On September 13, 1981, Bjorn Borg was defeated by John McEnroe in a US Open final that lacked their usual drama. This lop-sided four-setter ended not just a match but an era. As McEnroe embraced his mother on court, Borg slipped away, escorted by seven plain-clothed police officers, skipping the presentation and the press. He fled through the kitchens of Flushing Meadows, leapt into a Volvo still in his Fila gear, and headed straight for the airport. At just 25, Borg never played another Grand Slam singles match. In a sport where mystery is rare, Borg stayed one. Four decades later, the question lingers: Why retire at 25? And, at last, Borg has spoken in his own words.

Björn Borg’s new memoir, Heartbeats , begins with a gut-punch of a confession: a hospital rush in the Netherlands

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