“This year is another opportunity”: the German tennis legend who trusts Zverev to lift his first Grand Slam

Boris Becker who participated as a member of the Laureus Academy in the event held at the headquarters of the Community of Madrid to announce the finalists of the 2006 awards, highlighted the level of the two great shortlists Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner: “They have a long way to go, I wouldn’t put too much pressure because they are very young. They have the talent and the power, but you would have to ask me in 15 years and I will be able to answer.”

Who burst onto the tennis scene in 1985 when he became the youngest man to win Wimbledon at the age of 17, highlighted that the level of the two best players in the world “is good for them and bad for others.”

“We thought that after the era of Nadal, Federer and Djokovic we would not have a next superstar and now we have two. Tennis is more popular than ever. “Spain is very lucky because they have had Nadal for 20 years and now they have Alcaraz, who is an emotional and charismatic player,” he added.

The German, winner of six Grand Slams, predicted that the competitiveness between the Spaniard and the Italian will last “for years” and trusted that his compatriot Alexander Zverev can win his first Grand Slam title in 2026: “He has played in many finals, this year is another opportunity.”

Pure inspiration in Davis Cup on two occasions (his first victory in 1988 and the second in 1989) he has a record in the competition is 54-12, including an impressive 38-3 in singles. He also won an Olympic gold medal in Barcelona 1992, where, alongside Michael Stich, he won the men’s doubles for his nation. For this foundation it is support constant to the work of Laureus Sport for Good in Germany and around the world.