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Boris Becker became the youngest man ever, to that point, to win the Wimbledon men's singles championship in 1985. Source: Facebook/International Tennis Hall of Fame (May be subject to copyright) |
It has been 38 years since Boris Becker’s magical run to the 1985 Wimbledon Men’s Singles title, but I still remember very well his relentless pursuit of the ball and crushing serve.
Who is that?
Back in 1985, Wimbledon only seeded the top 16. Along came this 17-year-old German kid, unseeded and unheralded.
Back in 1985, Wimbledon only seeded the top 16. Along came this 17-year-old German kid, unseeded and unheralded.
He would soon turn some heads.
His name was Boris Becker and he was seeded number 20 by the Association of Tennis Professionals, or ATP. Wimbledon was divided into eight sections of 16 players. The player to emerge from each section would play in the eight-person quarter-finals.
Becker was seeded in section seven. After losing the first set to American Hank Pfister in his opening match, Becker rallied to take the match by winning the next three sets by scores of 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
The win put Becker up against Matt Anger in his second round match. The dynamic German hustled, dove and served his way to a victory in three straight sets by scores of 6-0, 6-1, 6-3.
Becker was off to the third round where seventh-ranked Swede Joakim Nystrom was waiting. The two locked into a marathon match that went the full five sets. Nystrom won the first set by a score of 6-3, but Becker rebounded winning the second set by a score of 7-6. He took the third set by a score of 6-1, only to have Nystrom bounce back to win the fourth set by a score of 6-4 to force a fifth and deciding set. The two went back and forth before Becker finally prevailed by a score of 9-7 in the fifth set, and a 3-2 victory in the match.
Now he would face American Tim Mayotte in the fourth round and a chance to advance to the quarter-finals. The two players would again lock into an epic battle. Becker took the first set by a score of 6-3, only to have Mayotte tie the match with a 6-4 win in the second set. The American then outlasted Becker 7-6 in the third set, only to have Becker return the favour with a 7-6 win in the fourth set. Once again Becker would be going to a fifth and deciding set, and once again he won, this time by a score of 6-2 to take the match 3-2.
Becker was off to the Wimbledon quarter-finals, and he was beginning to attract a lot of attention.
Run to the final
Becker was in the bottom half of the draw, where there had been several upsets. Second-ranked Ivan Lendl had lost to Henri Leconte in the fourth round, fourth ranked Mats Wilander was upset in the first round, and Becker himself had taken out seventh-ranked Joakim Nystrom. In fact, Sweden’s Anders Jarryd was the only seeded player left on that side of the draw. Conversely, John McEnroe, the number one seed; Jimmy Connors, the number three seed; and Kevin Curren, the eight seed had all advanced to the quarter-finals in the top half.
Becker was in the bottom half of the draw, where there had been several upsets. Second-ranked Ivan Lendl had lost to Henri Leconte in the fourth round, fourth ranked Mats Wilander was upset in the first round, and Becker himself had taken out seventh-ranked Joakim Nystrom. In fact, Sweden’s Anders Jarryd was the only seeded player left on that side of the draw. Conversely, John McEnroe, the number one seed; Jimmy Connors, the number three seed; and Kevin Curren, the eight seed had all advanced to the quarter-finals in the top half.
Becker faced giant killer Henri Leconte of France who had taken out Ivan Lendl. Becker outlasted Leconte 7-6 in the first set, before Leconte tied the matched at a set apiece with a 6-3 win. Becker took control from there, winning the next set 6-3 then taking the match by a score of 3-1 with a 6-4 win in the fourth set.
Andres Jarryd dispatched Heinz Günthardt of Switzerland, another unseeded player, in three straight sets, to advance to the semi-final against Becker.
After Jarryd took the opening set by a score of 6-2, Becker roared back to win three straight sets, by scores of 7-6, 6-3, and 6-3, to take the match 3-1.
The 17-year-old German was off to the finals.
Meanwhile another dramatic story was unfolding on the top half of the draw. Giant killer Kevin Curren defeated the top-seeded, two-time defending champion John McEnroe in the quarter-finals in three straight sets then bested number three seed Jimmy Connors in the semi-finals also in three straight sets, becoming the first player to defeat both superstars in the same tournament.
Curren had advanced to the final to face Becker.
One for the ages
The two met on centre court on July 7, 1985. Becker took the first set by a score of 6-3. Curren rebounded to take the second set by a score of 7-6, only to have Becker return the favour winning the third set by that 7-6 score.
The two met on centre court on July 7, 1985. Becker took the first set by a score of 6-3. Curren rebounded to take the second set by a score of 7-6, only to have Becker return the favour winning the third set by that 7-6 score.
Becker took control early in the fourth set going on to win it 6-4 and take the match by a score of 3-1.
At 17 years, seven months and 15 days, Boris Becker was the youngest ever Wimbledon champion, the first unseeded player and the first German to win the Wimbledon men’s singles title. In fact, he was the youngest ever men’s male singles champion to that point.
The years after
Boris Becker would use that Wimbledon title as a springboard to become one of the best players of all time.
He repeated at Wimbledon the following year, and would win it again in 1989. He won the Australian Open twice, the U.S. Open once, and won a total of 49 career titles. He was ranked number one in the world, and even won a gold medal in doubles at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
Parting thoughts
It never occurred to me that, as I watched Boris Becker make his run to the Wimbledon champion, he was just two years older than me. He would have been in Grade 12 when I was in Grade 11. He was that young.
It never occurred to me that, as I watched Boris Becker make his run to the Wimbledon champion, he was just two years older than me. He would have been in Grade 12 when I was in Grade 11. He was that young.
What I will always remember was how he went for broke on every point, diving, lunging, sliding and doing everything the grass at the All-England Tennis Club would let him do. I can still picture the grass stains on his knees, with a bit of blood mixed in for good measure.
That was the essence of Boris Becker – a man who would not be stopped.
He became a force in the tennis world for more than a decade.
Becker's meteoric rise all started with that win in 1985 at Wimbledon.
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