Apr 07, 2026
3 min read
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Rome, April 7 (Adnkronos) - From the debate between Giannick Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz to the golden age of Italian tennis, the former German champion Boris Becker speaks without filter, even about the new talents of world tennis, the value of emotions on the court and its future, in an interview with Adnkronos, exclusively for Italy, according to Laure the World Sports Awards, according to Laure the World Sports Awards. for the third time, on April 20, with Sinner and Alcaraz in the category"Sportsman of the Year".
The six-time Slam champion also touches on global issues in the conversation, from sports as a universal language to the IOC elections and the deeper meaning of the Laureus Award as one of its ambassadors.
Italian tennis is entering a golden age.What factors do you think influenced this success?
"It always starts with one and you know what it is. Obviously the culprit has an important role. Yes, you can mention Berretti before him and before Fognini, but you always need a real superstar to progress in a national sport and I think Jannik Sinner is that superstar. It's always good to connect with the winners. You think it's just a big success of Italian Sport? The ultimate business calendar where you can play all year in Italy, ATP or WTA in Italy without much travelyou can play in tournaments, but also because of the climate, you can play in the south of Italy, even in winter or in Sardinia.And basically from March, the weather is so nice all over Italy that you can think that all the players are many players, every week you can have a lot of players coming from Naples or another city to play a tournament, I think that's one of the reasons why Italy is successful in tennis, maybe they should try the same in Italian football..."
Sinner and Alcaraz will fight for the top ATP position for many years, but can Jannik return to the number one spot already in Monte Carlo?
"I think that's true, but the most important thing for them is the Grand Slams. If you win the Grand Slams, of course you're going to be number one, but at the end of the day you want to be number one in November. And you want to finish the year number one. I think that's one of his main goals. He had an incredible game, he was allowed to play last April. On the other hand, Alcaraz has won almost every tournament since Monte Carlo, so to win in Melbourne is Alcaraz.It's a fantastic start for him and I believe Madrid and Rome will increase his chances of first place this year.
Who will be able to fight for the top spot with Alcaraz and Mutazi?Will Musetti be enough?
"I hope so. I really like Lorenzo. He's a very attractive young Italian. He has everything he needs to be in the top 5. He just has physical problems sometimes. He's coming back from injury, he had a bad leg injury against Djokovic in Melbourne and he's done very well so far. So I hope he stays healthy, from another talent, from another talent, from another talent, from another leg that he plays in Melbourne, he's injured, it's his injury, how tennis plays him. watch.
What kind of player is Alcaraz?
"He's a fascinating player. He's exactly what the tennis world needs. He's very fast, fun to watch, he's a real artist on the tennis court and I don't see any weaknesses. But like all players, you know, they need inspiration."
Fonseca is a very young player who is developing, would you be interested in coaching someone like him?
"I won't name names, but in the last year and a half I have been approached a lot to return to coaching. I refused because I have other professional goals. I work a lot in the media industry and I wouldn't do it if I was a full-time coach. That being said, I'm always available for a phone call. If one of these people calls me, and without a coach he can always teach me. time with Djokovic and then I wasthe manager of men's tennis for 4 years, so I took care of Sasha Zverev when he was 18, 19, 20. I also had a short experience with Holger Rune, who I really hope is coming back to full form, because he is a young coach, who should be able to win, as he has some family plans, as I can make a new family plan.time, and training is a full-time job, and I think I have some ideasprofession.
For a few years we've had a lack of that type of competition like Becker and Lendl, now there's Alcaraz and Sinner who are very different, there's Fonseca, Bagel, does it seem like there's a return of "character"?
"We need personalities on the court, and to be able to express their emotions, to express themselves. And, you know, you mentioned fire and ice with Lendl and me, and I think it's important for tennis, for the fans, for everyone who loves the game, that you see real emotions on the court, that the players can express themselves, that they don't remember the different times of Fedovic and Nadovic. People on the court pay for tickets, she watches from home for entertainment.Tennis will benefit this type of player.
Will the Laureus Awards come soon when tennis is still in the spotlight?
"I'm very, very happy that for 25 years, tennis has played a big role in Laureus nominees, nominees and winners. I don't know how many times Djokovic, or Nadal, or Federer have won, and that's only in men's and women's tennis, of course Serena Williams. So, tennis is always very popular and, this year we don't have four Cineras and Cinnabars. There are Fonseca, Sabalenka and Anisimova, so it's noAlso among the most universal sports, we play almost every year, for tennis we are always ahead.
Clay season is starting, do you think there is room in this Sinner-Alcaraz duopoly for a third or fourth player?
"Let me start by showing my respect for Alcaraz and Sinner. They have shared the last 9 Grand Slam titles. And this is an incredible achievement, especially considering that both players are still very young. Carlos is 22, Yannick is 24. On the other hand, I see a completely different pair of players between these two. I think Sasha Zver has won a few times. In Melbourne, where he played with Alcaraz, he took him to the final, it should have been in this group and we have to score Djokovic as long as he play at his level, but I want to think more about the younger players that he's suited for, it says a lot, and then, he's also played in some good tournaments in America, but I think all of these players haven't trained in the quarter-finals of a tournament, but in the semi-finals of Grand Slam tournaments, and I think that's where Sinner and Alcaraz shined and made their mark.
What do you think of the International Olympic Committee's announced move to only allow biological women to compete in women's events, effectively closing the door on transgender people?
"I like the decision. I am open and people have the right to change gender and so on, but in sports competition, especially when you are born a man, the change of your body to become a woman makes you stronger and you have an opportunity, and I think there are some gray areas in the last Olympics in Paris, but I do not want to name any specific names, but I do not want to name any specific names, but I do not think, many people who haveThe satisfaction of the Olympics that they did the right thing, and I'm not satisfied with the Olympic Committee.It's the right decision to say that you are naturally female or male and therefore you have to compete as either female or male, and I think that's the right decision."
The Laureus Awards ceremony takes place amidst a very chaotic geopolitical situation. What impact will this have on the sporting environment and sporting events?
"I think the power of sports has always been its political nature, and I think we should stick to that principle. I think there have been wars everywhere, not now, but in the last 100 years, but sports and their power have never been political. We don't support the good guys or the bad guys.It depends on your point of view, I don't think they depend on the power of the sport. It's their decision, so I always think that athletes should not be punished for it" (by Emmanuel Rizzi).
