Connors Rallies to Beat Borg in 3 Sets

After all these years, Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors can still create a lot of excitement.It’s been 17 years since Borg and Connors last met in a Grand Slam, and this match brought those memories back.

Borg’s passing shots, Connors’ flat and penetrating ground strokes and plenty of long, exhausting rallies entertained the 4,458 fans at Newport Beach’s Palisades Tennis Club.

Connors outlasted Borg, 3-6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-1, in the semifinals of The Challenge.

“That’s the way we’ve played every match we’ve ever played,” Connors said. “Even on the grass at Wimbledon, we’ve had rallies like that, points like that. The guy has to hit a great passing shot or a great volley. I don’t think they appreciated it over there. They kind of wanted boom, boom [tennis]. But we took this kind of tennis to every surface.”

They took it to the hardcourts Saturday afternoon, the same surface on which Borg beat Connors at the 1981 U.S. Open. Borg beat Connors a lot in those days. When both were on the regular tour, Borg won the last seven matches they played, including two Wimbledon semifinals and a U.S. Open semifinal.

Things have changed as the two have aged. Connors, 45, has won 14 of 16 on the Nuveen Tour, including nine after Borg had won the first set. Borg used to rely on his steady two-handed backhand and well-placed baseline passing shots. But the 42-year-old Borg came out serving and volleying and chipping and charging.

Connors looked stunned.

Several times early in the match, Connors looked across to Borg and said, “Who is this guy?” After Borg won a long rally by forcing Connors to run all over the court, Connors tossed his racket toward the net and put his hand over his heart.

Borg won the first set in 35 minutes, then broke Connors’ serve to go up, 2-1. But Connors won the next three games before Borg eventually forced a tiebreaker. Connors dominated that, thanks to some generosity from Borg.

Chair umpire Jim Flood overruled the linesman, calling Connors’ forehand volley long. Borg disagreed. Connors won the replayed point to take a 4-0 lead.

Connors was asked if he would have done the same thing for Borg.

“That’s what this tour is all about,” Connors said. “If we can’t call our own balls now, after everything we’ve been through . . . “

Connors said he might have reacted differently if the incident had happened while he was on the ATP Tour.

“Twenty years ago, I’d have jerked that guy out of the chair and I’m not kidding you,” Connors said. “We’ve all been to the top. Now we want to do what we do in a fair way.”

Then again, Connors is playing John McEnroe in the finals today at 11 a.m.

“I better get two linesman on each line for him,” Connors said. “At least I’ll get a little rest in between points.”

In the doubles finals, Brian Gottfried and Gene Mayer defeated Scott Davis and Eddie Dibbs, 6-3, 6-4.