John McEnroe

Back in Time #6 – 1980 Wimbledon Final Borg-McEnroe

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(About the Series: Based upon my Conversation with guest Derek Meinecke, I’m going back in time to be in the stands at 10 sporting events. This week, it’s #6. You’re able to find links to the previous installments below.)

1980 Wimbledon Championship
Bjorn Borg celebrates the final point of the 1980 Wimbledon Championship against John McEnroe.

I’ve written previously about the special place the Wimbledon Championships hold in my heart. It’s neither because I’ve ever been there nor because I’m a hardcore tennis fan. Basically, my fondness was borne of tennis being about the only thing on the television each Fourth of July weekend at my grandmother’s lake cottage in northern Indiana before frolicking in the water was allowed.

Strawberries and cream nothing; more like Fruit Loops and 2% milk for me!

Anyhow, on July 5, 1980, I was a 13-year-old rising eighth grader. I may have been camped in front of my grandmother’s 19-inch color RCA TV along the shores of Oliver Lake, watching Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe battle for the Championship. Honestly, I can’t remember.

Borg celebrates the win on his knees while McEnroe laid out in an effort to salvage a point in the fourth-set tiebreaker.

The point is, I wish I was. Heck, I wish I was at Centre Court at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club which is why I’m climbing into the way back machine to head back in time to witness this epic 3 hours, 53 minute 5-set masterpiece.

As much as anything, I want to be there for the fourth-set tiebreaker that McEnroe won, 18-16. The tiebreaker alone lasted over 20 minutes. It was like watching the final round of Rocky on repeat. McEnroe fended off championship point after championship point before ultimately prevailing to force the fifth set.

Check out the fourth-set tiebreaker seen here in its entirety.

I’ve never been a spectator at a professional tennis match, but I suspect this one would’ve kept me in my seat and engaged. Seeing two future Hall of Famers at the height of their game playing in a Grand Slam final on what has to be considered the sport’s most iconic venue on the planet (sorry, Roland Garros) seems a no-brainer for me to head back in time to witness in person.

The full final match of the 1980 Wimbledon Championship.

Previous Installments

The Fan Teaser: Week 38 Solution

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Back when headbands were a thing.

The headband game was strong with John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg on the grounds of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club back in the day.

John McEnroe & Bjorn Borg
In many ways, John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg were Wimbledon for the better
part of a decade.

Between the two they won eight of the nine Wimbledon Championships contested between 1976-1984. (Borg won five straight [’76-’80]). Perhaps the most memorable of all the matches contested (they met in only two Wimbledon finals, 1980 and 1981) was the fourth-set tiebreaker of that 1980 championship. With Borg leading the match two sets to one, McEnroe prevailed 18-16 in this epic 20-plus minute tiebreaker, before falling 8-6 in the decisive fifth set. (See the entire tiebreaker below.)

Just for fun, here is John McEnroe’s commencement address to the Stanford University Class of 2023 from last month. It is, shall we say, on brand for Johnny Mac.

Just to review, The Fan Teaser comes courtesy of longtime buddy, Pat Schutte. The cropped photo below and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.