1 Response to wb77borg_gerulaitis.

1. Voo de Mar says:

   July 13, 2024 at 4:58 pm

   Points won by each set: | 39-34, 27-33, 39-33, 26-32, 46-44 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   23 % Borg – 38 of 163
   23 % Gerulaitis – 44 of 190

   [18] Gerulaitis won Australian Open ’77 (at the time the tournament had lost its prestige) during his successful career, finished as a runner-up of two other majors & two ‘Masters’ events. Perhaps he will be mainly remembered for his semifinal loss to Borg [2] in the 1977 Wimbledon semifinal though – the match considered by many experts as the greatest of the 70s. Gerulaitis had demonstrated full spectrum of his tennis repertoire, manufactured 50 winners hitting the ball in the air (!), but in the end conceded to Bjorn ‘Ice’ Borg, who became Vitas’ best friend after that semifinal. ‘The Lithuanian Lion’ had a game point for a 4:2 lead in the deciding set (breaking in the 5th game). At 5-all he was 30/0 on Borg’s serve – the Swede held after three deuces and clinched the 3-hour 5-minute victory on his first match point.
   It was just their third main-level match. They will finish their rivalry with one of the most lopsided Open era Head-to-Heads: 17-0. Vitas never so close to win like in their Wimbly 77 semifinal (six points away)

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