Really amazing that these shoes have survived 45 years since Bjorn Borg wore them at the French Open at Roland Garros. There are still several pieces of the clay stuck in the grooves of the soles. In the one shoe, you can se a special pad sewn in for his comfort. Borg had a contract with Diadora and these are the style he wore for several years. You will notice on the photos this exact style being worn. The red clay is all over these relics and you can see from the photos why they are in such rough shape. Sliding around on the clay has left incredible signs of use on these pair of amazing memorabilia. We have not seen any Borg shoes at auction or for sale or anywhere other than the pair that is on display at the Wimbledon Museum. This special pair was put away by Lennart Bergelin but the tournament date is unknown. These come from his personal collection. The photo of Borg sitting down is from the Canadian Open. The other photos are all from the French Open dating from 1979 to 1982.
Björn Borg is a Swedish former World No. 1 tennis player counted amongst the greatest tennis players of all time. The first male professional to win 11 Grand Slam singles titles and holds numerous Open Era records which still stands. He uniquely pulled off five successive Wimbledon victories between 1976 and 1980 and, also achieved in three consecutive years the most difficult “double” in tennis, victory on clay at the French Open in Paris followed by victory on grass at Wimbledon. In addition to those distinctions, he was the ITF Champion from 1978-80, ATP player of the year from 1976-80 and, was the year-end world No. 1 in the ATP rankings in 1979 and 1980. In 1979 he became the first player to earn more than one million dollars in prize money in a single season.
In nine attempts at the Men’s Singles between the years of 1973 and 1981, Borg won 51 matches and lost four. Between his 1975 quarter-final defeat by the eventual champion, Arthur Ashe, and his loss in the 1981 final to John McEnroe, Borg won 41 consecutive singles at The Wimbledon Championships.
Borg turned professional in 1973 after winning the Wimbledon Junior Championship in 1972 and managed to reach the fourth round of his first French Open. He won his first top-level singles title at the Italian Open in 1974, shortly before his 18th birthday and became the youngest winner of that tournament, and two weeks later he became the youngest-ever male to win the French Open. In 1976, at the age of 20 years and 1 month, he became the youngest male of the modern era when up to that time to win the Wimbledon Championship. It was his first, and he did it in an astonishing sequence by demolishing seven opponents, culminating with Ilie Nastase, without dropping a set. It was only the fourth time a man had done that at Wimbledon, and it has not been accomplished since.
Björn Borg retired from professional tennis in January 1983 at the age of 26 after 10 years on tour. During his career he polarized the world after becoming the first “rock star” of the tennis circuit in a phenomenon known as Borgmania. This was due to his cool demeanor, his long hair that flowed to his shoulders, to the headbands he always wore, his tight-fitting Fila "White Line " and "Settanta" lines of shirts and shorts, and of course his famous Donnay racquet that featured a longer leather handle to accommodate his two-handed backhand that he revolutionized.
Lennart Bergelin was a Swedish tennis player and coach. As a player, for AIK, Bergelin won nine Swedish championship singles titles between 1945 and 1955, and the French Open doubles title in 1948. Bergelin is best known for his work with Björn Borg, whom he coached from 1971 until the tennis star retired in 1983, helping him to win 11 Grand Slam tournaments. Bergelin also captained Sweden to its first Davis Cup title. Some tennis coaches focus on the mechanics of the game, teaching perfection of form, grips, and other techniques. Others emphasize strategy, inspiration, and other mental aspects of the game. Yet others strive to simply bring out the natural best in their players. It is in the third category that one finds Lennart Bergelin.
"We are almost like father and son," Borg once told The New Yorker. "Lennart has a nice touch. He always gets you in a good mood and that is a big thing when you are playing professional tennis tournaments." Bergelin agreed: "One of the most important things I do for Bjorn is to be a good friend. That is not hard. We know each other well, we get along well, we enjoy talking tennis together, and when he feels tired and over-worked, I can help out by being good company."
