Björn Borg, the tennis legend, is opening up about some hard times in his new book, “Heartbeats.” He talks about how he almost died and how he got his life back on track.
Back in the ’90s, Borg woke up in a hospital with no idea how he got there. He was supposed to play in a tennis match, but he collapsed on the way there with his dad. It turns out, he had started using drugs again after struggling with addiction in the ’80s.
Borg, who is now 69, says he wants to share his story in “Heartbeats” to explain why he quit tennis so early and how he dealt with substance abuse for many years.
After retiring at 26, Borg felt lost and started spending time with people who weren’t good for him. He says this led him to drugs and alcohol, which he used to forget his problems.
In 1989, he married Italian singer Loredana Berté. He says this was a dark time in his life, filled with substance abuse. One time, Berté found him unconscious from mixing drugs and alcohol.
Borg says this was a wake-up call. He knew he had to change his life if he wanted to survive.
He went back to tennis to get clean. He started training hard and says that tennis helped him get his life back on track.
Even though he stayed clean for a while, he had some slip-ups, including the one that led to his collapse in the Netherlands.
Borg says he can’t explain why he relapsed, but he’s grateful for his third wife, Patricia Östfeldt, who helped him stay away from drugs and drink in moderation.
Today, Borg lives in Sweden with his wife and spends time in Spain. He has two sons, one of whom is a professional tennis player.
With “Heartbeats,” Borg hopes people will see him in a positive light and remember him as a great tennis player who helped make tennis better.
Borg’s story is a reminder that even successful people can struggle with addiction and that it’s important to have strong values and surround yourself with good influences. His dedication to getting clean and turning his life around shows that with hard work and the support of loved ones, anyone can overcome their challenges.
