Wood against steel. The rivalry that defined the 1970s, and the rackets behind it.
In the second half of the 1970s, the two best players in the world held almost opposite rackets. Björn Borg played with wood. Jimmy Connors played with steel.
On one side, the Donnay, the wooden frame Borg carried to his Wimbledon titles. On the other, the Wilson T2000, the chrome-plated steel frame that Connors played for some eighteen years.
The Frames
Donnay (Borg) — laminated wood, built to Borg’s own specifications of weight, length, balance and wood quality, and reportedly reinforced with an extra ply to cope with his stringing.
Wilson T2000 (Connors) — a tubular steel frame based on a design by René Lacoste, introduced by Wilson in 1967 and produced until 1984. Its strings loop around wire anchors on the outside of the head, a fix for the problem of strings fraying on drilled steel. Connors was the player who made it famous.
The Strings
Here the two men agreed. Borg is widely reported to have strung his Donnays with natural gut at more than 80 pounds. The T2000 that Connors donated to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, used at the 1983 US Open, is strung with clear natural gut. A wooden frame and a steel frame, and the same string inside both. It never really left.
The Ball
The Wimbledon finals between them were played with a white ball. The ITF approved yellow in 1972, but Wimbledon kept white until 1986. That was the look of the game.
The Four Matches
1976 US Open final: Connors beat Borg 6–4, 3–6, 7–6, 6–4. Borg had four set points in the third set.
1977 Wimbledon final: Borg won 3–6, 6–2, 6–1, 5–7, 6–4, holding on after leading 4–0 in the fifth and watching Connors win four straight games.
1978 Wimbledon final: Borg won 6–2, 6–2, 6–3 for his third straight Wimbledon title.
1978 US Open final: Connors won 6–4, 6–2, 6–2.
The Verdict
Borg leads the head-to-head 15–8, and 8–5 in finals. In Grand Slam finals they finished level at 2–2: Borg won both Wimbledon finals, Connors both US Open finals.
On the record: Borg, 15–8.
On the big stage: level at 2–2, wood for one, steel for the other.
Want to play the game the way they saw it? Join the waiting list for The White Ball, or get the free collector’s guide to start your own racket collection.
— The Editor, Court Privée
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