Bjorn Borg: I’ve always been a private person

0:00This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. If journalism is the first draft of history, what happens if that draft is flawed? In 1999, four Russian apartment buildings were bombed, hundreds killed. But even now, we still don't know for sure who did it. It's a mystery that sparked chilling theories. I'm Helena Merriman, and in a new BBC series, I'm talking to the reporters who first covered this story. What did they miss the first time? the History Bureau Putin and the Apartment Bombs listen on bbc.com or wherever you get your podcasts with the European Athletics Championships the Men's FIFA World Cup and the Commonwealth Games all taking place 2026 is shaping up to be a terrific year for global sport and the More Than The Score podcast will be following all the action bringing you interviews with sports stars and exploring the stories beyond the score sheets with the BBC's expert sports journalists More Than The Score from the BBC World Service.

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1:16Hello, I'm BBC correspondent Tim Muffet and this is the interview from the BBC World Service. The best conversations coming out of the BBC. People shaping our world from all over the world. There have been so many disagreements between me and my family. Putting on a show, that is what it means to be Lady Gaga. Only the things that you can't solve with government and private sector is where you bring philanthropy in. There's no place in the world where women are equal. Every generation, every generation has to fight to maintain democracy. For this interview, I met one of the all-time greats of tennis, Bjorn Borg in Stockholm.

1:59Born in 1956 in the Swedish capital, Borg's lifelong association with tennis began when his father won a full-size racket at a local table tennis tournament, which he gave to the young Borg. By the age of 14, he had joined the professional tennis circuit and just a few years later had won the Italian Open at 17 and the French Open at just 18. Having risen to international prominence in 1975, when he helped Sweden win its first Davis Cup, Borg became a household name in the years that followed for his distinctive playing style that helped him win Wimbledon five times in a row. At the peak of his playing career, his on-court rivalry with the American John McEnroe became the stuff of legend, with the pair's 1980 Wimbledon final considered by many to be one of the greatest matches ever played.

2:50This was later immortalised in a 2017 movie. After unexpectedly retiring in 1983, Org struggled with life after tennis, battling alcohol and drug abuse. He subsequently returned to the sport in the early 1990s for a couple of years before hanging up his professional tennis racket for good. In this interview, he reveals his journey to the very top of the sport, the challenges of stepping away, and how he dealt with the attention as a well-known private person. I had dreams to play to the centre court at Wimbledon and to play Davis Cup. When I was playing against my garage door in my hometown, those two dreams came through.

3:33It's very difficult to be private when you're trying to be the best player in the world. I mean, you want to be the best. You want to win tournaments, grand slams or whatever. But deep inside, I still had the same feeling. Maybe people didn't know that. I want to be private.

3:54Welcome to the interview from the BBC World Service with Bjorn Borg. Five times Wimbledon champion, tennis legend, and yet someone I think many people would consider to be essentially a private person. And yet here you are with this memoir, which reveals a lot of personal stuff. In the book, you reveal that you've been diagnosed with prostate cancer. So if you don't mind me asking, how are you at the moment? No, I'm fine. I'm really good. If we start with the beginning, so 2023, in the beginning of September, the doctor said, this doesn't look too good. Okay, what's the problem? We have to check yourself.

4:35So you have to stay in Sweden. We want to do some more tests with you. But I'm captain of labor cap for Team Europe, and we're going to play in Vancouver in Canada in the end of September. So what do I do? I go to Vancouver anyway. That was important for me. So I flew back to Stockholm. The next morning, I was in the hospital, like 7 o 'clock in the morning. They went inside and checked my prostate. They said, we have to make an operation. Okay, is that necessary? I told them, yes. well they said like this how long you want to live i mean it's your decision i said i want to live to maybe not 100 years or but for a long time i want to live so i had the operation a few days later or a week later i spoke to the doctor and he said this is really really bad but it's done and he said but you have these sleeping cancer cells in your body it doesn't mean that you're going to have problems they might sleep for many many years But as long as you know that, it could be a problem.

5:41So every six months, I go and test myself. And right now, I'm OK. I'm fine. I feel very good. But I have to do that in the future to see what's happened. In the book, you describe it as extremely aggressive and at its most advanced stage. And you also say that you're going to fight every day like it's a Wimbledon final. Yes, it's the thing you have to live with and, you know, take care of myself. But it's going to be a fight in the future. and I hope I'm going to be okay. I might be okay, I might not be okay but it's going to be a fight with myself but as long as you know about it, what to do and what to do, I think that's important.

