In the summer of 1980 a single afternoon marked the beginning of a break between one tennis era and another. At the Wimbledon men's singles finals on 5 July, Bjorn Borg of Sweden defeated American John McEnroe. However, Borg's amazing effort during the five-set battle was a closing argument. He played for only two more Grand Slam titles, retired from the tour in 1982, and never again beat McEnroe. McEnroe, on the other hand, had made an opening statement. The Swedish baseliner took the court ranked number one in the world, having won nine Grand Slam titles and four consecutive Wimbledon singles titles. McEnroe brought his crafty left-handed game, well suited to the quick grass court surface, and a fiery, aggressive disposition. To the British and American media Borg was cool and collected, the possessor of a refined, graceful game, while McEnroe was brash, creative, and unpredictable. Three hours.....
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