The former professional tennis player Andrea Petković has recounted a period of intense fascination with Boris Becker, reflecting on his impact on her own approach to the sport. Writing in the current edition of “Zeitmagazin” commemorating 40 years since Becker’s first Wimbledon victory, Petković described a phase where she voraciously consumed all available material about the German tennis icon.
Initially striving for the perceived perfection and detached emotional state exemplified by Steffi Graf, Petković’s admiration for Becker manifested differently. She expressed a feeling of dramatic intensity watching his matches, describing them as “Greek tragedies” where “each game felt like an ending.
A particularly memorable experience involved watching a Becker match against Jim Courier, where Becker successfully defended multiple match points. The intensity of the moment compelled her to leave the room to compose herself before continuing to watch the video. Petković admitted that she subsequently adopted a Becker-esque style, albeit less successfully, experiencing her own versions of the “crashes” and setbacks that defined his public persona.
Petković ultimately lauded Becker not for technical brilliance, but for his fearless attitude and unwavering self-belief. She highlighted his confidence in heading to London expecting to triumph and his audacious declaration of the tournament feeling like “his living room” a boldness that resonated with the English audience.
