1 Response to masters80borg_lendl

1. Voo de Mar says:

   December 19, 2020 at 1:13 am

   Points won by each set: | 36-30, 26-20, 31-21 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   23 % Borg – 20 of 85
   12 % Lendl – 10 of 79

   The final lasted 1-hour 57-minute (approximate time of each set in the picture) of Masters ’80 held in January 1981. Very balanced encounter until 1:0* (30/0) for Lendl in the 2nd set – the vintage Borg won 12 out of 15 games since then, avenging the Basel ’80 loss. On the 2nd match point he won one of the longest rallies of the final with the help of three volleys. “I felt I was playing really well… I was a little surprised,” Borg said of Lendl’s forehand problems. “That’s how he made his points. I was very surprised.“. According to the match-stats the Czechoslovak committed 17 FH unforced errors in the opening set.

   Borg’s route to his 63rd title:
   rr Jose-Luis Clerc 6-3, 6-4
   rr John McEnroe 6-4, 6-7(3), 7-6(2)
   rr * Gene Mayer 0-6, 3-6
   S Jimmy Connors 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3
   W Ivan Lendl 6-4, 6-2, 6-2

   * Borg quickly lost his last round robin match to preserve the energy before the semifinal against either Connors or Lendl. I assume he played in a 70-80% mode because had defeated Mayer in their all seven matches before not dropping even a set! His calculation was correct – he needed almost three hours to defeat Connors.

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