Tennis icon Bjorn Borg has claimed that a handful of players in his generation “were using things they were not supposed to use” as he discussed doping in tennis and the recent controversy surrounding Jannik Sinner.
Former world No 1 Borg is one of the most beloved and celebrated tennis players of all time, winning 11 Grand Slam singles titles across the 1970s and early 1980s.
One of the biggest names in the sport, the tennis world was rocked earlier this year when the Swede revealed that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, a revelation made in his upcoming autobiography, Heartbeats.
Despite his recent illness, Borg has remained a prominent figure in tennis in recent years, and captained Team Europe at the Laver Cup for the final time in 2024.
Doping in tennis is an issue that has come to the forefront in recent years and months, with several players — including Sinner and Iga Swiatek — falling foul of drug testing rules over the past 18 months or so.
And, in a new interview with BBC Breakfast, the tennis icon revealed that doping had also been a prominent issue during his era of tennis.
“When we played, my generation, I know for a fact, I know some players, they were using things they were not supposed to use,” said Borg.
“I don’t want to get into names, it’s not important. But today, I think it’s good, they test themselves, and sometimes I understand players have to test themselves so many times.
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“I think it’s good, it’s important to keep tennis a clean sport.”
Borg was also directly about Sinner’s case, with the world No 2 embroiled in significant controversy over recent months.
It was announced in August 2024 that the Italian was of “no fault or negligence” for two failed drug tests in March 2024, with the International Tennis Integrity Agency accepting his explanation that he was contaminated by a member of his team.
However, Sinner was later banned from February to May 2025, after settling with the World Anti-Doping Agency following the organisation’s appeal of the verdict of his case.
Borg, who spent 109 weeks as the world No 1 across his tennis career, admitted he was “surprised” by the mechanics of Sinner’s case.
He added: “I think I was very surprised when I read that.
“I think it happened twice. I mean if it happened one time…but it happened twice, I think. So, I think that’s very strange.
“What happened, I don’t really know. I hope really nothing serious happened.”
Borg also further discussed his cancer diagnosis, revealing he was going to have to “fight in the future” despite being in remission.
“I spoke to the doctor and he said this is really, really bad,” said Borg.
“He said you have these sleeping cancer cells [and] 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.”
The post Bjorn Borg’s verdict on Jannik Sinner drugs test scandal as he discusses doping in tennis appeared first on Tennis365.
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