Björn Borg facts for kids
Borg in 2014
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| Full name | Björn Rune Borg |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  Sweden |
| Residence | Norrmalm, Stockholm, Sweden |
| Born | 6 June 1956 Stockholm, Sweden |
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) |
| Turned pro | 1973 (comeback in 1991) |
| Retired | 1984, 1993 |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Coach | Lennart Bergelin (1971–1983) Ron Thatcher (1991–1993) |
| Prize money | US$3,655,751 |
| Int. Tennis HoF | 1987 (member page) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 654–140 (82.37%) |
| Career titles | 66 (8th in the Open Era) |
| Highest ranking | No. 1 (23 August 1977) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 3R (1974) |
| French Open | W (1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981) |
| Wimbledon | W (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980) |
| US Open | F (1976, 1978, 1980, 1981) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Tour Finals | W (1979, 1980) |
| WCT Finals | W (1976) |
| Professional majors | |
| US Pro | W (1974, 1975, 1976) |
| Wembley Pro | W (1977) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 86–81 (51.2%) |
| Career titles | 4 |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 3R (1973) |
| French Open | SF (1974, 1975) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (1976) |
| US Open | 3R (1975) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | W (1975) |
Björn Borg (born June 6, 1956) is a famous Swedish former tennis player. Many people think he is one of the greatest tennis players ever. He was ranked the world's number one player.
Borg won 66 singles titles during his career. This includes 11 major titles, also known as Grand Slams. He won six times at the French Open and five times in a row at Wimbledon. From 1976 to 1980, he was named ATP Player of the Year. He was also the year-end number one player in 1979 and 1980.
Björn Borg became a tennis star when he was still a teenager. His success helped make tennis very popular in the 1970s. Between 1974 and 1981, he won 11 major singles titles. This was more than any other male player had won in the Open Era at that time.
His matches against Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe were very exciting. The match against McEnroe in the 1980 Wimbledon final is still thought of as one of the best tennis matches ever. Borg retired from tennis at just 25 years old after losing to McEnroe in 1981. He tried to come back in 1991 but it was not successful.
Borg won the French Open four times in a row (1978–81). He never lost a French Open final, winning all six he played. He was the first man since 1886 to play in six Wimbledon finals in a row. He is also the only man to win both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year three times. This is called the "Channel Slam." Even though he reached the final four times, he never won the US Open.
Early Life and Tennis Beginnings
Björn Borg was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on June 6, 1956. He grew up in a town nearby called Södertälje. When he was a child, Björn was very interested in a golden tennis racket. His father had won it at a table-tennis tournament. His father gave him the racket, and that's how his amazing tennis journey began.
Borg was a very athletic player with great stamina. He had a unique style and was very fast. He was known for his strong topspin shots. He used two hands for his backhand, like Jimmy Connors. By the time he was 13, he was already beating older players. His coach, Lennart Bergelin, made sure no one tried to change his special way of playing.
Amazing Career Highlights
Early Days and First Tournaments
At 15, Borg played for Sweden in the 1972 Davis Cup. He won his first match. Later that year, he won the Wimbledon junior singles title. He also won the Orange Bowl Junior Championship. In 1973, he became a professional player. He reached his first final at the Monte Carlo Open. He also played in his first French Open and Wimbledon. By the end of 1973, he was ranked No. 18 in the world.
First Grand Slam Wins
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In 1974, at 17, Borg won his first professional title in New Zealand. He then won the Italian Open, becoming its youngest winner. Two weeks later, he won his first Grand Slam title at the French Open. He was just 18 years old, making him the youngest male French Open champion at that time.
In 1975, Borg won the French Open again. He beat Guillermo Vilas in the final. He also helped Sweden win the Davis Cup that year. Borg won 19 Davis Cup singles matches in a row. He never lost another Davis Cup singles match, extending his winning streak to 33.
Wimbledon Dominance
In 1976, Borg won his first Wimbledon title. He did not lose a single set in the tournament. He beat Ilie Năstase in the final. At 20 years old, Borg became the youngest male Wimbledon champion of the modern era. Năstase said, "We're playing tennis, he's playing something else." Borg also reached the US Open final but lost to Jimmy Connors. He was named ATP Player of the Year.
Borg skipped the French Open in 1977. But he won Wimbledon again, beating his friend Vitas Gerulaitis in a tough semifinal. In the final, he beat Connors in five sets. This win made Borg the world No. 1 for a short time.
From 1978 to 1980, Borg was at his best. He won both the French Open and Wimbledon every year. In 1978, he won the French Open without losing a set. This is a very rare achievement. He then beat Connors in the 1978 Wimbledon final.
Rivalries on Court
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Borg's rivalry with John McEnroe became legendary. They first played in 1978, and McEnroe won. In 1979, Borg won his fourth French Open and fourth Wimbledon title. He beat Connors in the Wimbledon semifinal.
In 1980, Borg won his fifth French Open title, again without losing a set. Then came the famous 1980 Wimbledon final against McEnroe. It was a five-set thriller. McEnroe won an amazing tie-break in the fourth set (18-16). But Borg won the fifth set, winning his fifth Wimbledon title in a row. He later said this was the first time he was afraid of losing.
Later in 1980, Borg and McEnroe met in the US Open final. McEnroe won in five sets. This match made their rivalry even more famous. Borg also won the year-end Masters tournament twice, beating McEnroe and Ivan Lendl.
