The 1980 Wimbledon men’s final was as much a clash of personalities as it was an epic struggle between two premier tennis players. When the dust settled, the icy, stoic Björn Borg outlasted the fiery, hot-tempered John McEnroe, but it signaled a shift in tennis’ balance of power.
Thirty-one years after their historic match, HBO premieres the documentary McEnroe/Borg: Fire & Ice on June 11 at 10pm ET, looking at the legendary rivalry — and friendship — between two of tennis’ most accomplished greats.
“Björn Borg and John McEnroe are tennis royalty,” says HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg. “Their rivalry was brief yet historic, and their individual life stories are fascinating and compelling. We hope to tell the full story of their rivalry and enduring friendship.”
Swedish phenom Borg won 11 Grand Slam singles titles — five straight at Wimbledon (1976-80) and six at the French Open (1974-75, 78-81) — during his relatively short pro career. While Borg’s 1980 Wimbledon victory might be the rivalry’s defining moment, it was Borg’s loss at Wimbledon in 1981 that effectively ended his career and ushered in the McEnroe era. McEnroe won seven Grand Slam singles titles, four at the US Open (1979-81, 84) and three at Wimbledon (1981, 83-84).
The documentary features rare footage, archival photos and interviews with McEnroe and Borg, plus McEnroe’s brother Patrick, McEnroe’s doubles partner Peter Fleming, McEnroe’s coach Tony Palafox, Borg’s coach Percy Rosberg, former Swedish tennis player Ingrid Bentzer, former Wimbledon umpire George Grime, and journalists Mike Lupica, Peter Bodo, Malcolm Folley and others.
McEnroe/Borg: The Rivalry
- McEnroe and Borg faced each other 14 times in their careers. Their head-to-head records are even with seven wins apiece.
- McEnroe is 3-1 vs. Borg in Grand Slam finals, winning the 1980 and ’81 US Opens and the 1981 Wimbledon title. Borg’s lone Grand Slam win over McEnroe was at Wimbledon in 1980.
- Borg’s loss to McEnroe at the 1981 US Open left him winless at the tournament despite reaching the finals four times. He retired shortly after, at the age of 26.