From its founding year in 1905 through 1985, the Australian Open was offered in December. That it should have a January date arguably was the doing of one man, Bjorn Borg.

Borg has to be pretty much a myth in Australia. He played down here just once, in 1974. He almost certainly would have returned had he been able to run the table of a year's Grand Slams in Australia, but while Borg in 1978, 1979 and 1980 completed a Roland Garros-Wimbledon double, he could not continue it at the U.S. Open.

They play tennis at Flushing Meadows under the lights. Borg never was comfortable in the dark. In particular, he was not one who relished opposing Jimmy Connors at night. Borg 10 times competed in U.S. Opens and never won, although he four times was a finalist.

When Borg failed in New York, Australia in December would be struck from his schedule. At length, according to Rino Tommasi, a longtime tennis correspondent from Rome - this is the 142nd Grand Slam event Tommasi has chronicled _ Australian tennis authorities awakened to the realization that the place was not being served by being fourth in the year's Grand Slam rotation.. In 1986, the Australian Open was not presented, but in1987 it began being conducted in January as the first of a season's Slams.

By being in absentia, Borg in effect had altered the tennis calendar.