March 4, 2006	Saturday	Safar 3, 1427

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LONDON, March 3: Sweden’s Bjorn Borg, the only player to win five consecutive Wimbledon men’s singles titles in the modern era, is to auction the trophies and the wooden racquet from his most famous match.

“The Iceman”, famous for his headband, flowing locks and steely nerve on court, was putting the silver gilt trophies up for sale, and the racquet with which he beat US star John McEnroe in the 1980 final.

The trophies, from the championships between 1976 and 1980, are expected to sell for between 200,000 and 300,000 pounds (291,000-437,000 euros, 350,000-525,000 dollars), London auction house Bonhams said.

The 1980 final racquet, plus the one Borg used to defeat Ilie Nastase of Romania in the 1976 final that started his spell of Wimbledon domination, are expected to fetch 10,000-15,000 pounds.

They will go under the hammer on June 21.

Borg, 49, said: “Obviously it is not easy to part with the trophies that symbolise all the tremendous effort, both physically and emotionally that it took to win Wimbledon on five occasions.

“However, I do need to have some long-term financial security for those close to me and now believe that the time is right for the trophies and racquets to pass to either a tennis collector or a suitable institution where they can be appreciated by a wider number of people.—AFP