Bjorn Borg gives first-hand report of where his & John McEnroe's friendship is today

Former tennis star Bjorn Borg revealed where his relationship with long-time on-court rival John McEnroe stands currently. The duo had been complementary to each other's tennis careers, with Borg being the one with the calm demeanor and McEnroe acclaimed for his fiery outbursts.

They faced each other on a total of 14 occasions throughout their careers with their head-to-head record tied at 7-all. Boasting a combined total of 18 Grand Slam titles, the pair has inspired generations of tennis players with their own unique styles. Borg claimed that their friendship has stood the test of time and he considers this camaraderie to be very important.

In an interview with the Spanish media outlet, Mundo Deportivo, he reminisced about the golden time he had spent with McEnroe and the key contributions they had made to the sport of tennis.

"We're good friends. We call each other, we see each other, we spend time with our families. I think it's very important for both of us. We respect each other; we knew exactly what we did for tennis many years ago. We took tennis to a different level, we helped the sport, and we're proud of it," he said.

He further added that they refrain from talking about tennis when they are spending quality time together and focus on discussing other matters of importance.

"It's very important for us to be friends, to stay in touch. When we see each other, we never talk about tennis. Never. We talk about other things in life that we believe are more important," Bjorn Borg added.

Their relationship has been a treat to tennis fans all across the world.

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Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe's relationship

Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe at the Laver Cup 2024 - Source: Getty

Two of the greatest men's sporting icons of the 1970s and 80s, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, gave tennis a new outlook. While McEnroe demonstrated confidence in his own fiery ways, Borg was an embodiment of calmness.

The most prominent match that the duo clashed against one another was at the 1980 Wimbledon finals, where they put on a stellar display of tennis with Borg thunderously winning the match 1–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–7(16–18), 8–6. This made him the first to win five consecutive Wimbledon titles.

However, another thing about McEnroe was that he never gave up and went on to ace Borg at the 1981 Wimbledon, followed by the US Open. Amid all, their friendship remained unscathed and the pair later went on to play doubles matches together as well.

They continue to appear together in various exhibition matches and interviews, including captaining teams at the Laver Cup.