The former tennis dominator Björn Borg retired in 1983 at the age of just 26. Today, 35 years ago, he celebrated his return to the court – where he lost all his matches.
109 weeks at number 1 in the world rankings, five victories at Wimbledon, six at the French Open, a memorable rivalry with John McEnroe.
For seven years, the exceptional Swedish player Björn Borg dominated the tennis scene – until his career took an unexpected turn: at the age of 26, at an age when many great careers in sport really take off, Borg suddenly retired in 1983.
The pressure of high performance had worn down the “Ice-Borg”, who only seemed to float above it all. The problems he suffered from – chronic insomnia, a crying fit in the Wimbledon dressing room in 1980 – were indicative of what has since become known as burn-out syndrome.
After Borg had disappeared from the scene for eight years, there was great curiosity when he returned to the stage on April 23, 1991 – 35 years ago today. But the late comeback attempt by the legend from Stockholm was remembered as a strange episode.
Björn Borg suddenly like old times again
In Monte Carlo, where he had supposedly played his last match eight years earlier, Borg faced the Spaniard Jordi Arrese on the center court.
Borg had let his long hair grow back and brought his old wooden racket back with him – although he had long since switched to a more modern graphite model for exhibition tournaments.
Now, however, Borg seemed keen to conjure up the past; the strange impression was rounded off by the coach he had chosen: The then 79-year-old Welshman Ron Thatcher, who called himself Tia Honsai and acted as a martial arts and motivational guru. He had no tennis experience.
Borg lost his match against Arrese 2:6, 3:6. “Logic won out today at the Monte-Carlo Country Club,” noted the New York Times: “Björn Borg played no better today than one would have expected from someone who has been away for eight years.”
Not a single win on his return to the ATP Tour
Borg was initially hopeful that he would be able to raise his level again with more match practice. He repeatedly appeared at tournaments in the following years, but was almost never able to even come close to his golden years. He lost every single match on the ATP Tour, not even winning a set for a long time.
What was still driving Borg was a mystery for a long time, and after almost two and a half years, his return came to a semi-reconciliatory end: at a tournament in Moscow in November 1993, the legend fought a duel on equal terms with the Russian Alexander Volkov, who died in 2019 and was ranked number 17 in the world at the time. Borg earned a match point in the tie-break of the third set.
Borg ultimately lost 6:4, 3:6, 6:7 (7), but still left the match with a good feeling. “Today was the first time I’ve had fun since my comeback,” he said: “I’m just happy that I played a good match on the tour.”
The man who was no longer happy about his gigantic success in the past was now happy about a small step after an endless series of defeats. A short time later, the then 37-year-old retired for good.
Second career in the fashion industry
Borg made a second career in the fashion industry before and after his tennis comeback, keeping his big name present through the label named after him, “Björn Borg”.