World number one Novak Djokovic’s coach Boris Becker has revealed that his man has a big problem with Roger Federer.
German tennis superstar Becker has published a new autobiography in which he talks about the “open secret” of the animosity between two of the best players ever to pick up a racquet.
Becker’s language in “Wimbledon: My Life and Career at the All England Club” is temperate, in that he refers to the fact that the duo “don’t particularly like each other” rather than spilling the beans on years of mutual hatred.
But he goes on to talk about Federer in terms which suggest that beneath the Swiss legend’s smooth veneer is a rather darker character than we’ve been led to suspect.
“The reason Roger is one of the highest-paid athletes of all time is because he’s liked by everybody,” writes Becker.
“But think about this – you can’t possibly be liked by everybody.”
Becker also poses an open question, wondering whether the entire game of tennis might be more fun to watch if the men at the top of the sport showed a bit more fire – as they did in Becker’s day and before, when the likes of John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors fumed their way around the court, Ivan Lendl alienated fans with his ice-man persona, and players such as Andre Agassi and Becker himself wore their hearts on their sleeves in a manner that had fans roaring out of their seats.
“Federer makes good money out of his image, but would he make less if we saw a bit more of his true feelings?” Becker asks.
“People occasionally put it to me that tennis is more boring now than when I played, and when I ask them why they say there are fewer characters.
“I reply that we have great characters, but it’s true they don’t show it as much because they can’t. They get fined and there are microphones on the court that pick up every curse or utterance in frustration.
“As a result, it’s very difficult to verbalise your frustration nowadays because everyone hears it and you go back to the locker room to face a fine of $10,000 or $20,000 or even more.”
