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24 Sep 2025 | 16.34
Boris Becker is one of those voices in tennis who doesn't mind saying exactly what he thinks. Although it has caused him more than one annoyance, especially with his compatriot Alexander Zverev, he always makes statements that leave no one indifferent.
This time, Boris Becker appeared on the High Performance podcast where he spoke about his historic success at Wimbledon in 1985, where he became the youngest tennis player to win at the prestigious London event at the age of 17. However, despite later achieving five more Grand Slams, he claims that this success took a toll on him. He also gave advice to another athlete who, at that age, has become a global icon: Lamine Yamal. Furthermore, he took the opportunity to discuss Novak Djokovic and his always controversial disputes with the Center Court of Wimbledon.
Advised Djokovic on transitioning from being hated to loved in London
"Federer was always Djokovic's nemesis, especially at Wimbledon. For two reasons, because he was very good on grass and because he was the most beloved. So I explained to Djokovic that the people in the stands were not against him, but they were there to cheer for Federer, so don't take it personally and strive to find a way for those people to support you instead."
Happy with the recognition Djokovic already has
"We were very close, we were like a family, although one has to be careful with that word because Djokovic's family history is much stronger as they come from a country where they went through very tough times, in a not very good period for them. And to overcome all that and win 24 Grand Slams and break all possible records, it's due to his spirit, character, and personality. And finally, he has gained all the respect from the tennis world that he deserved."
His success at Wimbledon, a mistake
"Winning Wimbledon at 17 didn't help me because it's not something normal in the tennis world. I lost control when a whole country takes over your life. That's what happened to me; I lost control of my life. I was judged for everything I did, and looking back now, I think I acted correctly because at 25, I realized I needed to stop; it was too much for me, I wanted to be normal."
On the pressure of defending the Wimbledon title at just 18 years old
"I was also tired of playing 75 matches every season. It's terrifying to go back to Wimbledon at 18 and hear people say you won't repeat it again. It's very exhausting to go to Wimbledon and defend your title because you are dealing with the pressure and your own expectations. Dealing with all that makes you go through very lonely moments because you bear it alone."
Warns and advises Lamine Yamal
"Just look at everything that Lamine Yamal is going through nowadays. I think he has a very high risk of facing certain difficulties in ten or fifteen years. In his case, he comes from very humble origins, and now he and his whole family are rich, and many people will approach him for their own interest. Everything he does will make headlines in the newspapers; he has lost all his privacy, which is very hard to accept. He needs to have two or three serious people around him," says Boris Becker, hoping that the young footballer will not go through the same as he did.
This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Becker: "Ganar Wimbledon con 17 años no me ayudó, perdí el control de mi vida"
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