Borg's Battle Against Illness: "I Spent Many Years Fighting Alone"

Tennis legend Björn Borg released his autobiography in recent months. The Swede discussed in a recent interview his battle against prostate cancer.

AFP

Adrien Guyot

le 03/12/2025 à 09h59

2 min to read

Borg

Former world number one, Björn Borg, 69 years old, published an autobiography in recent months in which he discusses his drug addiction and his battle against prostate cancer. The man who won eleven Grand Slam titles in his career gave an interview to the media Marca in which he reflects on how he fights against his addiction and the illness.

"No one helped me, except my parents"

"The problem is that I gave up tennis. I had to find myself after falling into drugs. And I can say that I had the necessary mental strength, the same as I had as a player. No one helped me, except my parents. I temporarily returned to the courts in Monte-Carlo, not because I wanted to come back, but because I wanted to live and have a life.

If I hadn't started playing again, I wouldn't be talking to you right now, because I wouldn't have survived. I needed to have a program again, a schedule to follow. I spent many years fighting alone and it was very hard.

In September 2023, I was supposed to go to Vancouver for the Laver Cup as captain of the European team. My doctor forbade me from going because the test results were bad. I had a responsibility and I went to Canada. Upon returning to Stockholm, I went directly to the hospital.

I was so sick that I had no choice but to undergo surgery in February of the following year. I am fine now, but I have to undergo check-ups because cancer cells can always come back. I always wanted to talk about the problem I had with drugs and prostate cancer. It wasn't an obstacle, because my wife is aware and understands everything.

I wanted to open up to the world. I went through a very dark period for years, when I stopped playing tennis, and I wanted to tell that story. I am very happy with the person I am today," he assured.