6:19I mean the mental aspect is very important that you know what's all about and I know what's all about and I mean right now I feel good and I take day by day, year by year hopefully and it's going to be okay. I want to talk to you about the early days of your career. I believe you started playing tennis because you won a racket in a table tennis competition. Like my father was a table tennis player. So he played a kind of a championship in our hometown. And he won that championship. It was a lot of different prizes on the table. And I saw this tennis racket there. And during that time, I started to watch tennis on television.

6:59They didn't show so much tennis on television during that time. But I got very interested in tennis. So I told my father, if you win, can you take this tennis racket? And he won the tournament and he got a lot of different prizes, but he picked that tennis racket. And the next day I was up on the tennis court and tried for the first time to play tennis. And I loved it for the first time. And I was late. I was eight, nine years old. But from that point on, this is the sport I'm going to do. But at the same time, I was playing a lot of ice hockey at that time too. and my first racket, first racket I hold in my hand was a table tennis racket because my father played table tennis.

7:44But then that changed to a tennis racket. But tennis and ice hockey, I played a lot but tennis was something special in my life and I liked to hit that tennis ball. And the thing was, the racket he won was really heavy for me. So that's why I have to play with two hands on my backhand and even two hands on my forearm because it was heavy. But then in the end, I changed the racket to a little bit lighter, but still I wanted it. It was very natural for me to play with two-handed backhand. But on the forehand, I played only with one hand, what you're supposed to do. You were credited as having quite an unconventional tennis style, and maybe that was why that was.

8:24I think in the beginning, not too many players during that time. You had some players in the 50s or 60s, but not too many players play with two hands. And during that time, when I started to play with two hands, people said, you should not play with two hands. I mean, look at the classic tennis. It's one-handed backhand you have to play. So you have to change. And the coaches in my hometown, they really told me and said, you have to do like this. And I said, yes, I'm going to try that. But it went in here and not there. I didn't listen to them. I continued to play my two-handed back. That was more comfortable for me.

9:08Well done for not listening. No, exactly. Made the right decision. So as a teenager then, you're starting to break through. You're becoming more and more successful. And you were seen as a heartthrob, a teen idol. You were being followed around by all these cheering crowds. There was an interview you gave to the BBC in 1974, and someone asks you, if you could be anyone else, who would you like to be? And you say, a private person. So were you already aware that the attention you were drawing was going to have an impact on your life? I think in that, when we came back to 73, when I played, I played a few matches on the centre court, and the interest was enormous.

9:48I mean, you had all these girls. That was the first time all the girls were interesting in me, as maybe I came in Swede, come with a blonde hair. I have no idea what happened. Something happened in tennis during that time, and they were running out from the stands over the center court. I was sitting with the amparade chair. They were running over the center court. It's not going to happen today. So something happened. But still, it was a fun thing. I mean, I had my tennis. I was focusing. I had dreams to play to the center court at Wimmerland and to play Davis Cup. And those two things, when I'm playing against my garage door in my hometown.

10:29Those two dreams I had, Wimbledon and Davis Cup. 1972, I played Davis Cup for the first time from Sweden. 73, I'm here on this famous center court in Wimbledon. So those two dreams came through. And then I set up some other dreams in my life regarding tennis. That was a great life. But it's very difficult to be private when you're trying to be the best player in the world. I mean, you want to be the best. You want to win tournaments, grand slams or whatever. That's very difficult to be private. But deep inside, I still had the same feeling. Maybe people didn't know that. I want to be private. You're listening to The Interview from the BBC World Service.

11:13People shaping our world from all over the world. If journalism is the first draft of history, what happens if that draft is flawed? In 1999, four Russian apartment buildings were bombed, hundreds killed. But even now, we still don't know for sure who did it. It's a mystery that sparked chilling theories. I'm Helena Merriman, and in a new BBC series, I'm talking to the reporters who first covered this story. What did they miss the first time? The History Bureau, Putin and the apartment bombs. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. with the European Athletics Championships the Men's FIFA World Cup and the Commonwealth Games all taking place 2026 is shaping up to be a terrific year for global sport and the More Than The Score podcast will be following all the action bringing you interviews with sports stars and exploring the stories beyond the score sheets with the BBC's expert sports journalists More Than The Score from the BBC World Service Listen now search for More Than The Score or wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

12:30For this episode of The Interview, I'm speaking to Bjorn Borg, widely regarded as one of the all-time greats of tennis. It felt really special to meet someone I remember watching win Wimbledon as a young child. That 1980 final against John McEnroe was extraordinary, a five-set thriller that had my whole family screaming at the telly, millions of others would have been doing the same. When we met, Bjorn Borg was calm and polite. Of course he was, this is Bjorn Borg we're talking about. But he was also really warm, chatty, engaging, seemingly as interested in me as I was in him. Certainly nothing like the ice-cool, emotionless automaton who sometimes seemed to be on court.

