Tennis Legend Boris Becker Criticizes Will to Achieve of German Young Tennis Players
Boris Becker, a legendary tennis player, has expressed his concerns about the lack of drive and ambition among the young German tennis players. In an interview with the “Spiegel” Becker shared his experience with the generation of 20-year-olds, stating that they find it difficult to cope with the pressure and often suffer from panic attacks when pushed to perform. He believes that this is a generational issue in Germany, where younger players want a work-life balance and prefer a relaxed approach to the sport.
Becker also supports his former colleague, Barbara Rittner, who resigned from the German Tennis Federation (DTB) last year after receiving complaints from young players that she was too demanding. Rittner admits that she failed to align her views on competitive sports with the DTB.
However, Becker finds it hard to understand the complaints from the young players. He argues that if the top players were to complain, it would be understandable, but when it comes from lower-ranked players, he does not comprehend their grievances.
Furthermore, Becker criticizes the work of the DTB, stating that while there are many dedicated individuals who contribute to the organization, he does not see enough expertise in the area of sports, such as understanding the factors that lead to winning or losing matches and designing training sessions.