"When John McEnroe called me several times, I woke up: 'Borg, have you gone nuts?'": When American convinced Bjorn Borg not to sell Wimbledon trophies
John McEnroe once played an instrumental role in persuading Bjorn Borg not to sell off his Wimbledon trophies. Borg revealed how McEnroe's words served as a wake-up call for him.
Over the course of his illustrious career, Borg established his dominance at Wimbledon, winning five coveted trophies at SW19. However, in 2006, the Swede announced his decision to auction off all his Wimbledon trophies and two title-winning rackets at the Bonhams auction house in London.
Borg's decision did not sit well with his fellow players, including his arch-rival John McEnroe. In an interview with Swedish newspaper Expressen, the 11-time Grand Slam champion revealed that his conversations with McEnroe had prompted him to reconsider.
"And then when John McEnroe called me several times and wondered what I was doing, I guess I woke up: 'Borg, what has gotten in to you? Have you gone completely nuts?'" he said (via ESPN).
Although Andre Agassi also reached out to Borg to dissuade him from selling the items, the Swede admitted that it was his conversations with McEnroe that convinced him to change his mind.
"But clearly McEnroe convinced me," Borg said.
Borg had previously disclosed that his motivation for selling his Wimbledon trophies was to ensure "financial security" for his family, causing speculation that he was bankrupt.
However, the former World No. 1 clarified that he wasn't "poor," asserting that he had decided to sell the items because he was tired of seeing the memorabilia in his house. He also admitted that he had come to regret his decision to sell.
"Wrong. I am not poor at all. Business is going great and I have nothing to complain about," he said.
"I guess I was tired of seeing the old stuff lying about here in the house," he added. "Maybe I thought they could bring joy to other tennis enthusiasts. I didn't think it through. Today I regret it."
John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg faced each other twice at Wimbledon
John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg established one of the most compelling rivalries on tour, which came to be known as 'Fire and Ice' due to their contrasting attitudes on court. The duo locked horns in 14 encounters, with their head-to-head record standing level at 7-7.
Two of their 14 meetings took place at the Wimbledon Championships. Their first encounter at the grasscourt Major occurred in the 1980 final. Second seed McEnroe and four-time defending champion Borg engaged in a closely contested battle for the title, with the Swede claiming a 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7(16), 8-6 victory.
Subsequently, John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg set up a highly anticipated rematch in the 1981 Wimbledon final. The American dashed Borg's hopes of clinching his sixth consecutive title at SW19, beating the Swede 4-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(4), 6-4 to secure his maiden title at the grasscourt Major.