Legendary tennis champion Björn Borg, a five-time Wimbledon winner, says he is taking life “day by day, year by year” following a diagnosis of aggressive prostate cancer.
Borg, who retired at age 25 after winning 11 Grand Slam titles, revealed the diagnosis in the final chapter of his upcoming autobiography, set to release this week in the U.K. and next week in the U.S. He is currently in remission after undergoing surgery in 2024 but described the news as “difficult psychologically.”
“I spoke to the doctor, and he said this is really, really bad,” Borg told BBC Breakfast. “He said you have these sleeping cancer cells, and 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.”
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men, and aggressive forms can require careful monitoring even after treatment. Borg’s openness highlights the ongoing mental and physical challenges patients may face, including regular testing and uncertainty about recurrence.
In his autobiography, Borg also reflects on past struggles with panic attacks and substance use, which he says began in 1982. He writes candidly about cocaine use and bouts of self-medication with alcohol and pills, including a near-fatal incident in a Dutch hospital in the 1990s.
The tennis star also revisits his decision to retire after losing the 1981 Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals to rival John McEnroe, writing, “All I could think was how miserable my life had become.”
Borg’s story underscores the long-term physical and emotional effects of high-profile careers and the importance of addressing both mental health and cancer care.
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