Bjorn Borg is widely considered to be one of the greatest players the sport of tennis has ever witnessed.
The Swedish star won 11 Grand Slam titles before his stunning retirement from the sport at the age of 26.
Borg won six French Open titles and five Wimbledon titles – he is the only male player in the Open Era who has demonstrated such a level of dominance on the inherently opposing surfaces.
Borg competed at the French Open eight times during his career, losing only twice at the event.
Remarkably, the same player beat Borg on both occasions.
Adriano Panatta defeated Bjorn Borg twice at the French Open
Bjorn Borg won the French Open title in 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981.
However, Borg was unable to capture the title in 1973 or 1976, losing to Italian star Adriano Panatta on both occasions.
Panatta, a former world number four, defeated Borg 7-6, 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 at the round of 16 stage in 1973. However, Borg avenged this loss in 1975, defeating Panatta 6-4, 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the French Open semi-finals.
A year later, Panatta beat Borg again at the French Open, this time in the French Open quarter-finals – 6-3, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6.
Panatta went on to win the 1976 title, becoming the first Italian man to win a major singles title in the Open Era.
What did Panatta say after beating Borg in 1976?
Following their clash at the 1976 French Open, Panatta commented on Borg’s level compared to their meeting at the same tournament the year previous.
As per the New York Times, Panatta said: “I think he was as good today as he was then, and I needed to watch every shot closely because of the kick he puts on the ball.”
Meanwhile, Borg commented on his mental state during the match. He said: “I’ve played a lot lately and my mind kept wandering.”
The pair met 16 times during their careers, with Borg winning the matchup 10-6. Panatta won their first contest at the 1973 Valencia Open.
Nine years later, Borg won their final match at the 1982 Monte Carlo Masters.
