Bjorn Borg v Arthur Ashe in a breatkthrough match! | US Open 1973 Round 3

And now Borg takes up the service position. New balls, starting the fourth set. Excuse me Tony, I missed that while we were on there while Ash held serve. And it's Borg trying to get even. Borg, 17 years of age. And hitting the ball as hard as that young man Mr. Armitage did yesterday against Rod Laver. He's served four aces, only three doubles. For those of you that saw the tennis coverage yesterday you saw a rising young star in V.J. Armitage of Madras, India. We're watching another one here today. And Bjorn Borg, 17 years old from Sweden. He's had some real fine wins so far. Seems to be a very cool individual, Jack. Just like V.J. was yesterday. Absolutely. There's the fourth double. For 17 years of age, I think he plays as a mature game as anybody since maybe Kenny Rosewall. Arthur Ash resorting to short returns and lobs. They played an hour and thirty-five minutes. The break point. Just out. And of course, a lot of the seeded stars are having problems. Stan Smith seeded number one with Nastassi, who was eliminated. Just got over Roscoe Tanner. Six-seven, seven-six, six-four and six-three. We'll point out continually that a lot of errors that are made on this kind of a court. It's really not the fault always of the player. Lots of bad bounces. A little dangerous tone. A low percentage try. Angled drop volley. You make a few. It usually cost you more points than you actually make. Although on grass, Jack, the ball does die when you make a drop volley or a drop shot. So the players will try it more here than they would anyplace else. Nice close-up of Arthur Ash. We see the watermelon colored shirt. And he's wearing red socks, of all things, on the center court. Times have changed. Fifth double by Bjorn. Point for the break once again for Arthur Ash. Seventeen years of age, but he's got some good wins to his credit this fella. He beat Ritchie in Paris. Great win indoors over the Spanish champion Jimeno last winter. Many others. Good return. Good returns by Ash in that game. And he needed a service break. There have been a lot of great returns by both players. They both go over the ball, basically, creating topspin. There was a good example. Borg hit a topspin shot. We're going to have a little bit of a problem here apparently with one ball. And I think that Arthur Ash is going to ask Bill Ackerman in the chair to play a let if possible. It apparently was a ball that popped and that happens once in a while. Broken ball. Broken ball. That's the ruling. There's Bill Ackerman of Trenton, New Jersey. First point. Very legitimate request and honored. First point. Two love to Ash in the fourth set. And a shot. The very bright sun out today, Jack. There is a little bit of a haze. So sometimes it's difficult to get overhead smashes from the north end of the court where Ash is serving from. Two great passing shots puts Ash in trouble. He's lost his serve many times this afternoon. Six times in all so far. But it's tough to serve to a kid that has no fear in him, Tony. And also takes that really very, very long type of a swing. Say Ash was a little fortunate there. Borg made a real fine angled return. Arthur barely got it back over the net and then guessed right. One fault, thirty all. Yes, he stood firm. So Arthur, who just broke the serve of Borg. Bjorn Borg, I should say. In danger here. Point for the break back. Score is fifteen love. Borg serving to Arthur Ash. In the fourth set, Ash is leading two games to one. A little power there off the serve. Got hung up in the net. I think we'll find, Tony, that Arthur Ash is not going to temporize at all with a return. He keeps swinging out. Well, he's always played the game that way, Jack. He makes a lot of great shots. Of course, he makes some bad errors because I think there are times when you should pull your horns in a little bit and play a little safer. Arthur won the first U.S. Open here in nineteen sixty-eight. Defeating Tom Ocher in the finals. He won the Australian Open in nineteen seventy. And he was one of the top money earners on the WCT tour last year. A little bit deep to try a passing shot. Borg coming up with a nice deep volley from a good return. Thirty all. It's one thing Arthur has never done a lot of and that's lob. Apparently, he's so geared to swinging out that when he has to change the stroke Wyatt throws his timing off. Saying yesterday, Arthur even appreciated that one. Nineteen years in armature. And here's seventeen years in Borg. They both play the game the same way. Very well. Wynn's got it. So Arthur Ashe who in every set has had the had the ability to break first, but can't seem to hold on. So it's two all now on the fourth. Arthur's seeded third in this event. And of course, he was runner up to Ely Nastassi last year. Great five set match. He loves this court. I wonder where Nastassi