“The Most Beautiful Season”
Boris Becker is not allowed to go to Wimbledon – but is close
07/02/2023 11:02 am
Last year he was in prison nearby, this time Boris Becker is banned from Great Britain. Wimbledon has to take place again without the tennis legend. He has won the tournament three times in his career, this time he has a clear favorite.
Wimbledon without Boris Becker – that was completely unthinkable for many years. First as a player and three-time champion, then as a BBC expert, the German tennis legend had a decisive influence on the grass classic. Becker was absent for the first time last year because he was in prison near London for providing false information in the bankruptcy proceedings.
And again this year, Becker will not be at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Although he was released early from prison in December 2022, he is currently not allowed to enter England. Becker will therefore follow what is happening in his new home in Milan in front of the television, but this does not change his great anticipation for the classic lawn. “Even if I’m not there, Wimbledon is still the best season for me,” said Becker. “I’m looking forward to it finally starting on Monday.”
And Becker will also be an interesting discussion partner in Milan. The 55-year-old announced that he would certainly give one or the other interview. After all, his expertise is still great, as Becker recently proved as a TV expert for Eurosport during the French Open.
Title prediction in favor of Djokovic
His prediction for Wimbledon is clear, especially for men: The only way to the title is through his former protégé Novak Djokovic. “He has already won here seven times, although grass wasn’t necessarily his favorite surface at the beginning of his career,” said Becker. “But he’s learned lawn tennis over the years and as the number of titles suggests, Wimbledon is now his favorite tournament after Australia.”
Becker sees Carlos Alcaraz as the main competitor for the record Grand Slam winner. “It’s amazing how he put away his disappointment after the clear defeat against Djokovic in Paris and played world-class tennis on grass again,” said Becker about the world number one from Spain, who recently won the preparatory tournament in Queens. “He will be highly motivated.”
Zverev and the lawn
Becker expects the same from Alexander Zverev. For years, Becker acted as a mentor to Germany’s best tennis player, and contact with the Zverev camp is still good today. But even Zverev and Wimbledon connoisseur Becker cannot answer one question: Why hasn’t Zverev made it past the round of 16 in the classic lawn so far?
“Zverev has everything in terms of basic equipment: strong first serve, strong physique, good basic strokes – he has a perfect game on grass, but unfortunately has not been able to implement it to the full extent so far,” said Becker. “He plays world class on sand, he plays world class on hard court. On grass, especially in Wimbledon, it hasn’t quite been enough so far,” said Becker. “And to be honest, I don’t really know why that is either.”
It is currently unclear whether he will be able to search for the reasons on site again in the coming year. As well as a future with the BBC should he be allowed to return to England. A spokeswoman for the British public broadcaster announced that Becker’s personal details are currently irrelevant. “Currently we have no plans to work with Boris.”