Bjorn Borg runs into 'old friend' Jimmy Connors during the Indian Wells Masters 2023
Tennis icons Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors ran into one another during the ongoing Indian Wells Masters.
Borg and Connors are two of the greatest players in the history of the game, winning 11 and 8 Grand Slam singles titles, respectively. Both legends paid a visit to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden where they met each other.
Bjorn Borg's wife Patricia shared an image of the Swede with Jimmy Connors on Instagram, with the caption reading:
"Always nice to meet old friends."
Connors and Borg both competed in the Indian Wells Masters during its early years in the 1970s and 1980s.
Connors won the competition thrice, with his first title coming in 1976 when it was called The American Airlines Tennis Games. He did not drop a single set during the tournament and beat compatriot Brian Gottfried in the final.
The American's second triumph came in 1981 when the competition was called The Grand Mariner Tennis Games. He beat his rival Ivan Lendl in the final. Connors' third victory came in 1984 when the tournament was called The Congoleum Classic. Seeded first in the competition, Connors beat Yannick Noah in the title clash.
Bjorn Borg leads head-to-head against Jimmy Connors
Jimmy Connors and Bjorn Borg forged a fierce rivalry during the 1970s and early 1980s and faced each other on 23 occasions, with the Swede leading 15-8 in the head-to-head. Their first meeting came in the semi-final of the Stockholm Open, where Borg won 6-4, 3-6, 7-6.
The two tennis greats locked horns in Grand Slam matches on eight occasions, with Borg winning five matches while Connors won three. Their first meeting at a Major came in the semi-finals of the 1975 US Open, which Connors won 7-5, 7-5, 7-5.
The two met in four Grand Slam finals, the first of which came at the 1976 US Open. Jimmy Connors beat Bjorn Borg 6-4, 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 to win the New York Major for the second time in his career. Their next Major final came at the 1977 Wimbledon Championships and the Swede won a thrilling encounter 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4.
Borg and Connors faced each other in two Grand Slam finals in 1978, with the former winning Wimbledon while the latter triumphed at the US Open. The last meeting between the two came in the semi-finals of the 1981 US Open, with the Swede winning 6-2, 7-5, 6-4.