ATP: Muster und Becker: Stamping rivals inseparably linked

How time flies.On Monday Thomas Muster celebrated his 50th birthday.Soon Boris Becker will have completed half a century.Patterns such as Becker were formative appearances in their countries, not only in tennis, but in sport.And actually beyond that.

What they do, what they say is still being closely observed and analysed.One only has to think of what happened recently in Frankfurt’s Römer around Becker’s appointment as head supervisor in German men’s tennis – and how much Becker’s presence suddenly changed the dusty image of the Davis Cup.

On this occasion, it’s worth remembering how much the two of them wore themselves out in the national team and played the leading roles in legendary matches.The big German-Austrian Davis Cup duel, however, took place between the protagonists Muster and Michael Stich – unforgotten the match in Unterpremstätten.Muster triumphed against Stich in a memorable marathon, but the Germans had the better end with the final victory of Marc-Kevin Goellner against Horst Skoff.The latter has already passed away.

Patterns such as Becker were also outstanding figures of their time in tennis because they practised their sport with an incredible intensity and passion.Because they tested their limits regularly and got over them.The term Alpen-Boris, which some people like to use for patterns, is misleading in every respect.Pattern, like Becker, was never the copy of another.It’s an original.One who stood and worked for himself.

It remains unforgettable to this day how Muster fought back after his career threatening injury in Key Biscayne, as the victim of a drunken driver, with iron energy and still experienced his best years after this incident.For a year, Muster was even more dominant on a surface than any other player ever before – that was in 1995, on clay.That year he won twelve individual titles.

And 1995 was also the year of the breathtaking duel between Muster and Becker in Monte Carlo.A match that will remain unforgettable for myself.The winning text for Becker was already finished in the computer, the broadcast button was pressed at Becker’s match ball in the press center of the country club, there the German served a double error and lost later, much later still the match.

The drama on the court was followed by the drama in the aftermath, at the press conferences.With mutual accusations and attacks that we do not want to repeat here.In principle, there was one thing between the great German and the great Austrian: great respect.And rightly so.

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