Boris Becker at the DTB Congress in Berlin: "Tennis lives - and how!"
Boris Becker was pleased with the "new spirit of optimism in German tennis": "Something is moving, you can feel it at every turn," said the Head of Mens Tennis of the German Tennis Association (DTB) on the sidelines of the International DTB Tennis congress in the Berlin Estrel Hotel.
by Press release
last edit:
Jan 06, 2019, 10:51 am
Becker also acknowledged the great interest in the training event in the capital: "It's great that we have a record participation with almost 800 participants. Tennis lives - and how, ”explained Becker. The 51-year-old boss of German men's tennis had previously taken a strong position in two rounds of talks on current issues relating to the coaching profession, while the three-time Wimbledon winner commented on the situation in world tennis. Together with Barbara Rittner (Head of Women's Tennis), Dirk Hordorff (DTB Vice President for competitive sports, training and education) and Klaus Eberhard (DTB Sports Director), Becker also discussed “Ways to become world class.”
Becker also commented on his previous tenure as Head of Men's Tennis and, above all, positively evaluated the willingness of the German professionals to "get involved with all passion for the Davis Cup team": "We have had great Davis Cup moments, too an impressive team spirit, but now it is going to be an international journey into an uncertain future. I don't want to immediately condemn the new developments around the competition, I'm giving the Davis Cup a chance now. ”
Completely different Davis Cup atmosphere
However, it would be a completely different atmosphere than before with a final tournament, "without the traditional home games then," said Becker, "but now we are happy about the first round game against Hungary in Frankfurt. It will be a great thing at the beginning of February. ”Becker said that in the past weeks and months he had gained“ interesting insights ”on a tour of the national performance centers and in talent training, that the DTB was“ absolutely competitive internationally ”that young people and juniors found "Very good conditions".
Becker also spoke again about the great moments of last season, in other words Angelique Kerber's Wimbledon victory and Alexander Zverev's triumph at the ATP final in London: “There was no starting position like this for 20 years, two players with these successes and these effects on the public. ”In this context, the former world number one demanded an“ even more intensive tennis coverage on TV, whether publicly or privately. You should show more tennis - and not every second or third division game. I say that as a declared football fan. "
No utopian expectations for Alexander Zverev
In the case of Zverev, the sporting expectations in 2019 should "not be raised utopian": "He still has three cannons around him. Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, they don't just make room. "It could well be that" Sascha won't win a Grand Slam title this year either, but that wouldn't be a broken leg. One shouldn't forget: he's just 21 Years old. ”In addition, other generational colleagues from Zverevs also spoke out with success, such as the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, the Russian Karen Khachanov or the Canadian Denis Shapovalov:“ The air at the top is very thin. But Sascha will also make the breakthrough in the Grand Slams, it is only a matter of time. ”