Victory ‘twice as sweet,’ says Becker

Press, 8 July 1986, Page 42

Victory ‘twice as sweet,’ says Becker

NZPA-Reuter London For Boris Becker, victory the second time around was twice as sweet.

Last year he made history when, unseeded and aged just 17 years and seven months, he beat Kevin Curren in the Wimbledon men’s singles final.

Yesterday he pulverised the world champion, Ivan Lendl, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5, and confessed: “Winning Wimbledon this year was much more satisfying for me than last year. Then I was a nobody. “This year I really proved I can play well on grass and proved I can be a Wimbledon champion.” The 18-year-old Becker handled all the pressure of being defending champion, played with aweinspiring power in the final and became the game’s youngest millionaire with his £140,000 ($397,600) first prize bringing his career total earnings to $U51,079,575 dollars ($1,997,213).

The master blaster has never served faster and Lendl said with feeling after his centre court bombardment: "I’m very disappointed and very tired at the moment.”

I’m going to rest and get myself into decent shape. I’m going to think about it, see what I can improve on and hopefully by this time next year I may be playing better,” he said.

Lendl said he thought he played well and so in some ways the tournament had been a success for him.

“But if you don’t win it’s never a complete success,” he said.

And he felt he still deserved to be classed as the world number one. “I’m not prepared to

give up that title — I think my record is a little better than his even though his is very impressive.”

Fifteen aces went flying by Lendl, who said of the express train Becker serve: “It has always been very, very good. Excellent always.”

In a match of raw power, Becker was the heavyweight, even when three set points down in the third set. He saved all three, and went on to take the set and the centenary championship title. Asked how he handled such pressure on the big points, Becker just smiled and said: “There is no book you can learn that from.”

Becker, who dropped his serve just four times on the way to the final, added: “This is my favourite place to play tennis. I feel at home here.” The flame-haired teenager, who has lost four of his six encounters against Lendl, agreed the 26-year-old Czechoslovak was still

the world’s best player so far this year. Lendl had dearly hoped to win this Wimbledon, left wide open by the temporary retirement of John McEnroe. He has won 59 titles, but not one on grass. He cannot wait to defend his U.S. Open title on the cement in New York. What about Becker there? Lendl said: "Now it depends on who wins the U.S. Open. That will tip the scales.”

Yesterday Wimbledon indubitably belonged to Becker, who revealed in his post-match interview what a fiercely competitive champion he is.

Even when three set points down in the third, panic never crept in and as he saved each one, he said: “I saw a little bit in Ivan’s face that he didn’t know what to do any more to pass me at the big points and that helped me a lot.” It is the same kind of match-winning determination that has made Martina Navratilova such a world beater in women’s tennis. She had her back against the wall on Saturday when 2-5 down to the Czechoslovak, Hana Mandlikova, playing inspired tennis in the first set of their singles final.

But like Becker, Navratilova thrives on pressure and pulls out a big serve when she really needs it She finally won, 7-6, 6-3, and confessed that Wimbledon win No. 7 was just as exciting as her first