The game of tennis demands exceptional agility, technique and strength out of its players. It involves high levels of concentration and the ability to keep one’s emotions in check. Given these requirements, it’s understandable why there are so few who can rightly boast the claim of being “the world’s best”. Ultimately, every year, it comes down to one man. Throughout the years of the game, there have been many intense rivalries leading up to who would be declared the current greatest male tennis player in the world.
One rivalry worth noting is Bjorn Borg vs. John McEnroe. The primary reason for the intrigue involved in watching their rivalry was the fact that they were very different in their emotions while playing the game. McEnroe was more temperamental, showing his emotions intensely, whether they be good or bad. Borg, on the other hand, was very cool and collected. The rivals met 14 times between the years of 1978 and 1981, each gaining 7 victories. Among their most famous matches were those that took place at Wimbledon. In 1980, Borg beat McEnroe in a nail-biting 20 minute long tiebreaker. The next year, however, McEnroe returned and defeated Borg in a high energy five set game.
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