“Bjorn Borg was the love of my life”: Tennis ace’s ex-wife on romance as John McEnroe clash movie released
Mariana Simionescu, the charismatic Swedish athletic hero’s first wife, remembers what it was like to be the spouse of one of the greatest athletes of all time and shares how she was able to “bring out his emotions”
One of the biggest rivalries in sports is chronicled in the recently released movie Borg vs. McEnroe. However, it brought up memories of the man she still refers to as “the love of my life,” both happy and sad, for one lady.
The film centers on the matches between the cool Swedish tennis star Bjorn Borg and the fiery American John McEnroe. Mariana Simionescu was Bjorn Borg’s first wife.
Tennis legend Bjorn Borg and first wife Mariana Simionescu in 1980
Mariana remarks, “I don’t know if I was the real love of Bjorn’s life, but he was for me,” after seeing the premiere in Stockholm, where she first met Bjorn and his third wife Patricia.
When he started dating a teenage model he met while judging a wet T-shirt contest, they made headlines and eventually got divorced in 1984. Their romance started in 1976, the year he won the first of his five straight Wimbledon singles titles.
Mariana moved to Monaco forty years ago with Bjorn, and she hasn’t married again. Her mother and she reside in a house filled with pictures from her eight years of marriage to Bjorn.
Borg won five consecutive Wimbledon singles titles
It was a heady time, the summer they first got together. “That was the best ever,” Mariana remarks. For myself and for Bjorn.
“You feel as though you’re flying and dreaming.” It was lovely that we were in love. That period of my life was the most thrilling. I didn’t even recognize my own name since I was so much in love.
“Bjorn was quite charming. He was a really quiet person, so everything about him was nice, but I understood how to make him feel things.
Mariana quickly established herself as a regular in the front row of the Wimbledon players’ box. I was incredibly nervous, but I knew when Bjorn was going to look at me, and when he did, I was like a statue, the woman says.
Otherwise, I was exhibiting my nervousness by smoking like a chimney, one after the other.
“I smoked the McEnroe family out.” I once heard from John’s father that he couldn’t handle the smell.
Mariana and coach Lennart Bergelin were able to read the expressionless Borg, whereas opponents found it nearly impossible.