Tennis Icon Björn Borg's Heart-Wrenching Battle with Prostate Cancer: 'The Doctor Said It Looks Very, Very Bad'

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Stars (2 / 1) 08.10.2025 14:58 von Günter Symbolbild imago

In the interview with the BBC, Borg also looked back on his legendary tennis career. He particularly highlighted the 1980 Wimbledon final against his greatest rival, John McEnroe. "It was the most satisfying match of my career. It had everything," said Borg. The rivalry between the two was known as "fire and ice": while McEnroe was famous for his fiery outbursts on the court, Borg always showed cool composure. In 1981, McEnroe took his revenge at the US Open by defeating Borg. Shortly afterwards, the Swede surprisingly announced his retirement from professional sports – at just 25 years old. "I had no more motivation and had enough. If I had known what the coming years would bring, I would have continued," Borg reflected in retrospect.

A Life Full of Ups and Downs

With 66 tournament victories and 109 weeks as world number one, Borg left a lasting impression in tennis. But after the end of his career, he struggled with severe personal problems. In his autobiography, he reveals that he struggled with alcohol and drug abuse in the 1980s. After an overdose in Milan in 1989, he was literally on the edge. "I was close to death many times," Borg confessed. "But I got my life together. Today I am very pleased with myself." These words show how strong the former athlete has remained despite all adversities. For his fans, Björn Borg remains a true icon – both on the tennis court and off it. His story is an example of how you can always get up and rearrange your life despite setbacks.