In his memoir, Björn Borg opens up on his fight against prostate cancer
Imagine being Björn Borg. A tennis superstar who shocked the world with five straight Wimbledon wins and six French Opens, then walked away at just 26. Now, the legendary Swede—freshly turned 69—is taking on a new opponent: aggressive prostate cancer. And spoiler alert—he's not backing down. In his new memoir Heartbeats (co-written with his wife Patricia), Borg shares that he was diagnosed with an “extremely aggressive” form of prostate cancer back in September 2023. Despite the daunting news, he moved forward and underwent surgery in February 2024. Today? He’s in remission, though he still heads to check-ups every six months.
Routine tests
Borg had been getting routine prostate tests for years—early detection is everything. But this time, one of his results raised alarms. Around that same time, he was due to captain Team Europe at the Laver Cup in Vancouver. Doctors advised against it, but he went anyway. The next morning, he was back in Sweden making more tests and got the official diagnosis. “Psychologically … very difficult,” he recalled. Who knew what would happen next?
The surgery
In February 2024, Borg went under the knife. Fast-forward to August of this year, and test results came back clean. “I have nothing right now,” he said, though the road ahead still includes regular surveillance. “Not a fun thing,” but he’s doing well—and staying positive. “Now I have a new opponent in cancer – one I can’t control. But I’m going to beat it. I’m not giving up. I fight like every day is a Wimbledon final. And those usually go pretty well, don’t they?" he writes in the book.
What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the prostate gland, a small, walnut-sized gland in men that helps make semen. It’s actually one of the most common cancers in men, especially as they get older. The tricky part? It often grows slowly, so many men don’t even realize they have it until it’s picked up during routine check-ups or blood tests.
What are its symptoms?
When symptoms do show up, they usually have to do with how you pee. You might notice needing to go more often (especially at night), having trouble starting or stopping your flow, or feeling like your bladder never quite empties. Some guys deal with weak or interrupted urine flow. In more advanced cases, it can cause blood in the urine or semen, pain when urinating, or even discomfort in the hips, back, or chest.
The good news? Catching it early makes a huge difference. That’s why doctors recommend regular prostate checks once you’re around 50—or even earlier if prostate cancer runs in your family. Think of it like car maintenance: small check-ups now can save you from big problems later.
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