1.
GV: Jimmy Connors, at the far end, serves to Bjorn Borg. Connors keeps Borg on the baseline and Borg nets PAN TO spectators applauding.
0.29

2.
GV: Bjorn Borg serves. Baseline rally with Borg eventually hitting long return out.
0.46

3.
SV: spectators applaud and scoreboard at 2-2 in the final set (2 shots)
0.51

4.
GV: Borg serves fine rally with Connors finally moving in and netting.
1.07

5.
SV: crowd applaud
1.09

6.
GV: Connors serving at far end. Connors after keeping Borg on baseline wins point with cross-court volley. Score board showing Connors leading 5-4 in third set.
1.28

7.
GV: Borg serving from far end to try to save match. Long baseline rally ends with Connors coming to the net and wining with angled volley.
2.06

8.
MV: scoreboard 6-4, 1-4, 6-4 to Connors.
2.10

9.
SV: Connors receiving trophy.
2.21


As runner-up Borg collected 64,000 dollars. Gottfried took 40,000 dollars and Villas, who withdrew from a third place play off against Gottfried, collected 32,000. The men's doubles final and a prize of 40,000 dollars was won by Bob Hewitt and Frew McMillan of South Africa. They beat Stan Smith and Bob Lutz of the United States 7-5, 7-6, 6-3.




Initials RH/0210


SPORT: LAWN TENNIS

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Tennis....and Jimmy Connors, the losing finalist at Wimbledon and Forest Hills took the 100,000 dollar first prize in the Colgate Masters, when he beat his old rival Bjorn Borg of Sweden 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday (8 January).

SYNOPSIS: Connors, serving at the far end, had reached the final by beating fellow American Brian Gottfried. Borg, the Wimbledon champion for the past two years, had accounted for Argentina's Guillermo Vilas. This was the showdown both wanted to win and Connors made the more confident start, watched by a crowd of 18,000.

Connors took this point, and was playing with plenty of confidence, but at one stage he had found himself trailing 2-0 in the final set. He came back in great style, however, after breaking Borg's serve.

This point went to Borg as he fought to repeat his Wimbledon success, when he triumphed over Connors in five sets. This time though the match was only over three sets.

Another point for Connors....the American had won the first set, Borg the second, and with the end in sight it was Connors again, who held the upper hand.

Victory meant so much more than money to both men. Along with Vilas, who had beaten Connors earlier in the week, both claimed the world's number one ranking. Borg had his Wimbledon successes; since Wimbledon Vilas the United States champion, had virtually been unbeatable, and Connors had never admitted being second best to anyone....In the end it was Connors who triumphed. His streamlined power hitting had overcome Borg's relentless top spin.

Connors was the first American to win the Masters since Stan Smith triumphed in Tokyo back in 1970.