Six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker shared his thoughts on his decision to retire from professional tennis.
“I finished my career at 32, but in the final years, I wasn`t enjoying tennis anymore. After retirement, for several years, I didn`t even want to hear about tennis; I stayed as far away from it as possible. I needed to completely step away for a while. Then, around 35 or 36, I rediscovered tennis from the perspective of television, which was much calmer, and gradually made peace with it. Now, I love it again.”
“I come from a family with academic traditions, and my parents didn`t want me to become an athlete. They would have preferred me to become a lawyer, doctor, or architect, like my father. But sometimes life makes decisions for you. I was very good at tennis from childhood – that`s the true reason I dedicated myself to it. Not because I actively sought it or aspired to it, but simply because I followed my talent.”
Was your generation (Edberg, Wilander), the previous one (McEnroe, Lendl), and the following one (Agassi, Sampras) the golden era of tennis?
“I wouldn`t speak that way out of respect for others, but it was certainly one of the finest periods. Perhaps another great era is Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal. That is arguably the best generation in history, as it produced three of the absolute greatest players. However, there was a very significant gap between them and everyone else. In contrast, our era featured ten players operating at the very highest level.”
Now Carlos Alcaraz faces the challenging role of succeeding Nadal.
“The pressure on Carlos is immense; Rafa is truly unique, and there won`t be another like him. But Alcaraz is forging his own path. He is very young, and his best years are ahead of him. How long he will remain at the absolute elite is something nobody knows. I hope he plays for another 10-15 years, because right now, he is the most exciting player in the world.”
“Spaniards, particularly the journalists, should be more careful and refrain from criticizing him too harshly after every defeat. Carlos is not Nadal. He possesses more natural talent, but Rafa`s fighting heart is something inimitable, something unmatched by anyone else in sports, past or present. Carlos is brilliant, Djokovic and Federer are legends, but Rafa operated on a different plane when it came to competitive spirit. If you were matched against Nadal in a tournament… well, good luck, my friend!” Becker remarked.
Rupert Hartwell