The Name's Benjamin, Not Boris Becker
June 28, 2006
He isn't red-haired, 17 or even particularly tall. But Benjamin Becker, who goes by "B. Becker" on the electronic scoreboards at Wimbledon during his games, is used to being compared to tennis legend, Boris Becker.
"A lot of people when they see B. Becker they think all of a sudden of Boris and people are joking with me, saying, 'Hey, Boris!' -- and I would do the same," the 25-year-old qualifier told news agency AFP.
"It's coincidence. I'm not related -- sorry, everyone," he said. "I don't take it too seriously. Unless it gets too much or too personal but it hasn't been like that, I just laugh about it."
"Boris was always my idol"
Germany's Boris Becker, also known as "Boom Boom Becker" for his massive serve, won his first Wimbledon title as a 17-year-old in 1985 -- becoming the youngest man ever to win the prestigious tournament. He won the title again in 1987 and 1989 and was four times a losing finalist. He remains one of the world's best-known German personalities.
Ranked 161 in the world, Benjamin Becker is aware that much of the attention he's attracted is due to the fact that he shares a name with the more famous tennis idol.
"It's been two weeks since everybody's been making a big deal of it. I am prepared mentally for it. I know people will ask me about it every time," he said.
But Boris has always been his hero, says Benjamin.
"Boris was always my idol, he did so much for tennis in Germany," Becker told Germans sports news agency sid. "I still remember how as a kid I got up early to watch Becker's final against Ivan Lendl in Australia."
That was in 1991 and Benjamin was only nine years old at the time.
Climbing the ladder of success
Now, 16 years on, the younger Becker has made his own debut at Wimbledon by blasting his way into the second round after beating Argentina's Juan Ignacio Chela 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
He will take on Spanish 28th seed Fernando Verdasco on Wednesday.
"It's tough to emulate his (Boris') achievements but if I get a little bit of what he achieved then I will be very pleased with myself," Benjamin Becker told AFP.
Hailing from Saarland, Benjamin Becker's road to tennis glory has been a far cry from Boris Becker's.
He began playing for the junior league of the German Tennis Association in Saarland, participated in the junior tournament in Wimbledon in 1999 without much success, and won a tennis scholarship at Baylor University in Texas in 2000 after finishing school. From 2001 to 2005, Becker played for the university with great success. At the same time, he studied finance and international economics.
"For me it was optimal," Becker said. "I wouldn't have been mature enough for the job at 18."
"A dream come true"
For a year, Becker has been making the rounds of various tournaments and two weeks ago he managed to qualify for his first ATP tournament. His success at Wimbledon caps his achievements.
"I still haven't realized that I'm in the second round at Wimbledon. It was a dream come true just to be in the main draw after qualifying," he told AFP.
Becker's hoping that if he continues with his winning streak, another dream might just be fulfilled too.
"I would love to shake Boris Becker's hand," he said.