Becker regrets winning Wimbledon at 17

JavaScript must be enabled in your browser to play this video.

Boris Becker, a six-time Grand Slam champion, says that due to the pressure that it placed on him both during and after his playing career, he regrets winning at age 17 at Wimbledon.

When he defeated Kevin Curren in 1985, the German became the youngest Wimbledon men’s singles champion ever at the age of 17 years, seven months, and fifteen days later.

Becker won five more Grand Slam titles, including two at Wimbledon, before becoming one of his generation’s greatest players.

However, Becker’s success was frequently overshadowed by a turbulent personal life and repeated financial difficulties.

After serving eight months of a two-and-a-half-year jail sentence for concealing £2.5 million in assets and loans to avoid paying debts, he was released from prison in London in 2023.

It becomes a world sensation whatever you do, wherever you go, or who you talk to.

Some of the most significant papers of tomorrow will use it as the headline. And you’re merely attempting to mature, to find your place in the world.

“When you start a second career, everything is measured by your success at Wimbledon at age 17.” And that significantly altered the course of action.

Getty Images

“I watched Djokovic win Wimbledon while he was incarcerated.”

Between 2013 and 2016, Becker coached Novak Djokovic for three years while he retired in 1999 and worked as a TV pundit before retiring. He helped the Serb win six of his 24 Grand Slam victories.

The 57-year-old author of a book about his time in prison claims he found solace in Djokovic’s Wimbledon success in 2022.

When I watched Djokovic win matches and ultimately defeat Nick Kyrgios, he said, “I was supporting him at the time I was watching him win.”

That ultimately caused me to feel both very emotional and inspirational. I’m in one of the worst prisons in the world, along with my brother Novak, and he’s there. Thus, it puts perspective on life.

Following Becker’s release, he was taken away from the United Kingdom.

I felt too at ease. I was spending too much. Nobody told me that anything was possible. In retrospect, he said, “that’s the recipe for disaster.”

related subjects

  • Tennis

What must change to reverse fortunes at Aberdeen?

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin said after defeat by Dundee United he needs to “find answers quickly” to arrest an alarming start to the season.

The club are rooted to the bottom of the Scottish Premiership after four defeats in five games, all without scoring a goal.

Add to that a meek League Cup exit against Motherwell and some fans are already starting to turn against their Scottish Cup-winning manager.

With a re-match with impressive Motherwell at Fir Park up next on Saturday, Thelin needs solutions to fix his ailing side.

Should Thelin change formation?

Thelin has stuck rigidly to a 4-2-3-1 system since arriving in Scotland last summer, except for one famous exception.

The Swede switched to a 5-3-2 for the Scottish Cup final against Celtic, succesfully stymying Brendan Rodgers’ side before triumphing on penalties.

There has been absolutely no sign Thelin is thinking of going with that formation again, but could it help?

Having another striker to support Kevin Nisbet might spark their stilted attack into life, because they have scored the fewest goals of any side to have played in the Premiership this season and last.

Given Aberdeen’s recruitment of wingers and their importance to Thelin, 4-4-2 might be a more likely option to change it up.

Or even just playing a more traditional 4-3-3 to get more midfielders further forward and reduce the reliance on a number 10.

Former Aberdeen captain Willie Miller, though, feels it is unlikely Thelin will mix things up in that way.

“That [formation] is his identity,” he said on BBC Scotland’s Sportsound.

“What he needs to do, and I think what he will do, is stick with it and try to get the right personnel in there. I don’t tink he has [got the right personnel].

Time for fresh legs in midfield?

Many observers believe the heart of Aberdeen’s problems are coming from midfield.

Sivert Heltne Nilsen was back in the starting XI to play Dundee United, and is often the focus of supporters’ ire.

He is viewed as Thelin’s key lieutenant, because of his experience and knowledge of the manager’s methods from their time at Elfsborg.

However, with Aberdeen’s performances lacking intensity – a point Thelin has repeatedly made – and the fact they have lost more challenges than any other side since the start of last season, Nilsen’s selection is a point of serious contention.

That is principally due to the 33-year-old’s lack of mobility across the pitch.

Thelin has insisted Nilsen sets standards in training, but whether it is a lack of legs, poor distances between players, or low confidence, Aberdeen’s midfield is toiling.

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Thelin has only started both Nilsen and Shinnie in midfield twice this season, but at least one of them has been in the middle of the pitch for every game, except the home defeat by Falkirk.

That performance was arguably Aberdeen’s most encouraging in attack in the league, before Nicky Devlin was sent off and they slipped to defeat.

“I can understand why he’s played Sivert Nilsen in there and why he has played Shinnie in there,” Miller added on Sportsound.

“But they are the wrong side of 30 and it’s looking like they need more energy in that area. I didn’t see an awful lot of energy or creativity.”

The problem for Thelin is, apart from 33-year-old Stuart Armstrong, whom he singled out for praise at Tannadice, others are not exactly putting their hand up and demanding to be picked when they do get a chance.

Dante Polvara has performed better when coming off the bench, while Leighton Clarkson – Aberdeen’s most creative midfielder – was left out altogether and has started two games all season.

