John McEnroe beat Bjorn Borg 7-6, 7-6 in a veterans' tour match on Friday just over 26 years after defeating the Swede in the Wimbledon final.

Both players showed all of their old magic, skill and determination in a thrilling clash with McEnroe saving set points in both sets before battling to victory.

It was their first meeting on the Tour of Champions for five years after Borg, winner of eleven Grand Slams, returned to competitive action in August following a six-year absence.

"The greatest matches I've ever played in my life have been against Bjorn, and I just want to say to him, welcome back to the Tour of Champions," the 48-year-old McEnroe was quoted as saying in a news release issued by the organisers.

"He's a freak of nature. He's still so fit and I was getting a little nervous at the end because it's a huge crowd here and any time I play Bjorn you don't know you've won until the end."

The 51-year-old Borg, who won five Wimbledon and six French Open titles, shook off a stomach virus to play his old rival.

McEnroe, who lost to Borg in the 1980 Wimbledon final but got his revenge the following year, won seven grand slams including four US Open titles and three Wimbledon crowns.

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