13:11OK, let's return to my conversation with Bjorn Borg. I gather in the US Open one year, I think in 1972 you were playing, and one of the ball boys was very annoying. And who was this ball boy? No, I played, that actually was my first Grand Slam tournament, US Open, Forest Hills. And because I won Junior Wimbledon, so I got kind of a wild card getting into the US Open. And I was very happy to play my first Grand Slam tournament. And then one of the ball boys, I didn't know that during that time, was John McEnroe. And he told me afterwards, many years later, if he wouldn't tell me, I wouldn't have no idea that John was one of the ball boys.

13:59So he told me that. So we were joking about that. And I was joking regarding with John in the book, like he could not throw the ball to me. He was hopeless and all this thing. But that was kind of more like a joke. So one of the ball boys who annoyed you was John McEnroe. You cannot be serious. Exactly. He didn't say that during that time. You cannot be serious. In 1976, you win your first Wimbledon against Idien Stasi. I mean, I guess this is the pinnacle of any tennis player's career, isn't it? Did you believe it was going to happen? Playing 76, my first Wimbledon championship? No. I didn't believe myself I could really go all the way to win the championship.

14:46Either 75, when Arthur Ashe beat Jimmy Connors in the final, I lost to Ashe in the quarterfinal, played a good match, but I felt I was not ready to win the whole championship. But I played good tennis. That was the first tennis I played really well on grass. Now I feel really comfortable on the grass. That was the first time, even if I lost in the quarterfinal. The year after I came back at 76, I felt comfortable, but I didn't really believe myself, telling myself, that you can go all the way to win the championship, to win Wimbledon. That's a huge thing. But I played really good tennis. I didn't lose a set.

15:23And I played unbelievable tennis. But I didn't really believe that I could do it starting the tournament. And then after many of your victories, you would collapse onto your knees in what became this iconic move. Was that just a spontaneous thing or were you going onto your knees deliberately? If you win that last point in Wimbledon, For me, that's the most beautiful thing for a tennis player. You do a lot of sacrifice in your life. You practice hard. You set up your goals. Every last point when you win matches or tournaments is satisfaction for you. To win that last point in the Wimbledon, it's wow.

16:05That is something special. Spontaneous, you don't know what to do. You just feel what could be anything. I don't know. But that was my thing to do. But I never thought about it. I just went down to my knees or I did this kind of thing or whatever. Spontaneous, yes. But to win that last point, Wimbledon, has to be, for me in a way, the most beautiful thing and the best things happen in my tennis career. 1981, after the US Open, you famously left the stadium and decided subsequently to retire from tennis. And that was announced in 1983. Do you regret that? Stepping away from tennis, 81, I remember after the US Open final, I lost to John in the final.

16:54I had a house in Long Island, Sands Point. I had the house for almost six years. I like New York. I like Long Island. I like the US Open. Fortunately, I never won. Maybe I was in the final four times. Maybe I won twice, two times. I had a good chance. but I would never change any Wimbledon to US Open titles if we put it that way. After that, I went back to Europe. During that year, I made some good results. I won Masters, I won French Open, I won Stuttgart and Geneva and I was in the final in Wimbledon US Open. So I had a great year. I was ranked number two in the world after John but I still play very good time.

17:38But then I made up my mind, You could say November 81, I finished with 10. I had enough. I lost the interest in that way, the motivation. I have no regrets. I think if you put it this way, after 82, when I had no schedule, I could wake up in the morning. I could do anything. No schedule. I'm a person, black and white, no gray soon. So when I take a decision, I take the decision. I don't think about it more. all my sponsors I did a lot of good sponsors a lot of money involved they said to me maybe you should take three or four months off and then you come back maybe you feel better maybe you will enjoy tennis again no I said I took the decision no regrets I did the right thing did I I can sit here did I or did I not I have no idea but during that time when I took the decision I was happy with the decision if you put it that way and you talk about your life post tennis I mean you in the book you describe how at times your life was a dangerous mix of drugs pills and alcohol yes how bad did things get I think the first year 82 83 the years I was happy I did the things I could do anything I was very happy no schedule the thing was I had no plan this was a huge problem and tennis was one thing I had joy I had happiness I was so happy the years went by it came to a point what should I do now I need to do something I need to be very very happy as I was when I was playing tennis I can do a lot of things, but am I happy?

