Boris Becker

Lore & Background

Boris Becker was born in 1967 in Leimen, Germany, and learned tennis at a centre founded by his father. He turned professional in 1984 and won his first Wimbledon title in 1985 as an unseeded 17-year-old, becoming the youngest male Grand Slam singles champion. He defended his Wimbledon title in 1986 and added a third in 1989, along with two Australian Opens and one US Open. Becker also won an Olympic gold medal in men's doubles in 1992 and led Germany to Davis Cup titles in 1988 and 1989. After his playing career, he became a commentator, coached Novak Djokovic for three years, and played poker professionally. He faced legal issues, including a suspended prison sentence for tax evasion in 2002 and a UK prison sentence in 2022 for hiding assets, after which he was deported to Germany.

Reader's Guide

Boris Becker's significance lies in his revolutionary power tennis, characterized by a fast serve and all-court game, which he pioneered in the 1980s. He won 49 career singles titles and 15 doubles titles, including six majors, and held the world No. 1 ranking. His 1985 Wimbledon victory at age 17 remains a historic milestone. Becker's rivalry with Stefan Edberg defined Wimbledon finals in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He also achieved a 92.70% win percentage in Davis Cup singles. Off the court, his ventures included coaching, poker, and media work, but his legacy is shadowed by legal troubles, including bankruptcy and imprisonment. He was ranked number 18 in Tennis magazine's 2006 list of the 40 greatest players of all time.

Did You Know?

• Boris Becker is the youngest-ever winner of the men's singles Wimbledon title, aged 17 years, 7 months and 15 days in 1985.
• He won an Olympic gold medal in men's doubles in 1992 with Michael Stich.
• Becker was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in 2022 for hiding assets and loans from creditors and the bankruptcy trustee.
• He was named Player of the Year by both the ATP and the ITF in 1989.