“It Was War Every Time”: Jimmy Connors Calls Björn Borg the Most Unique Player He’s Ever Seen, Reflects on Their Legendary Rivalry and His Greatest Career Victory at the U.S. Open Final
When you think of tennis legends, Jimmy Connors and Björn Borg sit comfortably near the top of any list. But in a rare and emotional reflection, Connors recently opened up about the one man who pushed him beyond his limits—Björn Borg. The American firebrand, known for his grit and swagger, admitted that he had “never seen a tennis player like Björn Borg,” even in all his years of playing and watching the game.
“Look, I’ve faced the greatest players across generations,” Connors said in a recent interview. “But Björn? He was something else. You couldn’t train for him in a day or two. It took days of focused, grueling practice just to prepare to be on the same court as that man.”
Borg, with his icy demeanor, baseline mastery, and unflinching endurance, was the yin to Connors’ explosive, emotional yang. Their matches weren’t just battles—they were chess matches infused with raw physicality and mental warfare. Connors paints a vivid picture of the preparation and intensity it took to challenge Borg.
“It was war every single time we played,” Connors said. “He was so precise, so mentally locked in. The way he covered the court, the heavy topspin, that unshakeable calm—it was like playing a machine with a soul. You’d have to be at 100 percent for every single point, and even that wasn’t always enough.”
Despite being fierce rivals, Connors speaks about Borg with genuine admiration and even a hint of awe. He credits the Swede’s skill set as something the sport had never seen before—and perhaps still hasn’t.
“I’ve never seen anyone play with his kind of discipline and elegance,” Connors added. “He didn’t shout. He didn’t celebrate. He just executed. And that made him dangerous—because you couldn’t rattle him.”
But for Connors, one moment stands out as the pinnacle of his career—his victory over Borg in the 1981 U.S. Open final. It was a clash of titans, with contrasting styles and boiling pressure. Connors calls that win not just a personal triumph, but a validation of every hour he spent trying to understand and outlast Borg.
“That was the greatest match of my career—without a doubt,” Connors said. “To beat Björn Borg, in New York, in front of that crowd, at that time… it meant everything. He brought the best out of me. That match defined me.”
Though Borg would soon retire at the shockingly young age of 26, their rivalry remains one of the most respected in tennis history. Connors still holds it sacred.
“He made me better. He forced me to be better,” Connors concluded. “There’s never been another player like Björn Borg, and I don’t think there ever will be.”
It’s rare to see one legend pay such unfiltered tribute to another. But in the case of Jimmy Connors and Björn Borg, it’s a reminder of an era where greatness sharpened greatness—and tennis was war in its most beautiful form.
