Björn Borg and the Super-Swedes
Stefan Edberg, Mats Wilander, and the Golden Era of Tennis
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- $16.500
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- $16.500
Publisher Description
Written by Mats Holm and Ulf Roosvald, Björn Borg and the Super-Swedes explains how a small country with 8 million inhabitants like Sweden could become the leading nation in tennis and an example to imitate worldwide. It starts with the legend of Björn Borg, the taciturn and mysterious Swede who became an icon of the ’70s and turned tennis into a global sport, and ends with the Kings of Tennis, the nostalgic senior event part of the Champions Tour held each year in Stockholm.
The 1985 Australian Open final, the first (and only, so far) all-Swedish Grand Slam final in the history of tennis, between Stefan Edberg and Mats Wilander, is a prominent focus of the book. The classic Davis Cup encounters between USA and Sweden in 1982 and 1984 and the Borg-John McEnroe rivalry are also key story lines.
The book also includes off the court details about the players, painting a well-rounded picture of their personalities, as well as context on the politics of Sweden at the time, including the impact of the social Democratic party.
The perfect gift for tennis aficionados and history buffs alike!
“My experience working with Skyhorse is always a positive collaboration. The editors are first-rate professionals, and my books receive top-shelf treatment. I truly appreciate our working relationship and hope it continues for years to come.”
–David Fischer, author
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Holm and Roosvald energetically explore the influence Bj rn Borg, Stefan Edberg, and Mats Wilander had on Swedish men's tennis and their country's domination of the sport during the 1970s. As Swedish journalist Holm and editor Roosvald describe, Jan-Erik Lundqvist's rise in the 1960s got the entire country to embrace the sport as municipalities built tennis facilities, corporations underwrote sponsorships, and clubs could afford better trained coaches. The authors weave into their history player interviews ("My thing was to do something on my own. I think that's what motivates every athlete in an individual sport," Borg said) with exhaustive descriptions of individual matches. Of game three at Wimbledon in 1976 between Borg and Ilie Nastase, the authors write, "Nastase hits a deep serve to Borg's backhand side and he handles the sharply hit return with an acrobatic forehand cross volley. Raw talent and deep concentration in one single motion." Diehard fans may appreciate the thorough reporting, but more casual readers will find that the match recaps quickly become tedious. The authors also explore ongoing rivalries with Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, and Ivan Lendl, as well as relationships with coaches, such as Percy Rosberg, who shaped Borg's career. This history expertly documents the emergence and continued development of tennis in Sweden.
