SWEDISH GREAT DEAD

Lennart Bergelin, Sweden's first grand slam winner and coach to Bjorn Borg, has died at the age 83 following a short illness.

Bergelin was known most famously in recent years as Borg's personal coach during which time his young protege won 11 Grand Slam singles titles at Wimbledon and the French Open.

Before his career as a trainer, Bergelin was considered one of Sweden's best players, repeatedly figuring on International lists of the world's best players between 1946 and 1955. He also played in 90 Davis Cup tournaments and reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon four times.

Between 1946 and 1951, he won four international tournaments and in 1948 became the first Swede to win the Paris Grand Slam doubles competition, partnered with Jaroslav Drobny. He finished his career with 20 national championships - 9 single and 11 doubles and was given the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal, awarded for the most significant Swedish sports achievement of the year, in 1950 at the height of his playing career.

Bergelin also led Sweden's Davis Cup team to its first ever Davis Cup victory in 1975 against Czechoslovakia, while taking on the duties of Borg's personal coach from 1971 until retiring in 1983.