Boris Becker honored his great life work after the death of his long -time companion Niki Pilic.
“Niki Pilic was not just one of the best coaches I ever had, we also became close friends,” said the three-time Wimbledon winner in a statement at the request of the “Sport Information Service”.
Becker emphasized that he “owed a lot to the Pilic, who died on Monday at the age of 86”. As Pilic led the German Davis Cup team, for example, “was sensational”. Becker won the trophy with Pilic as team boss in 1988 and 1989 against Sweden.
At the same time, Becker emphasized the personally close relationship with Pilic. “I will never forget how I was regularly invited to eat by his wife Mija at home. Back then I often stayed with him. It felt like family,” he said.
Becker also pointed out that Pilic also won the Davis Cup with Croatia and Serbia. This led to “that he was the only coach in the world that became Davis Cup winner with three different nations. That speaks for his sporting quality.”
Pilic was an “absolutely tennis crushed in a positive sense,” said Becker. “He still gave coaching hours until his 80s, most often on tennis square.”