John McEnroe's Top 3 iconic tennis moments at Madison Square Garden: A Legendary Rewind

John McEnroe is unarguably one of the greatest tennis players of all time. A legendary exponent of serve-and-volley, McEnroe won seven Grand Slam singles titles in his career. He also had legendary rivalries with Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors in the 1970s and 1980s.

The American great also had an unforgettable connection with Madison Square Garden in New York, host to the year-end ATP tournament, then known as the Masters Cup, in the 1970s and 1980s. The Indoor venue was witness to several moments of magic produced by McEnroe. In this article, we will take a look at his top 3 iconic tennis moments at the MSG:

#3. John McEnroe won the 1978 Masters Cup

McEnroe came of age at the 1978 Masters Cup, which was played at Madison Square Garden in January 1979. The American was only 19 at that time, but was already ranked fourth in the world.

John McEnroe met Arthur Ashe in the final, who was almost 16 years his senior and in the twilight of his career. He lost the first set, but battled to win the next two. The final score was 6-7, 6-3, 7-5 in McEnroe's favor, thereby establishing him as a star in tennis.

#2. Losing to Bjorn Borg in the final of the 1979 Volvo Masters

The 1979 Masters Cup was held in January 1980 at Madison Square Garden once again. McEnroe was more mature as a player and made it to the final of the tournament without dropping a single set. However, as he met Borg in the final, the atmosphere was almost electric, and sparks flew.

Borg, famous for his cool temperament on the court, actually had a meltdown in the final, but still managed to win the match. It was yet another chapter in their glorious rivalry, with McEnroe giving Borg a hard time on the court yet again.

#1. Beating Ivan Lendl in straight sets to win the 1984 Volvo Masters

1984 was the most remarkable year in John McEnroe's career. He ended with a brilliant 82-3 win-loss record, which remains unmatched, and won 13 titles. The 1984 Volvo Masters were held in January 1985.

McEnroe won the tournament by beating Lendl 7-5, 6-0, 6-4 in the final. He also thus avenged his loss to Lendl in the final of the French Open in 1984. He managed to win the doubles title that year as well, partnering Peter Fleming.