Lack of intensity problem for ‘tense’ Aberdeen

Thelin has spoken about the need for “intensity” before just about every game this season, yet when his team take to the pitch there is a distinct lack of it.

The Swede used the words “tense” and “stiff” to describe the 2-0 loss to United.

That is understandable amid fan anger and pressure amid a run of five league wins in 32 games, but that is not the only explanation.

Aberdeen have brought in 24 players in the last three transfer windows and have made more changes to their starting line-up in the Premiership than anyone other than Celtic or Rangers since the start of last season.

It is clear, then, Thelin is still getting to grips with his best team, and as a result there have been no reliable combinations formed all over the pitch.

Only Shinnie and Topi Keskinen have started more than three quarters of Thelin’s league games, while Slobodan Rubezic is the centre-back with the most Premiership starts (20) despite being loaned out in February and subsequently departing.

The team are crying out for consistency and stability across the pitch to ease help settle the tension.

Thelin says he needs to find the solutions that other managers, such as his opposite number on Saturday Jens Berthel Askou, have found in short order.

And with pressure from fans ratcheting up with every defeat, time is against him.

Get in touch

Related topics

  • Aberdeen
  • Scottish Premiership
  • Scottish Football
  • Football

Blackburn should get win from abandoned game – Ismael

Rex Features
  • 34 Comments

Blackburn Rovers boss Valerien Ismael says that giving them three points from the abandoned Championship game against Ipswich Town would be the “fairest thing to do”.

Ismael’s side were 1-0 up courtesy of Todd Cantwell’s second-half penalty and the Tractor Boys were playing with 10 men after Jacob Greaves was sent off when heavy rain forced the match to be called off.

With the pitch waterlogged, referee Steve Martin took the players off the pitch after 80 minutes and a decision on whether the game will be replayed in full is still to be made by the EFL board.

A decision is likely to be made by the end of this week.

“We’ve got the right to want the three points because it’s the fair thing to do, especially when the opponent is down to 10,” Ismael said in an interview on the club’s YouTube channel.

A match can only be postponed or abandoned with the approval of the referee, authorities, or by the order of the police.

If a Premier League or EFL game is abandoned after kick-off, but before 90 minutes has been played, the fixture will either be:

Ismael said that the decision to postpone the game was out of his hands.

“I never agreed to stop the game. I had no choice because the referee made clear his point that he had to abandon the game,” he added.

“The pitch was unplayable and he said sorry. I never agreed anything because the decision was already made so that is a clear point to make.”

In addition, Ismael said that the current rules are a “grey area” and could put football’s integrity in doubt.

“It’s a generic problem. It’s a deep problem. It’s a grey area and it’s put the integrity of football in danger because everyone can speculate on anything on any game or try to stop any game,” he added.

“Now there’s room for speculation and influence. It’s difficult to know what will be the outcome but everyone has to take the case very seriously because this case will set a precedent.”

In a statement the EFL said both clubs have until 16:00 BST on Wednesday to make any final representations to the league.

Related topics

  • Blackburn Rovers
  • Championship
  • Football
  • Ipswich Town

Boulter relief at Beijing win after ‘tough months’

Images courtesy of Getty

Katie Boulter won the China Open and defeated Hailey Baptiste, saying she was relieved to have “a tough couple of months” behind her.

To advance to the second round in Beijing, the British number two defeated the American 7-5, 7-5, and 7-6.

Solana Sierra, a spoiled loser, knocked the 29-year-old out of the second round of Wimbledon, and Marta Kostyuk, a Ukrainian, did the same.

In the final set against Baptiste, she regrouped after a double break and made it a point to win.

“I’ve had a difficult couple of months,” Boulter said.

“I’m really pleased with how I’m now putting myself out there and fighting every single thing.”

Amanda Anisimova, who finished second at the US Open, and Boulter will now have to contend with.

After tweaking her serve, she won the Billie Jean King Cup semi-finals against Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima, but she has had a mixed year.

She was defeated by the United States by 3-6, 6-4, and 6-2 in her next singles match against world number seven Jessica Pegula.

Novak Djokovic’s participation in the Shanghai Masters will be his first since the US Open semi-final defeat.

In the final years of his career, the Serb has stated on numerous occasions that he will cut back on his time to work out to protect his body.

The 38-year-old reached the Shanghai final last year, but Jannik Sinner, who was then the world’s number one, lost.

related subjects

  • Tennis

Broadhead ‘delighted’ by first Wrexham goal

Images courtesy of Getty

Nathan Broadhead, a club record signing, was “delighted” to break the club’s mark and look forward to playing in the Championship.

In Tuesday’s 2-0 EFL Cup third-round victory over Reading, Broadhead added his second goal for Wrexham since signing from Ipswich Town in August.

The 27-year-old forward struggled with a calf injury in the first few weeks of the season, but he is now looking to improve.

“I’m just thrilled to score and advance to the next round,” said Broadhead.

“I just can’t wait to get my sharpness back and play in the championship,” he said.

I’m adjusting to new players and different systems playing.

“It gave me a little time to unwind, move all of my belongings, and everything in between,” I said.

