The best Wimbledon champion ever, Roger Federer versus Bjorn Borg…
At 66 years old, Björn Borg still maintains his cool Nordic style. His long blond hair, which has become silver, and headbands used to electrify the spectators. With his 11 Grand Slam victories (six at the French Open and five at Wimbledon), the Swede is a living tennis icon and one of the first major “stars” of his sport. Even though he faced Jimmy Connors 23 times, his battle with John McEnroe remains etched in memory. Though “Ice Borg” and “Big Mac” only faced each other 14 times (7–7), their Wimbledon finals from 1980 and 1981 are nonetheless inducted into the annals of the sport.
A man of few words, he quietly left his spot on the bench as the European Laver Cup team’s captain on Sunday, September 25, to speak with Le Monde, La Repubblica, and La Gazzetta dello Sport on Roger Federer’s retirement.
Having followed his career for so long, it meant a lot to me to be a part of this historical moment, so it was a really emotional time. Roger was filled with emotion, but above all, he was pleased that Rafa [Nadal] and him were having this kind of experience at “his” Laver Cup. You and John McEnroe were adversaries in the past. How did you feel about Federer and Nadal’s rivalry? Without a doubt, Rafa and Roger’s rivalry was the greatest in tennis history. It goes without saying that Djokovic must be taken into consideration in all of that, but it was amazing to watch the two of them cry together on Friday night following their doubles match. Like Roger, Rafa was depressed. Maybe he was contemplating a not too distant future in which he would have to say goodbye to himself. It was the ideal conclusion for Roger to watch them play this final game, with Rafa showing up for this sole event [the Spaniard, who will become a father in the coming days, left for home on Saturday]. particularly in front of his large family and fan base.
