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Tennis legends entertain crowds at Knokke-Heist

Iconic tennis players John McEnroe and Björn Borg were the main draw at the third edition of the Optima Open in Knokke-Heist last weekend. The former sparring partners joined forces to win the doubles title on Sunday to the delight of the 2,500 crowd. “I prefer to play with him; he is an excellent doubles player,” said Borg after the duo defeated Henri Leconte and Mats Wilander in a tie-break 10-3.

The Optima Open singles final was earlier won by charismatic Croatian player Goran Ivanisevic, who beat Swede Thomas Enqvist in a tie-break 7-3. It was the second title for Ivanisevic, who lifted the trophy in the first Optima Open final in 2010.

The Belgian leg of the veterans’ ATP Champions Tour boasted a magnetic line-up of all-time greats that also included Mark Philippousis, Guy Forget and Carlos Moya. The veterans’ tour is a chance to see legendary players in action. Former Flemish tennis champ Sabine Appelmans presented the trophies.

“It was a pleasure to play here; I’ll definitely be back next year,” said McEnroe. The American was absent from Knokke last year due to injury and allegedly requires physiotherapy before being able to pick up a racquet. The 53-year-old remains a familiar figure and voice as a popular pundit for both British and American networks.

www.optimaopen.be

Sarah Crew
(August 22, 2024)