‘He Never Pushed Me to Be a Tennis Player’- Bjorn Borg’s Son Leo Says His Idol Is Not His Father

Bjorn Borg, who is arguably considered to be one of the best tennis players of his time is also a proud father. Leo Borg, who made it to the finals of the Chennai Open 2021 is walking in the footsteps of his father, on a path that would possibly lead him to nothing but glory on the court. Being the son of Bjorn Borg, most people would be of the idea that Leo must idolize his father. However, during the tournament, Leo debunked this concept and talked about who his real idol is.

You would never guess that this young tennis icon looks up to none other than Rafael Nadal! Leo’s admiration for Rafael Nadal is understandable given Nadal’s status as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. However, his father does not seem to mind his son’s obsession with the Spanish tennis legend.

Leo Borg has found his star to follow- Rafael Nadal

Talking about his ultimate tennis idol, Leo said it was Rafael Nadal and not his father Bjorn Borg. Leo, who is a bright prospect in the junior circuit and is constantly training to make it big in pro tennis aspires to regularly train at Nadal’s academy in Mallorca.

“I met Rafael Nadal at the Laver Cup because my father is the captain of the European team,” Leo Borg told the “Marca”, a Spanish newspaper. However, Leo’s love for Nadal’s game was not after he met the 22 times Grand Slam champion. “He was always my idol since I was little,” Leo says.

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Elaborating on his then-training situation, he said, that while he is “living and training in Stockholm” and has his coach in Sweden, he goes to Mallorca often. 

This shows that he is willing to learn from some of the best coaches and players in the world in order to improve his game. As he says, “I want to be a professional and make a living from tennis… I would like to reach the Top 10.”

Read more: “Met Him at Laver Cup”: Bjorn Borg’s Son Leo Names Rafael Nadal as His Idol

This proves that he looks to establish himself as a professional player and is taking the steps that will be significant to his success.

The Borgs don’t care about comparisons and legacies

Leo mentions that he is aware of how he will be compared to his father. However, he prefers to “live on the sidelines” without a care for the hype. He makes his plans clear when he said, “I think about my future and about my own goals.”

Adding to that is also the fact of how Bjorn Borg never pushed Leo to be a tennis player. As Leo confesses, “The truth is that I have always wanted to play tennis on my own initiative.”

Leo brags about his father’s healthy mindset as he says, “I know that he is proud of me, of what I am doing, and I hope I have a good future.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Serena Williams pays tribute to Roger Federer.

It will be interesting to see how Leo Borg’s career develops and whether he is able to live up to the expectations that come with being the son of a tennis legend. Regardless of who his idol is, he will need to work hard and stay focused in order to succeed at the highest level of the sport.