19:32I don't know. I don't think so. And I did this by myself. I mean, no help. I have to fix everything by myself. And that's a difficult task to do that. The most beautiful thing, except 80-81, when I played tennis, was 85, when my first son was born, Robin. That was the best thing happening in the 80s. But then the years went by. What should I do? I mean, it got worse and worse in that kind of way. What should I do? Yeah, it was more drugs. It was pills. It was alcohol. To escape. I think I escaped myself from reality in life because I didn't have to think about it. I mean, you're gone. It's relief.

20:18Of course, it's not good. It's destroy you as a person. It's a disaster, everything. It was terrible. And I think that's why in 1989, I was still married to the Italian singer Loredana, and we were in Milan. I still could think clearly what I need to do something. Otherwise, you and me would not sit here today. I mean, I was in bad shape. Then I decided that I'm going to start to play tennis again. but I think there was an escape. I was lost in the world and I didn't think about that. I mean, that stability from my side that I didn't think like you need a plan. You cannot just leave everything and say, oh, no, I feel good.

21:14Yeah, I feel very good but what's going to happen in a few years from now? So that was the problem. And you say about your comeback, your decision to return 1991. Did that go as well as you'd hoped or did you regret making that decision? No, it was the best decision I took. I'm sitting in Milan, autumn, winter, thinking what should I do? I need to do something. Should I open a restaurant? Should I do that? Doesn't make me happy, a restaurant. Or I could do a lot of different things. I need a schedule. I need to wake up in the morning. and I need to do something, whatever it is in life, but I need a schedule.

21:56And I was thinking and thinking, and then I said to myself, the best you know, it's tennis. I mean, I know you have a schedule. That's when I decided I'm going to start to play tennis again. I made up my mind. When I made up my mind, I didn't play tennis for, or I didn't hold a tennis racket for five years in my hands. So 1990, beginning of the year, I started to practice. The first hour I played, I told myself, did I play this sport before or what? I feel like a beginner. I was hopeless. It was a disaster. But the thing was, I'm not there for winning matches or be the best player winning tournaments.

22:44I am there for a different reason. I want to survive. I want to come back to life. I want to enjoy life. That was the main reason. I entered Monte Carlo and people said, yeah, big comeback in tennis. I'm going to come back in tennis. That's true. I came back to tennis. And people, they said to me, why you don't play smaller tournaments before such a big tournament in Monte Carlo? You get match practice and you get matches. You can play points. So I think you should do that. they had no idea and I said no I play Monte Carlo it doesn't matter for me because no one knows the only reason why I came back was myself and my parents no one else in the world why I came back to them my parents was living in Cap Ferra that's a place between Monte Carlo and Nice so we take the car back home to my parents they're sitting in the front and I'm in the back seat They say to me, my parents, that's the first time they saw me happy in my face.

23:52And they asked me, are you happy? Yes, I am happy. And that was the best moment for me. I felt I'm back in life. Finally, I'm back. You've lived a very extraordinary life. You've had a remarkable career. What has it been like being Beyond Borg? I'm proud of myself as a person. No one is perfect. But I did things with my tennis. I did things very professional. I'm very proud of it. I fixed my life afterwards. Even when I went through so many difficult times, so many difficult years, but I did it myself. I'm proud of that because no one helped me. I had to do it myself. I'm very proud of that. I think in life, I'm a nice person too.

24:39And I hope people, they see me who I am. and I think people in the world, they see who I am as a person. They understand me. I hope they understand me and I'm very happy with myself.

24:57Thank you for listening to The Interview from the BBC World Service. You'll find more in-depth conversations on The Interview wherever you get your BBC podcasts, including episodes with fellow tennis icon Martina Navratilova, global music star Stevie Wonder, and German Chancellor Friedrich Mertz. Until the next time, bye for now.

25:40But even now, we still don't know for sure who did it. It's a mystery that sparked chilling theories. I'm Helena Merriman, and in a new BBC series, I'm talking to the reporters who first covered this story. What did they miss the first time? The History Bureau, Putin and the apartment bombs. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. With the European Athletics Championships, the Men's FIFA World Cup and the Commonwealth Games all taking place, 2026 is shaping up to be a terrific year for global sport. And the More Than The Score podcast will be following all the action, bringing you interviews with sports stars and exploring the stories beyond the score sheets with the BBC's expert sports journalists.

26:25More Than The Score from the BBC World Service. Listen now. Search for More Than The Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

26:38you