Björn Borg and the Super Swedes: Stephen Edberg, Mats Wilander and the Golden Age of Tennis

Holm and Roosvald energetically explore the influence Björn 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. [em](Dec.) [/em]