
Tennis Legend Björn Borg, 69, Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer — But Has Been Keeping It a Secret

Björn Borg has secretly been battling prostate cancer.
Sept. 4 2025, Published 4:03 p.m. ET
Tennis legend Björn Borg has revealed his secret cancer battle at the age of 69.
In the famed athlete's upcoming autobiography Heartbeats, which is set to be released on Tuesday, September 23, Borg details his prostate cancer diagnosis.
The memoir will discuss how Borg underwent surgery to have his prostate removed after his cancer had worsened, People reported on Thursday, September 4.
Björn Borg Exposes His Health Woes in New Memoir

Björn Borg's memoir hits shelves on September 23.
Per the news outlet, Borg doesn't go into much further detail about his cancer battle.
The book was written with the help of his wife, Patricia Östfeldt, whom Borg has been married to since 2002.
According to a description of the memoir on Amazon, the page-turning transcript will highlight Borg's sensational, decadeslong career as "one of the most talented players to ever step onto a tennis court."

Björn Borg married his wife, Patricia Östfeldt, in 2002.
"After all these years of silence, Borg is ready to share everything," the description teased of the tennis star — who earned eleven Grand Slam titles, including five consecutive Wimbledon titles, and "established himself as one of the greatest of all time."
"In this candid memoir, Borg takes us through all the major moments in his career, shares insights into his rivalry with John McEnroe and their legendary 1980 Wimbledon final and explains his shock retirement," the blurb continued. "Borg writes candidly about his childhood, his early stardom, and his uncomfortable relationship with fame, alongside all the highs and lows of his unmatched career."
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Björn Borg Lost 'Motivation' Before Early Retirement

Björn Borg won eight Grand Slam titles throughout his tennis career.
Borg is set to dive deep in his memoir.
During a rare interview with The Athletic last year, Borg opened up about what led to his shockingly early retirement at age 26 in 1983.
The tennis star said he was "very happy as a player, but the motivation was not there."

Björn Borg had an early retirement from the sport of tennis.
"If you don’t have the motivation to practice and compete every day, you can’t focus on what you do and what you need to do. I was happy, but I had no motivation and no focus. When I came back briefly, that was a different story. I’m writing a book. I’m going to tell everyone all about it next year," he explained at the time.
Amid his retirement, Borg played in one tournament in 1983 and another the following year.
After his brief hiatus, the world champion returned to the sport in 1991 for three more years — but never again won a tennis title.