Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe

Crowds flock to see two tennis superstars face off against each other in the 1981 Wimbledon men’s final. The rivalry between sex symbol Bjorn Borg and tabloid bad boy John McEnroe is the fiercest the men’s game has ever seen. 

Back in the mid-70s, Borg is bringing a new glamour and celebrity to Centre Court and is regularly mobbed by hordes of screaming fans. He quickly dominates the men’s game but is soon challenged by a young upstart from New York – John McEnroe. With little respect for the institution of Wimbledon, McEnroe clashes spectacularly with the umpires and his explosive outbursts on Centre Court become all too frequent. Their showdowns in the Wimbledon finals in 1980 and 1981 are among the most memorable matches in men’s tennis.

But their sporting prowess brings with it an intense level of media scrutiny. And while McEnroe’s antics infuriate the tabloids and the Wimbledon hierarchy, it’s the calm and collected Borg who struggles to cope.