Anna Lundh

Borg VS. McEnroe

A few years ago, the Swedish real-estate company Vasakronan made a commercial with the Tennis legends Björn Borg and John McEnroe. The message was simple: “Right people in the wrong place?”

The aged stars play a match in a space much too small, with the comedic effect of constantly hitting and bumping in to things. Their opposite personalities from the past are exaggerated, where Borg is the cool and controlled, and McEnroe the temperamental. Most people are familiar with the rivalry of these two icons, and that Borg completely quit playing tennis at the age of only 25, as a direct consequence of his defeat to McEnroe at Wimbledon 1981. But the main focus of the commercial seems to be to portray their relationship off court as very loving and cute. Perhaps it’s everybody’s fantasy; the rivals who have become best buddies over time.

The video “Borg Vs McEnroe- behind the scenes” is an amateur documentary about the shooting of this commercial, made by the CEO of the real-estate company Vasakronan, Håkan Bryngelsson. It is recorded, edited and sound tracked by the CEO himself. What is shown is a group of men, beside themselves with excitement over the proximity of these sport icons. When the CEO is behind the camera, what can be talked about and which relationships can be exposed? Subtitles by Anna Lundh.