Book: HEARTBEATS
Author: Björn Borg
Published by: Sphere
Price: Rs 799
The International Tennis Hall of Fame describes Björn Borg as a rock ‘n roll star draped in tennis clothes. His massive appeal stemmed from his incredible athleticism, powerful shot-making, and distinctive style. The winner of 11 Grand Slam titles — six French Opens and five Wimbledons — he transformed tennis in the 1970s and the 1980s before announcing his retirement at the age of 26.
Borg's brutally honest memoir provides rare insights into the life of a top-class professional who fascinated generations of fans as well as the trepidations he had to go through in his quest for success. Behind his frosty temperament which earned him the nickname, ‘Ice man’, he was gravely superstitious. He realised early that "in tennis, playing angry doesn't work” and you need to "stay cool".
The book details his disappointment at not winning an US Open title besides his famed and intense rivalry with John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors.
Borg also opens up about his relationship with his parents, especially his dad, Rune, who was the guiding light behind his tennis, his partners, and the partying days at the New York nightclub, Studio 54.
"I loved that place, it was in an old theatre in the middle of Manhattan, near Central Park. Huge dance floor, big balcony, massive bar and lots of little corners where people could sneak off and do..." Borg couldn't hide his admiration. He was so fascinated by that city that he bought a home just outside Manhattan to be in close proximity to its nightlife and celebrity scene.
Borg recounts his association with celebrities in the New York social circuit, which included Donald Trump, Paul Simon, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner and Mick Jagger. He also spent quality time with Franz Beckenbauer and his then wife.
He is equally honest about his drug addiction. He started "self-medication" through drugs and alcohol after he stopped playing. He began with cocaine and its impact on his health worsened with time: there were two near-death experiences in the 1980s and the 1990s. "Drugs would suddenly be around me without me even seeking them out. It could start with a simple dinner and a couple of drinks, and then things would spiral... There was never an in-between... I was lost in this world,” writes Borg.
Death, incidentally, has been a recurring theme in his life. He suffered a heart attack at a seniors' tournament in the Netherlands in the mid-1990s and collapsed in front of his father. "It’s said that a heart beats 2.5 billion times in a life. Mine has beaten a few less, and it’s not because of my slow pulse,” Borg writes in the Prologue.
Borg now lives in Stockholm with his third wife, Patricia Östfeld. Having been diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago, he underwent a life-saving operation in February 2024 and is in a much better place now. He remains in touch with McEnroe but rarely talks about their encounters on the court. "What's done is done... it's not something we dwell on now."
But their rivalry had “made tennis history" for sure.