Bjorn Borg reveals ‘dark period’ and says long-awaited autobiography is a relief

Bjorn Borg has described the release of his tell-all autobiography as a relief and a weight off his back.

Renowned as one of tennis’ greatest stars, Borg won 11 grand slam titles in the 1970s and early 80s, but in ‘Heartbeats’ the Swede lays bare the troubles that followed his decision to retire aged only 25.

As well as his successes on court, including the famous 1980 Wimbledon final against John McEnroe, Borg describes his battles with drugs and alcohol, as well as a turbulent personal life and business failures.

The book begins with Borg recounting a drug-related collapse in the mid-1990s that is one of several near-death experiences featured.

“No more secrets,” the 69-year-old told the PA news agency in one of a small number of interviews conducted to mark the publication of ‘Heartbeats’.

“I’m a very secret person. I’ve always been in that kind of way, maybe because of my childhood. But, no, I told everything.

“I’m not proud of it with the drugs, the pills, or alcohol. It was many dark years after playing tennis. Still I don’t understand how I could take those decisions I took during that time. It was so stupid.

“I think why drugs came in more and more, it was like, after a certain number of years, I said to myself, ‘I need to do something, I need to be happy, I need to get the joy back as I had when I was playing tennis. What should I do? What can I do? Should I open a restaurant or should I do this and that? I’m not going to be happy’.

“So I came into a dark period of my time. I took more drugs, pills, or alcohol to escape from reality. It was easy to escape them, to take the problems – you have to solve your problems, if you take and disappear, you don’t really think about it.

“Stupid, they’ll just destroy you. That was the problem for many years until one day, it was 89, I said to myself, ‘I need to do something’.

“If I don’t take that decision, you and me, we should not sit talking here today. I wanted to survive, I was in bad shape, but still, I could think a little bit that you need to do something, because I wanted to live, to enjoy life.”

Borg had rejected many offers to tell his life story because he did not feel comfortable collaborating with an author or journalist he did not know.

Instead, it was at a restaurant in Stockholm with his third wife Patricia that Borg suggested she could write the book and, having initially declined, she agreed the following day.

The process took nearly three years of conversations, and Borg added: “I was very happy she said yes because, if she wouldn’t say yes, the book with me, with my life, childhood, tennis, the life after tennis, will never, ever come out. I will take that to my grave.

“I wanted always to come out with things happening in my life because so many things – good things, bad things – have happened. And for me to write this book with my wife, it’s kind of a relief.

“It’s kind of my backpack is off my back and I feel relieved because I wanted to do it for many years with the right person. And finally that happened. My wife and myself, we’re very, very happy and satisfied how the book came out.”

Borg played a big part in glamorising tennis, with the Swede’s ice cool demeanour contrasting with his big rivals McEnroe and Jimmy Connors as their battles elevated the sport’s profile.

Borg describes his many encounters with famous faces from the worlds of music, art and show business as a regular at celebrated New York nightclub Studio 54, as well as a succession of personal relationships before he finally found happiness with Patricia 25 years ago.

The couple have a son, 22-year-old Leo, who is also a professional tennis player, while Borg’s first son Robin was born in 1985.

Neither has yet read ‘Heartbeats’ and, while some details of the book were previously known, the scale of Borg’s troubles will likely shock many of his fans.

Borg said of his sons: “I hope they enjoy the book in one way. I’m so proud of my sons. I hope they maybe understand me in one way – I think they will. And then people in general, I hope they understand me, too. No one is perfect.

“Today, players, they have an agent, they have a team around them, they push them in the right direction. For me, I was completely lost in the world.”

Borg’s latest fight is against the prostate cancer he was secretly diagnosed with in September 2023 and for which he underwent surgery.

“I go every six months for tests,” he said. “Everything is fine, I’m fine, but I have to live with it. I want to live as long as I can. That’s part of my body right now but I’m OK. I feel good, I’m happy. I hope I’m going to feel that for many, many more years.”