McEnroe, Borg returning as Laver Cup captains in….
The two greats have imprinted their distinctive style on the competition—Borg famed for his ice cool demeanour in contrast with the mercurial McEnroe—pursuit of the coveted Laver Cup trophy, named in honour of tennis legend Rod Laver, whom they both revere.
Borg, who won 11 Major singles titles, said: “I just love this event and all that it represents, it’s the best week of the year.
“It’s been an absolute privilege to captain Team Europe with such dedicated champions in my fold. This weekend we are all doing everything we can to ensure that we keep the trophy in Europe.”
McEnroe, who attained seven Major singles victories, ten more in doubles, and held the top spot in the world rankings for 170 weeks during the peak of his career, agreed:
“We have always been the underdogs, but this year we are giving it our all to win the prize and we almost upset the blue team.”
Borg and McEnroe met 22 times on the pro tour, winning 11 times each. With a rivalry described as ‘fire and ice’, they competed for tennis supremacy three decades ago. They will be remembered by many for their epic 18-16 tiebreaker in the fourth set of the Wimbledon 1980 final, which Borg eventually won. McEnroe won the following year, ending the cool Swede’s five-year run at the event. Now good friends, McEnroe and Borg said they are keen to continue the legacy of the Laver Cup, a celebration of Rod Laver, who won the calendar Grand Slam in 1962 and 1969.
