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Björn Borg Shocks The Tennis World

Björn Borg Shocks The Tennis World

Sports History This Week · Ben Dickstein

January 25, 202331m 36s

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Show Notes

January 23rd, 1983. Björn Borg, one of the top tennis players in the world, has become a global icon. But Borg hasn’t played in any of the sport’s major tournaments for the last year, and while on vacation in Nepal with his family, rumors in the media circulate about everything from his health to the status of his marriage.


Today, Borg decides that he can’t wait until he returns to New York City to address the reporters. At an impromptu gathering of the press in Kathmandu, Borg makes an announcement that sends shockwaves through the tennis world. How did he become one of the most popular athletes on Earth? And what were the key moments that led to this stunning decision?


Special thanks to our guests: Steve Flink, author of “The Greatest Tennis Matches of the 20th Century” and “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All-Time,” Mark “Scoop” Malinowski, author of “Facing Björn Borg,” and John Lloyd, former professional tennis player and BBC tennis broadcaster.


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