‘Kept Thinking He Is Gonna Come Back’- John McEnroe Revealed How He Dearly Missed the Presence of His Greatest Rival

The enigmatic and vibrant John McEnroe ruled the tennis realm during his peak. His unfiltered emotions and on-court debacles made him the center of attraction in every match. However, tennis is a match of rivalry and without it, one can not push oneself to be better.

When one of his biggest rivals, Bjorn Borg, retired from the tour, it was way too much for the ‘SuperBrat’ to take. In an interview, he talked about how Borg’s absence affected his gameplay and contributed to his losses.

How did Borg’s retirement affect John McEnroe?

After Bjorn Borg’s retirement, McEnroe was free to reign over the ATP tour. However, that did not come to be the case. He talked about his run in the year 1982. He said, “82, I should have won Wimbledon, I could have won the Open. I didn’t. I had a chance at any event that I played in.”

He accepted losing the grind and grit needed for the sport. He said, “I just had lost a little bit of that intensity and drive.”

Furthermore, McEnroe talked about the aftereffects of his rival’s retirement. He said, “I don’t want to blame it on my buddy retiring. But it was this sort of void.” The seven-time grand slam champion compared his rivalry with Bjorg to a legendary basketball rivalry. He said, “It was as if Larry Bird mid rivalry with Magic Johnson said I’ve retired.” 

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McEnroe talked about his loss at the SW19. He said, “I kept thinking he is gonna come back, and then Connor’s seized on that to his credit and I lost (against) him in the finals of Wimbledon. That hurt a lot.”

Legendary rivalry of Bjorn Borg and McEnroe

The Swedish tennis legend and McEnroe met each other for the first time in 1978, in Sweden, where McEnroe dominated. Their rivalry extended until 1981, and they played 14 matches during their glorious careers. Interestingly, the ratio between the two players is equal at seven wins each.

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Such tennis rivalries have brought a lot of popularity to the sport. From Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova to Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, such iconic rivalries have made the sport the global phenomenon that it is today.