What is Bjorn Borg's net worth?
Bjorn Borg is a Swedish tennis player with a net worth of $80 million. Borg made history as the first man to win 11 Grand Slam singles titles – six at the French Open and five consecutive titles at Wimbledon. His fifth Wimbledon win in 1980, in a remarkable five-set match against John McEnroe, was dramatized in the HBO movie "Borg vs. McEnroe" (2017). Surprisingly, Borg retired in 1983 at 26, despite being at the pinnacle of his career. Post-retirement, he launched a successful fashion brand.
Career Earnings and Endorsements
At the peak of his career in the 1970s and 1980s, Borg was incredibly popular, especially in Sweden. Bjorn was the first professional tennis player to earn more than $1 million in tournament money in a single year, achieving this milestone in 1979. Adjusted for inflation, this is equivalent to around $4 million today. Over his career, he earned $3,655,751, approximately $20 million in today's dollars.
Bjorn also secured significant endorsement deals. For instance, in 1977, he earned $425,000 from the following companies:
- FILA – $200k
- Bancroft rackets – $100k
- Tretorn shoes – $50k
- Scandinavian air – $25k
- Tuborg beer – $50k
Early Life
Björn Rune Borg was born on June 6, 1956, in Stockholm, Sweden. He was the only child of Rune and Margaretha Borg and was raised in Södertälje. Inspired by a tennis racket his father won at a table-tennis tournament, young Borg developed a passion for tennis. He was gifted the racket and began his journey in the sport.
As a young player, Borg's talent was undeniable. Athletic and muscular, he quickly advanced in the sport, developing a strong two-handed backhand. By 13, he was defeating Sweden's top under-18 players.
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Professional Career
At 15, Borg represented Sweden in the 1972 Davis Cup, winning his debut singles match. The same year, he won the Wimbledon junior singles title and the Orange Bowl Junior Championship. In 1973, he joined the professional circuit, reaching the fourth round at the French Open, the quarterfinal at Wimbledon, and finishing the year ranked number 18.
In 1974, Borg won his first singles title at the New Zealand Open, followed quickly by titles in London and Sāo Paulo. At 18, he became the youngest winner of the Italian Open and secured his first Grand Slam title at the French Open. He retained the French Open title the next year, defeating Guillermo Vilas in straight sets.
From 1975 to 1978, Borg continued to dominate, winning singles and doubles matches at the Davis Cup final and achieving a 33-single match winning streak. In 1976 and 1977, he won Wimbledon titles, becoming the youngest male champion in the modern era. In 1978, fully recovered from a shoulder injury, he won the French Open and Wimbledon once again.
1980 was one of Borg's best years, as he claimed his fifth French Open title and his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title, defeating John McEnroe. Despite this, McEnroe defeated Borg in the U.S. Open final the same year.
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In 1981, Borg won his last Grand Slam title at the French Open, where only Rafael Nadal's record surpasses him today. Although he lost to McEnroe at Wimbledon and lacked the desire to keep playing, he continued for a brief period before announcing his retirement in 1983 at age 26. An unsuccessful comeback was attempted from 1991 to 1993. Borg's playing style, characterized by physical prowess and mental calm, earned him the nicknames "Ice Man" and "Ice-Borg."
Throughout his career, he secured 77 top-level singles titles and four doubles titles. In 1987, he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame and was voted Sweden’s top sportsperson of all time by the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter.
Fashion Brand
In 1989, Borg launched the "Björn Borg" fashion brand, which became particularly popular in Sweden, especially in the undergarment category. In 2006, Bjorn sold lifetime rights to his name trademark to World Brand Management for $18 million.
Personal Life
Borg began dating professional Romanian tennis player Mariana Simionescu in 1976. They married in 1980 in Bucharest, Romania, but divorced in 1984. In 1985, he had a child, Robin, with Swedish model Jannike Björling. He later married Italian singer Loredana Bertè in 1989, but they divorced in 1993. Borg married his third wife, Patricia Ostfeld, in 2002, and they had a son, Leo, in 2003.
Real Estate
In the 1980s, Borg owned an oceanfront estate in Sands Point, New York. Recently, he has divided his time between a penthouse apartment in Monaco and a large waterfront estate in Värmdö, Sweden.
