Borg Vs McEnroe - 2017 (1 Viewer)

[BLReed]

This is quite good even if you are not a tennis fan. I wasn't sure about Shia LaBeouf as
McEnroe, but he is creditable.

"Whether Borg vs McEnroe works for you will depend almost entirely on whether you can embrace Shia LaBeouf as John McEnroe. It is really this simple. LaBeouf is like a big wrecking ball and he has a seemingly endless arsenal of f-bombs that you will not be able to brush aside. Yes, McEnroe was a wild rebel who also did not give a **** about proper manners and routinely used offensive language, but there is plenty in this film where LaBeouf basically behaves like the troublemaker LaBeouf that frequently pops up in news reports.

The two rivals are at Wimbledon's 1980 Championship. Having won the prestigious event four times, Bjorn Borg (Sverrir Gudnason) is already a living legend. A fifth title, however, will cement his legacy and he will be in a category of his own. This is the moment that all great athletes dream of – win and make history.

But Borg is beginning to crack. The realization that he is this close and that he can lose to the rising American star has pushed him on the verge of a serious nervous breakdown. The pressure that he feels isn't new and he knows all the proper steps that he needs to take in order to overcome it, it is just that this time it is a lot stronger than before. It is suffocating, borderline maddening pressure that has even started eroding his relationship with his future wife (Tuva Novotny). Could this be the beginning of the end?"

 

[lancer]

The guy playing Borg really has an uncanny resemblance to the real Borg. One of the all-time great rivalries. They faced each other 22 times, each winning 11 times. Looks like a good show. -- Al

 

[tdubel]

I grew up watching them play. Borg is my all time favorite Tennis player, McEnroe is second! Back in VHS days, I bought this one on vhs as it was only released in the UK, I had and still do have the PAL machine. What a wonderful match, I will have to check this out!
Tom

 

[theBaron]

It's funny-when I read the title of this thread in the list, I thought it was some little animated spoof someone did, of McEnroe playing the Borg from "Star Trek-The Next Generation." I had quite forgotten about Bjorn.

Prost!
Brad

 

[agmtanks]

Bjorn Borg played a small exhibition about 50 miles from where I live in 2007 and I was fortunate to have him sign a Tennis Ball and my wooden racquets, same type he used to play with.

 

[CanesBart]

Bjorn Borg played a small exhibition about 50 miles from where I live in 2007 and I was fortunate to have him sign a Tennis Ball and my wooden racquets, same type he used to play with.

AWESOME!

I started out with a wood Jack Kramer (like everyone else then), moved to a Donnay (like Borg), then jumped on the first real metal racket (NOT the T200, lol, that was awful), the Head Professional. By fresgman year in high school, it was the Prince Pro all the way!

Right before college, I went to the Wilson Pro Staff mid size graphite. Used it through college (won a NCAA DII National Championship with it )

After winning the NC, I didnt touch a racket for almost ten years (I HATED tennis). I decided to make a comeback in the USTA's, and found the GOAT! The Wilson Profile 1.2 !!!! The stiffest racket ever made! I strung it at 50 lbs, lol! It made this "BOING!" sound! Became a never practice ('cause I hate tennis) , serve and volleyer/chip and charger, and until a few years ago, was still ranked in the top 3 in Florida in the 30 and overs (even at age 47).

Connors was my idol, but my ground strokes were all Borg! By college, I had a Borg/Edberg backhand, and a Borg forehand but with a Lendl backswing, where I could hit heavy looping topsin or pure flat.

I had the WORST serve EVER growing up! Not good for someone who loved to serve and volley. My parents sent me to mexico to take a summer of serve lessons from McEnroe's coach, Palifox! I served JUST like Johnny Mac, except my serve still sucked. In college, I went TWO full seasons without an ace at number 2 singles, and was still an All American! Conference championships sophomore year, I had TWENTY NINE double faults in the final match, and still won!

Junior year, we get a new coach! Andy Brandi's brother, Joe! He taught me the Edberg heavy topspin serve! My serve then looped about 10 feet over the net, bounced 10 feet high, and traveled about 60 mph! I became a knuckleball server! My doubles partner and I became the best college team of all time, lost one match in two years!

It worked! Players HATE it. I'm standing at the net before they even hit it. ('bout ten years ago, I played a bunch of tie breakers against venus and Serena. My serve DOES NOT effect girls! LOL! They creamed returns at me! Evidently they have seen plenty of 60 mph serves, lol!

So, Ivan Lendl lives nearby. I finally get a chance to hit with him. He thought I was using his forehand as a joke! LOL! He said every time I served into the ad court, standing on the extreme left edge of the doubles line, he thought of his matches with Edberg! He kinda killed me, 6-3, 6-3 on clay, but he did say he would NEVER play me on a hard court!

Anyway, I rarely if ever get to talk about tennis, so thank you for the opportunity !

 

[CanesBart]

Bjorn Borg played a small exhibition about 50 miles from where I live in 2007 and I was fortunate to have him sign a Tennis Ball and my wooden racquets, same type he used to play with.

Connors, McEnroe and the rest actually hit better now than in their prime, due to rackets. McEnroe won titles slopping the ball over the net with just awful wooden Wilsons, and Connors with that T200 {eek3}

I know I cant even hit a ball over the net now, with the Prince Pro I used in High School. ANY 20 dollar racket at Wal Mart now, is far superior to my college racket. I broke 4 strings during warmup of the Citrus County Championship finals like 20 years ago, and had to borrow a girl's short, kiddy racket to play a elite former pro. Didnt effect my game a bit, lol. (as I lost 12-10 in a third set tiebreaker, I do like to think it cost me a few points )

I think this is why the game changed. Unlike other sports, athleticism may actually have declined in tennis. McEnroe, Connors, Borg, Ash, et al were elite athletes, in a era where technology (rackets) didnt effect the sport. Now, we see top players with questionable athleticism. Besides Fed and Nadal, I'll say. Clowns like Roddick, Murray, Chokevic, etc etc couldnt volley or hit a running passing shot. But they can serve bullets, and absolutely wail on strokes due to modern rackets strung in the 90lb range with ridiculous "West Coast" grips.

The slowing down of the surfaces is also a factor, it negates athleticism.

The Williams sisters are so athletically superior to their competition, they should never lose, ever. But rackets are a force multiplier to robotic players, born and raised smashing thousands of strokes a day.

Weirdly, I myself cant hit a ball over the net with the top rackets today. I still buy used, 90's vintage Wilson Profiles in 1.2 (so stiff, they stopped making them, evidently, I am the only person on Earth who can hit with them) and string them at 45-50.