John McEnroe renewed a historic tennis rivalry Saturday when he took on fellow tennis great Bjorn Borg for the right to advance to the finals of the Staples Champions Cup in Boston.
Thirty years after their staredown, five-set final at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, McEnroe downed Borg 6-4, 7-6 (3) at the Agganis Arena at Boston University, serving and volleying his way past Borg on a slick indoor surface.
The 51-year-old McEnroe played his game at the net while powering serves past the 53-year-old Borg, who excelled on passing shots but couldn't eke out a win.
"He picked it up [in the second set]," said McEnroe. "It seemed like he was hitting my serve better, and then I tried to give him different looks off the serve to really keep him guessing. I tried to take it to an extra gear, and I was able to keep him off balance on my serve. That allowed me to swing more freely."
Borg expressed disappointment in his serve, believing that not playing tennis consistently contributes to making "easy mistakes."
McEnroe has made the finals at the Boston tournament in four of the last five years and will battle Mark Philippoussis, who took out Jim Courier 4-6, 7-6 (5), 10-6 in the other semifinal match. McEnroe last won the title in 2008, defeating Aaron Krickstein.
Philippoussis is currently the points leader on the Champions Series circuit.
Despite the loss, Courier believed he played well, calling his effort "one of the best matches I have played on the Champions Series."
"It was a very high level of tennis," Courier said. "I really enjoyed it, but I am frustrated because I lost. I don’t like to lose."
Courier and Borg will square off on Sunday in a third-place playoff at 2 p.m., followed by the final.
Philippoussis was hoping to play Borg due to never having facing him, and isn't concerned about McEnroe.
"I will beat him," he said confidently.
McEnroe certainly knows not to take Philippoussis lightly.
"That guy swings for the fences with a huge game," he said. "When his serve is on, it’s like when some guys throw 90 miles an hour and there is nothing you can do."
