The 1980s were a great decade for tennis. A long decade that saw the face of the sport change. This brief article will focus on my favorite 5 tennis players from the 1980s. These aren’t ordered by who was best, simply by my favorites. I hope you enjoy it!
5. Bjorn Borg. The Swedish maestro who may be referred to as the best to ever play the game had his career lasted just a little bit longer.
4. Stefan Edberg. One of the last true serve and volley players who captured the world’s number one rank. I can’t think of a player who covered the net as well as Edberg has, and he was one of the last of a breed of true serve and volley tennis players that essentially no longer exists.
3. Boris Becker. Ah, the jump serve. Becker popularized this method of serving in the 1980s, and just about everyone I knew tried to emulate it in their own way. Becker was a true warrior on the tennis court, and I’m a big fan of what he did for the sport.
2. Ivan Lendl. One of the most under-appreciated players in tennis history, in my mind. Lendl anchored the number one spot in the world for years, a streak that often goes overlooked. He was simply a machine.
1. John McEnroe. What can you say about Mac? His charisma, his hustle, and everything else that he did on the court is legendary. To see him as a commentator through his retirement is simply a delight.