Six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker has revealed that he struggled to cope with the pressure that came with winning Wimbledon as a teenager.
Becker won the Wimbledon title at the age of 17, defeating Kevin Curren in the 1985 final at the All England Club. In an interview with BBC Sport, Becker remarked that he may have hindered his own development by winning Wimbledon at such a young age.
“If you look at other wunderkinds, they often don’t reach 50 due to the trials and tribulations that follow,” the 57-year-old stated.
“Everything you do, everywhere you go, and everyone you speak to becomes a global sensation. It turns into the headline of some of the most significant newspapers the following day, while you’re merely trying to mature and find your footing in the world.
When you embark on a second career, everything is measured against that success of winning Wimbledon at 17, which dramatically alters the trajectory of your future. I’m glad to have won three titles, but perhaps 17 was too young; I was still a child.”
