New Delhi: Iconic tennis player Bjorn Borg is fighting an aggressive form of prostrate cancer and says he hopes to live it.

The Swede underwent surgery last year and is now in remission, disclosing his diagnosis in his autobiography ‘Heartbeats: A Memoir’, which he co-wrote with wife Patricia.

“I spoke to the doctor and he said this is really, really bad. He said you have these sleeping cancer cells, it’s going to be a fight in the future.

“Every six months I go and test myself. I did my last test two weeks ago. It’s a thing I have to live with,” Borg told the BBC.

The 11-time Grand Slam champion won five consecutive Wimbledon titles between 1976-1980 and six French Open crowns, but then shocked the sporting world with an abrupt retirement at the age of 26.

The cancer had escaped attention despite regular check-ups and was only detected in 2023, said Borg, who held the World No.1 rank for 109 weeks.

‘Not giving up’

“The thing is that you don’t feel anything – you feel good, and then it’s just happened,” the former right-handed player said.

“I hope that I’m going to be OK. I take it day by day, year by year, hopefully.”

Borg came out of retirement in 1991,but couldn’t replicate the dizzying highs he had achieved on the ATP circuit.

He shared an intense rivalry with American John McEnroe during his prime, with their battle in the 1980 Wimbledon final often considered one of the greatest ever tennis matches.

Borg won the epic match in five sets after McEnroe had won the fourth set tie-break 18-16.

“Now I have a new opponent in cancer – one I can’t control,” Borg has written in the book.

“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?”