Tennis: Boris Becker vs. Pete Sampras: From another star

The final of the ATP World Championships took place on 24. November 1996 to a match of the century between the German and the US-American. tennisnet. com looks back on the game.

By Christian Albrecht Barschel In 1996 the world of tennis in Germany was still fine. Steffi Graf ruled the women’s tennis at will. And even for the men, it did not look like a downward trend. Boris Becker experienced his second spring and made it into the final against Pete Sampras at the ATP World Championship in Hanover. It became one of the best and highest quality tennis matches ever offered by another star.

The city of Hanover hosted the ATP World Championship for the first time in 1996, which had previously been held in Frankfurt for six years and was now to be held in the state capital of Lower Saxony for four years. The German audience was accustomed to the fact that at least one German player was represented at the tournament of the eight best pros of the year and caused a sensation there. In 1992 Boris Becker won, in 1993 Michael Stich and in 1995 again Becker won the ATP World Championships.

It was made extremely easy for the German tennis fan. In 1996 Becker was again a German player at the premiere in Hanover. A few weeks earlier, after winning the final against Sampras at the Masters-Tournament in Stuttgart, he could finally qualify for the World Championship. A short time later, the two rackets were to cross again and lead to a real tennis summit.

Already in the group phase, the paths of both actors met. Leimener won the tiebreak twice and reached the semi-finals. But Sampras also made it into the final round. In the respective semi-finals, both players were challenged to do everything. Becker knocked down Richard Krajicek and the 25-year-old American prevailed over the ace machine Goran Ivanisevic.

The finale and another blockbuster, as they say in tennis, were perfect. If the two previous games between the two already offered the highest entertainment, the final should be even more enjoyable and spectacular.

The exhibition hall 2 in Hanover was crowded with 15,000 spectators and celebrated its hero with “Boris, Boris, Boris”-speech choirs when entering the square.”I had a lot of goosebumps. It was really indescribable. I’ve never had that feeling on a tennis court before. I had to restrain my feelings so that I could really concentrate on the match and not just get the feeling of happiness on the pitch,”Becker later commented on the incredible atmosphere in the exhibition hall.

The match also started with a bang in the middle of the kettledrum. In the first game, Becker served four straight Aces in a row and showed the American that he was determined to defend last year’s World Championship title and add the fourth. The redhead turned out to be in top form early on and broke Sampras with two sparkling clean returnwinners to the 3:1.

The break was transported by the 29-year-old German up to 5:3, where he scored the first set point after a remarkable volley stop and shortly afterwards he won the line along the first set 6:3 with a backhand shot from full run. The spectators were already out of their minds and rose from their seats – perhaps also in anticipation of what was yet to come.

Becker continued to set the tone in the game at the beginning of the second set. But it was the world’s number one player with the first break chances. But the serve saved the German from this precarious situation. Both players continued to play their serve without any nakedness, so the tiebreak had to decide. At 3:2 Sampras played the decisive mini-break, which he should not give up again. With a volley winner, the US-American provided the equalization of the sets and for the first time, he clenched his fist.

The match now picked up speed from minute to minute. Neither Sampras nor Becker made any easy mistakes. Almost every point was played out worth seeing. At 3:2 in the third set Becker had two break chances. But “Pistol Pete” lived up to its name and fought off both possibilities with an ace.

It went into the tiebreak again, in which the world’s number one scored the first point on the first serve of the German. Becker fought back and passed Sampras to 3:4. Everything was open again. The player from Leimener served a double error at 4:4, so that Sampras could also win the third set 7:4 in the tiebreak.

The fourth round began with a spirited start. Becker achieved three direct return winners in a row. There were two break-aways, the audience was roaring. But Sampras kept calm and proved his nerve strength once again. In the time that followed, both of them had an open exchange of blows. Every rally offered the highest tennis pleasure. Both Becker and Sampras anticipated very strongly on the net and shone with their entire repertoire. Again the tiebreak had to bring the decision, which could hardly be surpassed in tension and resembled a roller coaster.

Becker won the minibreak at the first point. At the next point, the advantage was lost. And it came even worse from the point of view of the German. A failed Becker-Hecht brought Sampras into the lead with 2:1. But the US-American showed nerves of nerve and easily missed a forehand to the 2:2. The Leimener again managed the mini-break to 5:3. But then Sampras scored three points in a row, who had his first match point at 6:5 and his own serve. But Becker refused to do so, only to serve it up immediately afterwards at a score of 7:6 to win the set. Again in vain.

At 8:7 the second set point for Becker, which Sampras destroyed again and was facing his second match point at 9:8. Defended. After a long rally, the world number one made a slight forehand mistake. 10:9 Becker and the third set point for the German. Again defended. Becker passed Sampras to 11:10 and now had his fourth set point with his own serve.

But Sampras countered again. We continued. 12:11 Becker. The pressure was back on the American. And then it had finally happened. Sampras made a very slight volley mistake. 13:11 and the set for Becker. The exhibition hall resembled a madhouse and no one held it in their chairs any more. Loud “Boris, Boris, Boris”chants roared through the hall again and everyone was sure that their German favourite would win the game.

In the all-decisive fifth set, both players did not give each other a hard time in their service games up to 4:4. Everyone expected that the final tiebreak would also come in this sentence. But then Sampras won his very first break in the match to 5:4. In the subsequent service game, the American then used his fourth match point. After an endless rally and exactly four hours of play, Sampras had reached the finish line: ATP World Champion! The match came to a worthy conclusion and the media cheered about “Tennis from another star” the following day.

Becker and Sampras really did offer tennis from the wonder box. Tennis to dream, marvel, clap and tremble. And even loser Becker was in jest afterwards:”Do we have day or night? I’ve completely lost my bearings,”he commented on his state of mind to add,”Now I’m serious. This was my best tennis match I’ve ever played in my life. It’s a pity for all German fans that “Pistol Pete” was a little bit better that day.