Impossibly gifted and undeniably good-looking, Björn Borg transcended his station as one of many biggest tennis gamers on the planet within the Seventies, morphing into an upper-crust teen idol, an emblem of silent stoicism and the polar reverse of his chief rival, the fiery John McEnroe.
Nicknamed the “Ice Borg,” the blond Swede turned a world famous person, successful 11 Grand Slam titles — 5 consecutive Wimbledons and 6 French Opens — and grew to hate each minute of it.
Borg abruptly retired in 1981 at age 26 and all however disappeared for greater than 40 years. That’s to not say his life after tennis hasn’t been eventful, and he unpacks all of it in an autobiography, “Heartbeats,” that will likely be launched Tuesday within the U.S.
“All I might suppose was how I didn’t belong on this world anymore and the way depressing my life had turn out to be,” Borg writes about his determination to stroll away from the game that he had conquered however that in flip had consumed him.
“The ideas grew heavier by the second, and all of a sudden, all the pieces felt ice chilly and crushing. Now I knew there was completely no pleasure left in it for me.”
His life has been one in every of privilege but in addition was devoid of which means for years, he stated in a video interview with the Guardian. Within the memoir, which was launched Thursday in the UK, Borg, 69, dispassionately recounts the heavy cocaine and alcohol abuse that started shortly after he walked away from tennis, his latest bout with prostate most cancers and discovering internal peace and a measure of happiness together with his third spouse, Patricia Östfeld, two sons and two grandsons.
“I used to be misplaced on this world,” Borg stated of his Eighties drug use. “I didn’t have any assist. I didn’t have a crew or brokers to push me in the fitting means. I did all the pieces on my own, I didn’t actually have any assist throughout that point and it’s very powerful to repair your self.”
He turned an everyday at famed New York Metropolis nightclub Studio 54, partying with rock stars Mick Jagger, Elton John, Rod Stewart and Sting. Later, he relocated in Los Angeles and hung out on the Playboy mansion. “The place was stuffed with temptations of each sort, and it was laborious to say no,” Borg writes.
Though he was all the time quiet and reserved, Borg cultivated many friendships throughout his enjoying profession, together with with fellow tennis superstars McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Ilie Năstase and Vitas Gerulaitis. But he lower ties with them when he stop tennis and expressed remorse throughout his interview.
“I didn’t communicate with the gamers,” he stated. “After I left tennis, I left all my mates. I left all the pieces. And that was an enormous mistake. I went into a distinct crowd, individuals who weren’t concerned with sport. That’s why I began with medication and drugs and consuming.”
Borg admits to a number of relapses in the course of the Nineties when he additionally made an abbreviated tennis comeback. He met Östfeld in 1999, and writes that he has remained drug-free ever since. He additionally slowly reintroduced himself into well mannered society.
He had averted going to Wimbledon for years, embarrassed about what he had turn out to be, however in 2000 he returned for a parade on the Millennium Championships. Former champions have been launched and Borg obtained the loudest ovation.
“[Wimbledon] invited me on a regular basis, however I didn’t really feel comfy,” he stated. “The best way I’d been dwelling, what had occurred, all these items. However then at some point quickly after I met Patricia, I stated, ‘Now I really feel prepared to return to my favourite match.’ And I’ve been again nearly yearly since then.”
Close to the top of the autobiography, Borg additionally delves into his battle with superior prostate most cancers, which required an operation in 2014. He’s in remission however says medical doctors informed him “sleeping most cancers cells” stay in his physique.
“Just a few days after the operation, the surgeon stated, ‘This was actually, actually unhealthy. However you’re OK,’” Borg stated. “I’ve these sleeping most cancers cells. They might be sleeping for a few years, however they might come out and provides me issues. I simply have to attend and see. I’ve to return for six-monthly checks. Proper now I really feel good, no drawback.”
Borg says he’s comfy, having earned $36 million in profession prize cash and greater than double that in endorsements and investments. He enjoys easy pleasures and expresses no regrets for quitting skilled tennis so younger. He does, nevertheless, nonetheless love the game.
“I need to spend so much of time with the household,” Borg stated. “Keep concerned with tennis, to journey, to look at tennis, to spend time with my tennis mates, with the individuals who love tennis, however to be with the household, with the youngsters, with the grandchildren, that’s essential to me.”