Before beginning his professional career with Everton, the boy-born Broadhead was a boy at Wrexham’s academy.

He made an endearing commitment to Ipswich in 2023 and spent the last season playing for the Premier League with Wrexham.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the Hollywood partners behind Wrexham, have spoken of their goals to advance to the top of English football.

“I came here for that reason, and I hope we can accomplish that,” Broadhead continued.

The owners’ intention is to achieve that. I can see the vision, so I’m hoping to be there.

You notice the players entering,” You’re bringing in top-notch players from the Championship, which only serves to reinforce your intentions.

That’s the project, exactly what we’re working on.

Along with Wales team-mates Danny Ward and Kieffer Moore, Broadhead was one of the 13 players who signed for Wrexham over the summer.

Nathan Broadhead in action for WalesImages courtesy of Getty

With three games left, Wales currently leads Group J, and Broadhead is enjoying his role under the guidance of manager Craig Bellamy.

He’s a good manager, and I’m enjoying working with him, according to Broadhead.

I’m typically ranked 10 in his system, which is a little different from ours, but I’m adaptable.

For the first time in the competition, three Welsh clubs have advanced to the last 16 after Wrexham defeated Reading 2-0 at the Stok Cae Ras.

Before the Reading game, Wrexham made its fourth appearance in the 1977-78 season aware of this fact.

In truth, the manager said to us before training yesterday, and it just demonstrates where the club is going, according to Broadhead.

“We’ve made history tonight, and we’re hoping we’ll make more.”

related subjects

  • Welsh Football
  • Wrexham
  • Championship
  • Football

‘Ignore the noise’ – how World Cup favourites England can beat the pressure

Images courtesy of Getty

The slumber party they hosted on Wednesday before their semi-final capped off England’s strategy of being clear favorites for their home World Cup.

The team assembled for a movie night by watching Step Up, a 1940s movie about an underdog dancer having his day on a big stage, on the projector at their base.

It demonstrates England’s effort to end an 11-year search for the world title and become world champions for the first time on their own soil as a result.

According to David Richardson, an experienced consultant in sports leadership and an honorary visiting professor at Liverpool John Moores University, “It’s about ignoring the noise around them and making sure they don’t care if they are favorites.”

The outcome will look after itself as long as you have an internal expectation. People will anticipate, but they have defeated strong opponents in the final, so the goal is to dispel the myth.

World No. 1 England are the clear favorites for the Saturday final at Twickenham, but the top-ranked teams on earth might compete in it.

The English have triumphed in 37 of their previous 13 meetings in nine years when they have faced off against each other. In the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup and the 2014 World Cup final, the Red Roses defeated the Canadians.

Sarah Hunter is now the team’s defense coach and was a member of the winning team in 2014 when England lost in the heartbreaking 2022 final.

She will need to have experience with young players to deal with nerves around camp.

She says, “You have to have faith in the whole process, the plan, and people.”

When we won in 2014, and on the day of the final, everyone was so relaxed and composed. Everyone was aware of the duties and responsibilities that they would have. We lacked the need to “make it bigger.”

Being one of the few national teams with a completely professional setup, both for players and coaches, helps Mitchell’s side.

Charlie Hayter, the head of women’s performance since 2023, and other members of their backroom staff have responsibilities that prioritize the players’ psychological well-being.

In order to increase their chances of winning their first World Cup, Canada, meanwhile, had to crowdfund some of their costs.

The difference in support off the pitch could be significant, even though the Canadians have a number of world-class players and exerted pressure on England in their most recent meeting, a 21-12 defeat in 2024.

JavaScript must be enabled in your browser to play this video.

“Third years ago was a different staff, a different country.”

England v New Zealand in the last World Cup final in 2022Images courtesy of Getty

The key point from England has been to alter the narrative that the country has come so far on numerous occasions. They have reached six of their previous finals, but they have lost just one.

There are many new faces in addition to the 12 starting 15 from the 2022 final. This year, eight of the 32-woman squad made their World Cup debuts, and they all have a different coach.

According to Richardson, the only way to get past the fear of failing as a result of 2022 is to change the narrative.

There were difficult decisions that they had to make in the final that didn’t go their way.

You have a skilled squad, but the focus of the story is on handling this circumstance rather than rehashing the past. It is a compelling narrative that emphasizes securing their best chance.

“Seizing opportunities is unfinished business,” the phrase says. You can see that the players are buying into it as it appears to be filtering through.

You can get hung up on the past because it’s like the England men’s football team. However, the camp had a different vibe three years ago, with different staff members and different countries. Nothing about the weekend is involved.

The favorite tag adds pressure, and the omnipresent message that women’s sports are leaving a legacy and inspiring future generations is also present.

However, England manager Mitchell stated that “this team” would not be defined by their failure to win the World Cup at their squad announcement in July.

This week, RFU Chairman Bill Sweeney stated on the BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast that “the legacy is already in place.

“We’re bringing in a lot more brand-new fans,” the company’s goal was always to promote the game. More volunteers and more players are attracted to us.

JavaScript must be enabled in your browser to play this video.

related subjects

  • Rugby Union