1.
GV Adriano Panatta, nearest camera, serves to Bjorn Borg, and after long rally Panatta vollies into the net
0.19

2.
GV Borg serves an comes to net and vollies a winner away across court and crowd applauds. (2 shots)
0.32

3.
GV Panatta serves and long rally develops with Borg coming to the net and forcing the Italian deep who finally puts it into the net
0.50

4.
GV Scoreboard after 3 sets with Borg up by 2 sets to 1
0.53

5.
GV Panatta serves and after brief rally his crosscourt shot goes wide and out to give Borg the point ZOOM into scoreboard showing matchpoint to Borg
1.05

6.
GV Panatta serves, comes forward for backhand volley but it goes into net giving Borg the match 1-6, 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 and players shake hands and final scoreboard (2 shots)
1.23

7.
SV Borg receiving cup
1.30


Borg said after the game that, because of the Italian crowds, the title is now one of the most difficult to win. Borg had begun the match by needing medical attention. After only two game in the first set while trying to fend off a hornet that buzzed around his head, Borg hit himself over the eye with his racket. Play was held up for five minutes while a doctor attended the cut, and Borg resumed play wit a plaster over the injury.




Initials BB/1615


SPORT: TENNIS

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Tennis....and the Wimbledon champion, Bjorn Borg, had to combat both the heat and provocation of a frenzied crowd to win the men's final of the Italian Open Tennis Championships in Rome on Sunday (28 May). Borg of Sweden defeated the local champion Adriano Panatta in five sets in a three hour duel but the game was held up on three occasions while Borg protested against fans throwing coins on to the court.

SYNOPSIS: Panatta, serving here, had got through the semi-finals after his opponent Spain's Jose Higureas had walked from the court after two sets amid turbulent crowd scenes. Borg, who first won the Italian open in 1974, also had the crowd to contend with. Before the match the Italian Tennis Federation appealed to the 9,000 spectators for fair play and sportsmanship. Borg found his form in the third set after losing the first, 6-1 and took this point with a fine volley.

Rallies were often long and tense. However, Borge played the more attacking tennis, and his frequent bursts to the net were rewarded more an more as the game wore on. Panatta puts it into the net to give the Swede the third set 6-1.

Panatta came back in the fourth set to win 6-4. But his finishing was often astray and Borg shot to a 5-3 lead in the final set.

Matchpoint with the Italian Panatta fighting to hold service. He came forward on attack but his backhand volley went into the net to give Borg the match 1-6, 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3. Borg, hit several times by coins thrown by spectators, said he had thought about retiring half-way through the game.