Swedish tennis icon Björn Borg mentioned he has been recognized with an aggressive type of prostate cancer and can “fight every day like it’s a Wimbledon final.”
The 11-time grand slam champion disclosed his prognosis in his autobiography “Heartbeats: A Memoir,” co-written with spouse Patricia, saying he underwent surgical procedure in 2024 and is now in remission.
Borg received 5 successive Wimbledon titles between 1976-1980 in addition to six French Open crowns, however shocked the sporting world by retiring on the age of 26.
“I spoke to the doctor and he said this is really, really bad,” Borg advised the BBC.
“He said you have these sleeping cancer cells, it’s going to be a fight in the future. Every six months I go and test myself. I did my last test two weeks ago. It’s a thing I have to live with.”
Borg mentioned docs found the cancer in 2023 regardless of years of normal check-ups.
“The thing is that you don’t feel anything – you feel good, and then it’s just happened,” mentioned the Swede, who held the world quantity rating for 109 weeks.
“I hope that I’m going to be OK. I take it day by day, year by year, hopefully.”
Although Borg tried a short comeback in 1991, he did not make a mark on the circuit.
During his prime, Borg shared an intense rivalry with John McEnroe and their battle within the 1980 Wimbledon remaining is thought of one of many best ever tennis matches. The American received the fourth set tiebreak 18-16 earlier than Borg went on to win the five-set epic.
“Now, I have a new opponent in cancer – one I can’t control,” Borg wrote in his e-book.
“But I’m going to beat it. I’m not giving up. I fight like every day is a Wimbledon final. And those usually go pretty well, don’t they?”