Borg and McEnroe played each other a total of 14 times on the ATP Tour before Borg decided to retire early in 1981.
The last Borg vs McEnroe match was in the final of the US Open in 1981, which McEnroe won in four sets (4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3).
Their most memorable match to date was the 1980 Wimbledon final, where Borg beat McEnroe in five sets (1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 8-6).
Borg vs McEnroe Quick Facts
| Bjorn Borg | vs | John McEnroe |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Year born | 1959 |
| 1973 | Year turned Pro | 1978 |
| Right handed | Plays | Left handed |
| Two handed backhand | Backhand | One handed backhand |
| 7 | Matches won | 7 |
| 50% (7/14) | Winning Percentage | 50% (7/14) |
| 1 | Matches won on a hard court | 3 |
| 0 | Matches won on clay | 0 |
| 5 | Matches won on carpet | 3 |
| 1 | Matches won on grass | 1 |
| 4 | Matches won in Finals | 5 |
| 1 | Matches won in Grand Slam Tournaments | 3 |
Borg vs McEnroe Head to Head Stats
Head to Head at the Grand Slams
Borg and McEnroe played each other a total of four times in grand slam tournaments (twice at the US Open and twice at Wimbledon).
Each of their four grand slam matches was in the final with McEnroe leading their grand slam H2H 3-1.
| Year | Grand Slam | Round | Winner | Match Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | US Open | Final | McEnroe | 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 1981 | Wimbledon | Final | McEnroe | 4-6, 7-6, 7-6, 6-4 |
| 1980 | US Open | Final | McEnroe | 7-6, 6-1, 6-7, 5-7, 6-4 |
| 1980 | Wimbledon | Final | Borg | 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 8-6 |
Head to Head by Court Surface
Out of their 14 matches, eight were played on indoor carpet courts, one on indoor hard courts, three on outdoor hard courts, and two on outdoor grass courts.
Head to Head on Indoor Carpet Courts
Borg and McEnroe played each other a total of eight times on indoor carpet courts with Borg leading their H2H on this surface 5-3.
| Year | Tournament | Round | Winner | Match Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | WCT Milan | Final | McEnroe | 7-6, 6-4 |
| 1980 | Volvo Masters | RR | Borg | 6-4, 6-7, 7-6 |
| 1980 | WCT Stockholm | Final | Borg | 6-3, 6-4 |
| 1979 | Colgate-Palmolive Masters | Semifinals | Borg | 6-7, 6-3, 7-6 |
| 1979 | WCT Finals | Final | McEnroe | 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 |
| 1979 | WCT Rotterdam | Final | Borg | 6-4, 6-2 |
| 1979 | WCT New Orleans | Semifinals | McEnroe | 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 |
| 1979 | WCT Richmond | Semifinals | Borg | 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 |
Head to Head on Hard Courts (Indoor and Outdoor)
McEnroe and Borg played once on indoor hard courts and three times on outdoor hard courts with McEnroe leading the H2H on this surface 3-1.
| Year | Tournament | Round | Winner | Match Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | US Open | Final | McEnroe | 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 1980 | US Open | Final | McEnroe | 7-6, 6-1, 6-7, 5-7, 6-4 |
| 1979 | Toronto | Final | Borg | 6-3, 6-3 |
| 1978 | Stockholm | Semifinals | McEnroe | 6-3, 6-4 |
Head to Head on Grass Courts
Both of their matches on grass courts were at the Wimbledon Championships with their H2H standing at one win each.
| Year | Tournament | Round | Winner | Match Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Wimbledon | Final | McEnroe | 4-6, 7-6, 7-6, 6-4 |
| 1980 | Wimbledon | Final | Borg | 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 8-6 |
Borg vs McEnroe Matches Played per Year
Below is a schedule of the matches played by Borg and McEnroe over the course of their careers.
| Year | Matches Played | Borg Wins | McEnroe Wins | H2H (Borg – McEnroe) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 1 | – | 1 | 0-1 |
| 1979 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4-3 |
| 1980 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 7-4 |
| 1981 | 3 | – | 3 | 7-7 |
Below are match highlights from the 1980 Wimbledon final which some consider to be one of the greatest matches of all time.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Borg and McEnroe Rivalry
How many times did Borg face McEnroe?
Borg and McEnroe played each other a total of fourteen times on the ATP Tour between 1978 and 1981.
Who won more grand slams Borg or McEnroe?
Bjorn Borg won a total of 11 grand slam singles titles while John McEnroe won a total of 7.
Who won the Wimbledon Borg vs McEnroe Finals?
Borg won their first Wimbledon final in 1980 in 5 sets (1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 8-6) while McEnroe won Wimbledon the following year, beating Borg in four sets in the 1981 Wimbledon men’s singles final