Bjorn Borg: I’ve always been a private person

Bjorn Borg: I’ve always been a private person

Born in 1956 in the Swedish capital, Borg’s lifelong association with tennis began when his father won a full-size racket at a local table tennis tournament, which he gave to the young Borg.

By the age of 14, he had joined the professional tennis circuit, and just a few years later, had won the Italian Open at 17 and the French Open at just 18. Having risen to international prominence in 1975 when he helped Sweden win its first David Cup, Borg became a household name in the years that followed for his distinctive playing style that helped him win Wimbledon five times in a row.

At the peak of his playing career, his on-court rivalry with the American John McEnroe became the stuff of legend, with the pair’s 1980 Wimbledon final considered by many to be one of the greatest matches ever played. This was later immortalised in a 2017 movie.

After unexpectedly retiring in 1983, Borg struggled with life after tennis, battling alcohol and drug abuse. He subsequently returned to the sport in the early 1990s for a couple of years before hanging up his professional tennis racket for good.

He tells Tim Muffett about his journey to the very top of the sport, the challenges of stepping away, and his recent battle with prostate cancer.

The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presenter: Tim Muffett Producers: Ben Cooper, Nadia Dahabiyeh and Nick Smith Editor: Justine Lang

Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.

(Image: Björn Borg of Sweden prepares to present the trophies on Court Philippe-Chatrie, Credit: Tim Clayton/Getty Images)

Episoder(1846)

Bassem Youssef: Can laughter ever provoke political change?

Bassem Youssef: Can laughter ever provoke political change?

Stephen Sackur is in New York for a special edition of the programme with Egyptian American satirist Bassem Youssef. During the Arab Spring, his mockery of Egypt’s leaders won him millions of fans, but after the military took over he fled to the US where he has reinvented his comedy career. Can laughter ever provoke political change?(Photo: Bassem Youssef, comedian and political satirist)

16 Feb 202423min

Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya: Does Ukraine feel betrayed?

Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya: Does Ukraine feel betrayed?

Stephen Sackur is in New York City for an exclusive interview with Ukraine’s top diplomat at the United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya. With partisan warfare in Washington DC blocking crucial military assistance to Kyiv, does Ukraine feel betrayed?(Photo: Still taken from the Hardtalk interview with Sergiy Kyslytsya)

13 Feb 202423min

Cornel West: Could enough votes taken from Joe Biden help Donald Trump get elected?

Cornel West: Could enough votes taken from Joe Biden help Donald Trump get elected?

Stephen Sackur is in New York City to speak to Cornel West, the high-profile philosopher, writer and activist who has launched his own bid for the White House. Running as independent, he looks unlikely to win but could this anti-war socialist take enough votes from Joe Biden to help Donald Trump get elected a second time?

12 Feb 202423min

Vassily Nebenzia: Is Russia influencing global opinions?

Vassily Nebenzia: Is Russia influencing global opinions?

Stephen Sackur is in New York City, home of the United Nations, to speak to Vassily Nebenzia, Russia’s permanent representative to the UN. Ambassador Nebenzia is a key player in Vladimir Putin’s combative diplomatic strategy to accuse the West of seeking to impose its will on the world, from Ukraine to the Middle East. How effective is Moscow in the battle for world opinion?

7 Feb 202423min

José Ramos-Horta: Peace and reconciliation

José Ramos-Horta: Peace and reconciliation

Stephen Sackur speaks to José Ramos Horta, President of Timor-Leste. Are there lessons for the world to learn from his extraordinary life?

5 Feb 202423min

Abdalla Hamdok: Can Sudan find peace?

Abdalla Hamdok: Can Sudan find peace?

Zeinab Badawi speaks to the former prime minister of Sudan, Abdalla Hamdok. He is at the heart of negotiations to bring peace to the country after ten months of conflict, in which thousands have died and millions have been displaced. Can his efforts succeed?

1 Feb 202423min

Ronald Lamola: Is South Africa's genocide case against Israel a geo-political game changer?

Ronald Lamola: Is South Africa's genocide case against Israel a geo-political game changer?

Stephen Sackur speaks to South African justice minister Ronald Lamola, a key player in the country’s genocide case against Israel presented to the International Court of Justice. The court’s preliminary ruling has made little immediate difference to the war in Gaza, but longer term could it be a geo-political game changer?

31 Jan 202423min

Jasvinder Sanghera: Abuse and the Church of England

Jasvinder Sanghera: Abuse and the Church of England

Stephen Sackur speaks to Jasvinder Sanghera, who as a child escaped a forced marriage and has been a lifelong advocate for survivors of abuse. She was hired by the Church of England to help them confront abuse allegations. But she and they are now at odds. What went wrong?

29 Jan 202423min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
forklart
popradet
fotballpodden-2
nokon-ma-ga
dine-penger-pengeradet
stopp-verden
det-store-bildet
hanna-de-heldige
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
frokostshowet-pa-p5
aftenbla-bla
rss-gukild-johaug
rss-dannet-uten-piano
e24-podden
rss-ness
unitedno
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk