Tennis legend Boris Becker sees his relationship with Germany’s star player Alexander Zverev as being somewhat broken at the moment.
“We text each other every now and then. At the moment it’s a bit cooler in the relationship, but that’s okay, he should concentrate on his games,” said Becker on “Sky” in the run-up to Zverev’s game against Félix Auger-Aliassime at the ATP Finals.
“I just say, ‘he makes a double mistake’ when he makes one. That’s my job – I have to do my job professionally,” said Becker, who works as a TV expert, but emphasized his “great respect” for Zverev: “I’ve known him for 20 years and am his biggest fan in my heart, but I have to criticize him a little every now and then.”
In principle, he is still available for advice, explained Becker. “I’m not part of the team. If he has a question, I’m always open and answer,” said the former Wimbledon winner: But he didn’t want to “disturb” – “if they think they’re doing everything right, then that’s fine.”
Zverev complained in October about Becker’s critical comments in public. “I think he’s looking for attention a bit – and he gets it through me. Unfortunately that’s the case. But I’ve had enough of that now,” said the world number three in an interview with Bild am Sonntag at the time.