Boris Becker has hit out at Nick Kyrgios in response to the Australian’s recent attacks on tennis legends from previous generations – including himself.
The German suggested Kyrgios lacks “credibility” on the subject given he has never won a Grand Slam singles title and told the 28-year-old to “talk to your OnlyFans about a lot of things except tennis.
Kyrgios claimed current world number 2 Carlos Alcaraz would “destroy” Becker last month after the German said other players had developed this year while the Spaniard had not.
The 2022 Wimbledon finalist then mentioned Becker again as he took aim at retired tennis greats, with 14-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras under fire.
“The game was slow back then. I looked at Boris Becker and I’m not saying they weren’t good in their time, but to say they would be just as good is absurd,” he said. Athleticism in an interview earlier this week.
“Back then, a big service was 197 to 200 (km per hour – about 122 mph). People like me, we serve 220 people consistently, in the corners. It’s a whole different ball game.
“I’m not saying they wouldn’t have found their way. But on serve and volley, to do it all the time now, you have to serve 220, because if you serve less than 220, bro, Djokovic eats you alive.
“He’s eating you alive.” Brother Lleyton Hewitt destroyed Sampras one year at the US Open. It was the first prototype of someone capable of returning to service.
“He made Sampras look like shit. And what would Djokovic do to someone like Sampras? That would be a cleanup. If Hewitt did it, Djokovic would destroy him. He would eat him alive.
In a post on Twitter/X quoting a tweet sharing Kyrgios’ most recent comments, Becker wrote: “Nick is making a lot of noise about tennis lately!?!
Nick has been making a lot of noise about tennis lately!?! Why is he talking about a sport he apparently hates…check the facts Nick has never won a major championship as a player or coach (yes in double 1), so where does the credibility come from? I’m trying to compare generations… Laver versus Federer… https://t.co/i76kasQnBk
– Boris Becker (@TheBorisBecker) December 13, 2023
“Why is he talking about a sport he apparently hates… fact check, Nick has never won a major championship as a player or coach (yes, double 1), so where does the credibility come from ? I try to compare the generations… (Rod) Laver against (Roger) Federer, (Bjorn) Borg against (Rafael) Nadal, Sampras against Djokovic!?!
“I’m not even going to mention (John) McEnroe, (Jimmy) Connors, (Ivan) Lendl, (Andre) Agassi, (Jim) Courier, (Stefan) Edberg, (Mats) Wilander, (Gustavo) Kuerten, (Sergi) Bruguera, (Pat) Rafter, (Lleyton) Hewitt and many more…talk to your @OnlyFans about many things but tennis ????!!!”
Becker, who played professionally between 1984 and 1999, won 49 ATP singles titles, including six Grand Slams, including three at Wimbledon.
The 56-year-old, a former world number 1, coached tennis legend Novak Djokovic between 2014 and 2016 and has worked with current world number 8 Holger Rune since October.
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