"I'm a person who doesn't say very much, Bjorn Borg says with a wry smile. Which may be the understatement of the century. Borg, the greatest tennis player of his day, has spent 42 years saying nothing since he announced his retirement at the age of 26. When he broke that news in 1983, it was one of the biggest shocks in the history of sport. Not simply because he was at his peak, but also because he was the rock star tennis player beautiful, mysterious and followed by a flock of teenybopper fans."
"At the age of 69 he has finally written his memoir, Heartbeats, and it answers every question we've been asking for the best part of half a century. It contains revelation after revelation, and is all the more shocking for the understated style in which it is written. Drugs, alcohol, despair, near-fatal overdoses, failed relationships, shame and self-imposed exile: for any Borg fan and I was a huge one, growing up it's a painful read."
Björn Borg walked away from major tournaments in his mid-20s after dominating tennis, including five consecutive Wimbledon titles and six French Opens. He maintained a stoic, emotionless on-court persona while remaining largely silent for 42 years. At age 69 he published the memoir Heartbeats that chronicles long-hidden personal struggles. The memoir details drugs, alcohol, despair, near-fatal overdoses, failed relationships, shame and self-imposed exile. The revelations contrast sharply with his rock-star image and teenage adoration, and the understated writing style intensifies the impact of the confessions.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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