Boris Becker draws! Despite a relatively short-term announcement for a press conference with the German Tennisikone on Tuesday, the media tent was very crowded. Becker, who has been Head of Men’s Tennis of the German Tennis Federation (DTB) since August last year, has been at MTTC Iphitos since Sunday as part of a training camp with the best young German players.
“When I arrived it was 28 degrees in the shade and I thought that the tennis god meant well with the tournament this year. I’ve already experienced Munich in the snow in April,” said the former world number 1 about his impressions of this year’s BMW Open.
In the 1980s and 90s Becker himself was on the pitch and still has a special connection to the event. “Munich was my first tournament to win. It was 1984 in doubles with Wojtek Fibak and by the way on sand,” Becker emphasized. “Munich was also my hometown for a very long time. My two boys are real Munichers, and the city has become my German home in the last 25 years,” the native of Leimen still expresses his close connection to the Bavarian metropolis.
“Eight German players are in the main draw. That speaks for the little boom we’re experiencing right now. The tournament also benefits from this. And the German spectators appreciate it when many domestic players are on the pitch. But I don’t know if there will be two more German Wimbledon winners in the same year. That was a fairy tale,” added the 50-year-old.
With Alexander Zverev’s performance, the ATP-250 event can also score with the currently best German tennis professional with the audience. For several months now, Becker has been cooperating with the world’s current number 3.
“I’ve known the Zverev family for over 15 years. He and his brother had an excellent education there. That is the most important requirement. These are his roots,” Becker states. “Whenever possible I like to join the training and I feel very comfortable there. When it comes to tennis, his father will always be the most important contact. That’s a good thing. But if I can help with words and deeds and Sascha wants me to, I will. “There are no plans at the moment, but who knows what will happen in five years.”
Zverev himself had narrowed down the circle of potential candidates to Boris Becker and Ivan Lendl for a possible position as his coach in the run-up to the tournament in Munich. “You shouldn’t put every word on the gold scale,” Becker refers to this statement.
“I am convinced that there are more good trainers than Lendl and Becker. He probably meant he needed a coach who was already number 3 or number 1 in the world. The questions he asks me can only be answered if you have already been in this position yourself.
Even his parents did not experience these experiences at a young age. It’s about very special moments that you can’t look up in a book, you can only speak from your own experience. You need the feeling that the other one knows what you’re thinking.”
With Juan Carlos Ferrero, the 21-year-old German actually had such a man at his side until the beginning of this year. After differences between the two, however, the initially successful liaison came to an early end. But even the former French Open winner from Spain could not yet help Zverev to a resounding success at the Grand Slam tournaments.
“However, this is a problem that affects many young players,” said Becker. “Hyeon Chung was the exception when he reached the semi-finals in Melbourne. At best-of-five tournaments over two weeks, it’s all about organising your strength and concentration breaks, and that’s something the more experienced players can handle better at the moment. Grand Slams have “something to do with experience” – and at the age of 20 or 21 you don’t have that experience.
“It’s a matter of time, though, because at some point you crack the code and know how to act the week before and then go about the 14 days.”
Becker also spontaneously incorporates his personal impressions from his own family in order to better describe the situation. “Since I have children this age, I can tell you that the concentration phase is around ten seconds. And now extend that to two weeks,” a smiling Becker said on the record. “It has more to do with attitude than forehand or backhand,” summed up the six-time Grand Slam champion.
And can Zverev become number one? “This seat is currently occupied and about 1000 players will also have something against it. However, there is no doubt that he is already one of the best players in the world. A new game is just starting and we’ll see who can get what place in 10 years’ time,” predicted Becker.
Becker also commented on possible reforms in the Davis Cup by the world federation ITF. Although Germany recently suffered a painful quarter-final defeat in Spain, the exciting encounter in Valencia was an outstanding advertisement for the world’s biggest team competition.
“I think everyone involved – Spanish and German alike – showed how important the Davis Cup is to them this weekend in April,” emphasised Becker, who himself was there with the German team in the bullring. “I remember the scene where Rafael Nadal stood on the sidelines of the chair and was even more motivated than if he himself were standing on the court, which is actually not possible. “This shows what it means to the Davis Cup players.”
The two-time Davis Cup winner with Germany also knows that there are plans to change the competition. “Of course there is a kind of need to renovate the format, but changing it is dangerous,” Becker warned.