who ended Borg’s five-title run at Wimbledon the next year. “It’s talked about as one of the best matches people have seen so that certainly elevated me in a lot of different ways, even though I came out second in that one.”

Connors on Borg
“Bjorn was a different breed. I threw my best material at him, but he would never smile, but that added to the charm when he played me and Mac. We were going nuts and losing our mind and he was sitting back like he was on a Sunday stroll.”

McEnroe on Borg
“He had this thing about him that was inexplicable. I don’t know what it is, why it is, but it is. Certain people have this incredible aura that I can’t explain without having to do anything. It’s like he got into his superman outfit. I did try in practice just for the hell of it, to be like that, but I couldn’t do it in practice, so I wasn’t going to waste my time in a match trying to be like he was. I felt like letting things out was healthier than keeping things in.”

Borg on Borg
“They [my rivals] didn’t really know what I was thinking or how I was feeling, if I am laughing or crying or disappointed or happy. They don’t know that because I kept it all to myself. That didn’t mean I wasn’t boiling inside, but I would never let anyone see that.”

Journalist/Broadcaster Graeme Agars on Borg
By almost all measures, Borg was hardly the classic highly strung tennis player. The incredibly popular ‘heart throb’ Swede wasn’t called the ‘Ice Man’ for nothing: His steely demeanour and superb concentration meant his matches were all business, with rarely any real emotion shown. But the same can’t be said for his wooden racquets, which were strung as tight as any professional player has ever used. It wasn’t uncommon for them to be strung at 75-80 pounds, more than double what the average player uses. And because Borg’s racquets were wooden and not made of the modern high-tech materials like graphite, they frequently used to succumb to the strain and that was often before he had even taken them on court. There were numerous stories on the Tour back in his day about the racquets exploding at the most inappropriate times, like the middle of the night in hotel rooms, in overhead luggage lockers on aircraft and during transit between venues. Although Borg was unmoved when it happened, those who were not aware of what the ‘rifle shot’ noise was were often terrified.