is now, Jack. I understood that the pull up pulled up stakes in all departments and was heading home. But you can't tell about Ely. I know he's due to play more tennis in America in a couple of weeks. Double fault. Fifth double fault for Arthur. He served ten aces. Clearly, he has the power of the serve. Borg will learn to serve, I think, better, Jack when he gets to toss that ball a little more forward. And danger once again for Ashe. I feel, Tony, that Borg was raised in Sweden on hard courts. They play a lot of indoors, but they play with a softer ball. So they use more spin with it. Eleventh service ace. Borg won the Swedish championships, Jack. And he also won the junior Wimbledon. A lot of experience for a young man of seventeen. A lot of poise. So the boys very, very quickly back on the court taking a little less than one minute. Three games to two in the fourth set. Arthur Ashe leads. Bjorn Borg to serve. Way late on that one. Arthur Ashe really late. The winner of this match will play Nicky Pillich in the next round. Pillich was successful in defeating Australian Phil Dent. There's an attempt at a lob for the second time, Tony. And actually, he just doesn't have the feel on those kind of shots. He really hasn't done it enough to really know how. It's funny, Jack, when a player has played as much as an Arthur Ashe, but he just is not geared to lob, as you say, and he hasn't done it very much in match play. And so he just doesn't do it very well. Here we are at three all now in the fourth. And that slowed up. That bounce definitely slowed up. And this time the shot for Borg. Youngster from Sweden ahead two sets to one here. Sometimes Borg gets a big western grip as he did there when he has enough time. It sort of reminds me of Ocker when he whips that top spin forehand. We've got a hot day again, Jack. It's humid. The sun is out a little more brightly than it was yesterday. Actually, I feel that because of the lack of wind today, it's a little warmer. This is the seventh day in a row for this heat wave. Oh, he called it out. It looked on the line. Arthur, who is eminently a fair player, really can't believe that one. And that's tough. This is, of course, Mr. Ackerman in the chair. It is not his decision. It's the baseline. And the call is 30 all now. Big switch here. Fault. Still in that traffic pattern here. All the planes going to LaGuardia. And what a switch. One call like that can really make the difference. Instead of 40-15, now it would be 40-30, but the score is now 30-40. Point for the break. And that's it. So tennis, which is a game for all ages, but the kids at Forest Hills are doing the damage. Third seeded Arthur Ashe on his way out. It looks at this time he's down. 4-3 in the fourth set and two sets to one. Borg serves. We know, Jack, sporting events are never over until you're in the locker room, and Arthur Ashe is a real competitor. That is the seventh ace by this remarkable young man. Eighth ace. Called out. Hold the phone. He changed his mind. Fantastic serving. That got the total of aces up to nine. Now Arthur Ashe trying to stay in the match. 3-5 down in the fourth. For those that joined us late, Ashe won the first set 7-6 in the tiebreaker. Borg came back and won the next two sets 6-4, 6-4. He's leading 5-3. Ashe is serving in the fourth set. And a love thirty. Some really airtight ball by Arthur Ashe is necessary here. Two points away from leaving the championship. Triple match point now for Borg. Just great play. Might have been out. Still match point 15-40. Borg being really fantastic. He's won three games in a row. When the pressure is really on. Second serve has to get in there. Good fighting comeback by Ashe. It's still match point. He's saved two match points. Brady was lucky that he got that call because that would have been a placement. Great deep second serve. Perfect. Borg didn't say anything, Tony. That was very close to being a double. Back to Deuce. I like to give Ashe credit. He hit a fine deep second serve. Match point. Interesting thing, Jack. Ashe is doing all this hard work and fighting just to get to 4-5. Borg will still be serving for the match. But Tony, what a great comeback as he gets back. He's only behind 4-5. Tremendous occasion now as Borg serves for the match. He's leading 5-4. He also has two sets to one edge over Arthur Ashe. That's a lot of points in a row. Six in a row for Arthur Ashe. You know, Jake, while I have the occasion, my brother Mark's in the hospital in Cincinnati just getting over an operation. I know he's watching. I wanted to say hi and get well soon. Couldn't see a better match. I know that. Once again, the kid from Sweden. Two points from the match. The last game Borg served, he served three aces. He could use that now. Another super backhand by Ashe. 30-0. Match point. This will be the fourth time that Ashe has had to fight off a match point.