"It used to be... Bjorn Borg was the first rock star of tennis, then John McEnroe" - When Pat Cash felt tennis' 'glam Rock 'n' Roll' image had changed
Former Australian tennis player Pat Cash once asserted that Bjorn Borg had pioneered the rockstar image in tennis, with the likes of John McEnroe and Vitas Gerulaitis carrying that legacy forward. However, Cash expressed his belief that this glamorous image of the sport had faded over the years.
Over the course of his illustrious career, Borg won 11 Grand Slam titles, triumphing six times at the French Open and clinching five consecutive Wimbledon titles. Beyond his impressive on-court achievements, the Swede also ignited an unprecedented frenzy among fans, giving tennis a "Rock 'n' Roll" allure.
In a 2007 interview for Metal Express Radio, Pat Cash, a rock music enthusiast, hailed Bjorn Borg as the first "rock star" of tennis, with John McEnroe and Vitas Gerulaitis following in the Swede's footsteps. However, the Australian asserted that the sport had lost this glamorous Rock 'n' Roll feel since their era.
"It used to be, I don’t know about that now though. It may be because it’s slightly rebellious. I suppose tennis was a bit of a glam Rock ‘n’ Roll sport back then with Bjorn Borg, he was the first Rock star of tennis then McEnroe and Gerulaitis came along after that. I think it’s changed since then," Cash said.
Cash's opinion proved to be a popular one, as Chris Evert also acknowledged the Swede's rock star status. Speaking to the New York Times in 2024, the American likened Borg to the Beatles for the excitement he generated at the French Open.
Dubbing him the biggest star in tennis history, Evert disclosed that the former World No. 1 had to be surrounded by security due to the numerous women screaming and attempting to grab him.
"Bjorn was like a rock star, like one of the Beatles. He had to have security guards around him. The girls were screaming and crying and trying to grab at him. I’d never seen anybody idolized like him. To this day I think he’s still the biggest star tennis has ever had," Evert said.
Chris Evert's ex-husband, former British No. 1 John Lloyd, also echoed the same sentiment, recalling the "storm" Bjorn Borg created at Wimbledon as he left women screaming in his wake.
"It was like a combination of Elvis Presley and the Beatles" - John McEnroe on Bjorn Borg's 'amazing' reception at Wimbledon
Alongside Chris Evert, John Lloyd and Pat Cash, John McEnroe also shed light on the "amazing" reception Bjorn Borg received at Wimbledon. The seven-time Grand Slam champion witnessed the frenzy firsthand, having faced the Swede in back-to-back finals at SW19 in 1980 and 1981.
In a 2010 interview with the Boston Globe, the American compared the hysteria for Borg to the mania caused by Elvis Presley and the Beatles. McEnroe also emphasized that it was the first and last time he had seen such a spectacle at the grasscourt Major.
"It was amazing. It was like a combination of Elvis and the Beatles. Never before have I seen Wimbledon like that. It’s never happened before and it’s never happened since," John McEnroe said.
John McEnroe, known for his fiery and combative personality, and the calm and composed Bjorn Borg forged a compelling 'Fire and Ice' rivalry during their playing careers. The duo faced off in 14 tour-level encounters, claiming seven wins each.