Full name | Rolf Norberg |
---|---|
Country (sports) | ![]() |
Born | Borgholm, Sweden [1] | 31 January 1952
Plays | Right-handed |
Singles | |
Career record | 22–46 |
Career titles | 0 |
Highest ranking | No. 90 (2 July 1977) |
Grand Slam Singles results | |
French Open | 3R (1977) |
US Open | 1R (1973, 1976) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 21–44 |
Career titles | 0 |
Grand Slam Doubles results | |
US Open | 2R (1973) |
Rolf Norberg (born 31 January 1952) is a former professional tennis player from Sweden.
Norberg partnered Björn Borg to win the Scandinavian Indoor Championships doubles title in Helsinki in 1973 and won the singles at the Swedish Championships in 1975. On the Grand Prix circuit, one of his best wins as a singles player came in the 1976 Swedish Open when he eliminated second seed Wojtek Fibak. [2] His only Grand Prix final was in doubles, at the Aix-en-Provence Open in 1977, with local player Patrice Dominguez. They were defeated in the final by Ilie Năstase and Ion Țiriac.
He made main draw appearances at both the French Open and US Open. Most notably he reached the third round of the 1977 French Open, opening the tournament with a win over Czechoslovakian qualifier Pavel Složil, then causing an upset by defeating fourth seed Eddie Dibbs. [3]
Throughout the 1970s he also played a total of six Davis Cup ties for Sweden and featured in the country's 1975 campaign when they won their first title. [4] He played his first tie in 1973, against Spain in Båstad, called up to partner Ove Bengtson for the doubles rubber. They won that match and it was Bengtson again that Norberg partnered when he returned to the side in 1975 for Sweden's Europe Zone B quarter-final against West Germany. On this occasion Norberg and his partner lost, but Sweden went on to win the tie. He wasn't required for the rest of the tournament, which Sweden won over Czechoslovakia in the final. [5] He next played in 1976 against Italy in Rome. With Borg making himself unavailable for selection, Norberg had the opportunity to play two singles matches, both of which he lost, in addition to the doubles rubber. [6] His other three ties all came in the 1977 Davis Cup.
Norberg is married to arts journalist Madeleine Grive, the daughter of famed Swedish sports commentator Bengt Grive. He works as a commentator himself for Eurosport. [7]
Outcome | No. | Year | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runner-up | 1. | 1977 | Aix-en-Provence, France | Clay | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 6–1, 5–7, 3–6, 3–6 |
Björn Rune Borg is a Swedish former world No. 1 tennis player. Between 1974 and 1981, he became the first man in the Open Era to win 11 Grand Slam singles titles, but he never won the US Open despite four finals appearances. He is the first male player to win five Wimbledon titles in the Open Era. Only Swedish tennis player, male or female, to win more than 10 grandslams.
Wojciech Fibak is a Polish entrepreneur, art collector, businessman and former professional tennis player, best known for his doubles success with Dutch pro Tom Okker and Australian Kim Warwick, although Fibak also reached the Top 10 in singles.
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Björn Borg defeated the defending champion Guillermo Vilas in the final, 6–1, 6–1, 6–3 to win the Men's Singles tennis title at the 1978 French Open. Borg did not lose a set during the tournament, and dropped only 32 games in total, which remains a French Open record.
Two-time defending champion Björn Borg successfully defended his title, defeating Vitas Gerulaitis in the final, 6–4, 6–1, 6–2 to win the Men's Singles tennis title at the 1980 French Open. It was his fifth French Open title, following wins in 1974, 1975, 1978, and 1979. Borg did not lose a set during the tournament.
Adriano Panatta defeated Harold Solomon in the final, 6–1, 6–4, 4–6, 7–6(7–3) to win the Men's Singles tennis title at the 1976 French Open. Panatta became the first man in the Open Era to win the French Open after saving a match point en route, doing so against Pavel Huťka in the first round.
Jimmy Connors defeated Björn Borg 6–4, 3–6, 7–6(11–9), 6–4 in the final to win the Men's Singles tennis title at the 1976 US Open. Manuel Orantes was the defending champion but lost in the quarterfinals to Björn Borg.
Fourth-seeded Guillermo Vilas defeated defending champion Jimmy Connors 2–6, 6–3, 7–6(7–4), 6–0 in the final to win the Men's Singles tennis title at the 1977 US Open. It was played on September 11, 1977 on outdoor clay courts at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, Queens. First-seeded Björn Borg retired from his fourth-round match due to a shoulder injury.
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Born and raised in Borgholm, Sweden, Norberg is a prodigy of former Swedish Davis Cup great, Sevn Davidson, [...]