Final Grand Slam and Retirement
Borg won his last Grand Slam title at the French Open in 1981. He beat Lendl in a five-set final. This was his sixth French Open title, a record at the time.
At Wimbledon in 1981, Borg reached the final. He had won 41 matches in a row at Wimbledon, a new record. But McEnroe ended his streak, beating him in four sets. Borg later said he wasn't even upset about losing, which shocked him. He felt his desire to play was fading.
Borg also lost to McEnroe at the 1981 US Open. After this loss, Borg left the court quickly. The 1981 US Open was his last Grand Slam final. He retired from tennis in 1983 at just 26 years old. McEnroe tried to convince him to keep playing, but Borg felt he had lost his drive.
Borg never won the US Open, even though he reached the final four times. He only played the Australian Open once, in 1974, when he was 17.
Playing Style: The "Ice Man"
Borg had a very special way of playing. He played from the back of the court, hitting powerful shots. He used a lot of topspin on both his forehand and two-handed backhand. This made his shots very consistent and hard to return. He was one of the first top players to use heavy topspin all the time.
He was also incredibly fit and could outlast most opponents. His fitness and consistent shots helped him dominate on the clay courts of the French Open. What made him truly unique was his success on grass courts, like Wimbledon. Baseliners usually didn't do well there. But Borg's consistency, good serve, and volleys helped him adapt.
Borg was known for staying very calm during matches. This earned him the nickname "Ice Man" or "Ice-Borg." He rarely showed his emotions. His amazing physical condition was also a big part of his success. Borg helped create the style of play that is common in tennis today.
Life After Professional Tennis
After retiring, Borg lived in Monte Carlo and New York. He also owned a small island in Sweden. He later became successful with his own fashion brand, Björn Borg. In Sweden, his brand is very popular.
In the early 1990s, Borg tried to come back to professional tennis. He grew his hair long again and used a wooden racket, like he did in his prime. However, he didn't win any matches during this comeback. He came closest to a win in his final match in 1993, losing in three close sets. Later, he played on the Champions tour using modern rackets.
Coaching Team Europe in Laver Cup
Since 2017, Björn Borg has been the captain of Team Europe in the Laver Cup. This is a special team tennis tournament. His old rival, John McEnroe, coaches Team World.
- In 2017, Borg led Team Europe to victory in Prague.
- In 2018, he again coached Team Europe to win in Chicago.
- In 2019, Team Europe won for the third time in Geneva.
- In 2021, Team Europe had a big win over Team World in Boston.
Borg has successfully led Team Europe to victory in every Laver Cup so far.
Honors and Achievements
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- Borg was ranked world No. 1 for a total of 109 weeks between 1977 and 1981.
- He won 77 top-level singles titles and four doubles titles.
- In 1979, he won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality Award.
- He was put into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987.
- In 2006, the BBC gave him a Lifetime Achievement Award.
- In 2014, a Swedish newspaper named him Sweden's top sportsperson of all time.
With 11 Grand Slam titles, Borg is one of the top male tennis players. Winning both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year, which he did three times, is called "the most difficult double in tennis." Only a few other players have achieved this. Many experts believe Borg is one of the greatest tennis players ever.
Personal Life
Borg married Romanian tennis player Mariana Simionescu in 1980, but they divorced in 1984. He has a son named Robin from another relationship. He was also married to Italian singer Loredana Bertè. In 2002, he married his third wife, Patricia Östfeld. They have a son named Leo, who is also a professional tennis player.
Film
In 2017, a movie called Borg vs McEnroe was released. It focused on the famous rivalry between Borg and McEnroe. Their friendship and rivalry were also shown in a 2022 documentary called "McEnroe."
Memorabilia Preserved
In 2006, Borg almost sold his Wimbledon trophies and rackets. But other famous players like Jimmy Connors and Andre Agassi called him. John McEnroe also called and asked, "What's up? Have you gone mad?" These calls convinced Borg not to sell them. He bought them back to keep them together.
Images for kids
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Borg in 2014
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Borg in 1974
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Borg (left) celebrating his win over Guillermo Vilas at the French Open final in 1975
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Borg (right) playing Tom Okker at Rotterdam Open in 1974
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Borg playing a double-handed backhand shot at the 1979 ABN World Tennis Tournament
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Borg (left) playing against John McEnroe in 1979
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Borg as a sports commentator at the French Open in 1983
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Borg in 1991
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Borg in 2013
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Borg and Mariana Simionescu in Snagov, Romania, on 24 July 1980
See also
- Borg–McEnroe rivalry
- Borg–Connors rivalry
- List of Grand Slam men's singles champions
- List of Swedish sportspeople
- World number one male tennis player rankings
- Björn Borg (brand)
Video
- The Wimbledon Collection – Legends of Wimbledon – Björn Borg Standing Room Only, DVD Release Date: 21 September 2004, Run Time: 52 minutes, ASIN: B0002HODA4.
- The Wimbledon Collection – The Classic Match – Borg vs. McEnroe 1981 Final Standing Room Only, DVD Release Date: 21 September 2004, Run Time: 210 minutes, ASIN: B0002HODAE.
- The Wimbledon Collection – The Classic Match – Borg vs. McEnroe 1980 Final Standing Room Only, DVD Release Date: 21 September 2004, Run Time: 240 minutes; ASIN: B0002HOEK8.
- Wimbledon Classic Match: Gerulaitis vs Borg Standing Room Only, DVD Release Date: 31 October 2006, Run Time: 180 minutes, ASIN: B000ICLR8O.
