Bjorn Borg reveals being rejected by son Leo while offering tennis help

Bjorn Borg revealed that his son Leo, who is following in his footsteps as a tennis player, isn’t too interested in his father’s advice. The Swedish legend assured Leo that he’s always there to help, but the youngster claimed his father doesn’t "understand" tennis.

Borg is present in Barcelona for the ATP 500 event as it is the 50th anniversary of his first title there. He sat for an interview with Mundo Deportivo and discussed topics ranging his tennis career and life after retirement.

The Swede was asked how he felt being the father of a tennis player. Borg praised his son but made a surprising revelation.

"Our son plays good tennis and travels a lot. I said, 'Do you have any questions? You can always come to me and ask me anything.' And my son says, 'You don't understand anything about tennis.' Fine, thank you very much," Bjorn Borg said.

Further, he said that he assured Leo that he can come to his father whenever needed.

"But you can come to me whenever you want. He has a good team that travels with him. And I'm there whenever he wants or needs me," he added.

21-year-old Leo excelled in his junior career reaching the World No. 12 rank. He has won 10 singles titles on the ITF Circuit and earned three wins on the ATP Tour. His parents, however, were not too keen on seeing him becoming a tennis player.

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Bjorn Borg's son Leo played a lot of soccer in his early years but settled for tennis

Bjorn Borg's son Leo during a Boys' singles Wimbledon match in 2021 - Source: Getty

During the same interview, 68-year-old Bjorn Borg opened up about how Leo had never watched a game of tennis with him. Moreover, Leo used to play a lot of soccer and Bjorn and his wife, Patricia Östfeld, felt he would become a soccer player.

"He never watched a game with me. He started out playing sports, soccer, ice hockey, whatever. My wife and I told each other he'd like soccer, that he'd play soccer and not tennis. He won't play tennis because people will compare him to me and all that. So he played a lot of soccer, and we were very happy," Bjorn Borg said.

"But one day he told us he wanted to play tennis. Well, okay, he decided. And that's how it started. Yes, it can be a problem to be compared to me or anyone else, but he likes tennis, he's happy. And he plays it very well," he added.

Recently, World No. 496, Leo, played in the qualifiers of the Barcelona Open under the watchful eye of his father. However, the youngster was defeated by World No. 74 Jacob Fearnley 7-5, 7-6(1).