In December 2013, Boris Becker became the head coach of Novak Djokovic. It proved to be a game-changer for Djokovic, who at the time felt that he lacked the mental edge necessary to win Grand Slams. Becker’s first assignment was to train the Serb for the 2014 Australian Open. It turned out to be a failure as Djokovic lost to Stan Wawrinka in a tightly fought quarterfinal encounter.

However, the association didn’t take long to bear fruit, as Djokovic went on to win the 2014 Wimbledon. In the Boom! Boom! Boris Becker vs. Boris Becker documentary, Becker reflected on some of the bizarre motivational tactics he used to get the best out of Djokovic.

Becker made things personal for Novak Djokovic

No one could question Djokovic’s tennis credentials when Becker became the Serb’s head coach. However, Djokovic’s confidence could be problematic, especially when he was up against the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.

In the documentary, Becker says that he used to motivate Djokovic by asking the Serb, “You want your mother to cry or you want his mother to cry?” He also fueled Djokovic’s inner fire by telling him, “You’re a proud family man. You would do anything to protect the family. That’s how you have to play. That’s the attitude.”

Becker would also tell Djokovic how the likes of Nadal, Federer and Murray were all protecting their respective families through their stellar on-court performances. “Rafael wants to do the same, Roger wants to do the same, and Andy wants to do the same. They want to protect their families. Now go out and do it.”

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Becker’s approach eventually reaped rewards for Djokovic

The words Becker used to motivate Djokovic may have been unconventional. However, in the long run, they certainly worked out as far as the Serb in concerned. The success of Djokovic and Becker’s association came to light in the 2014 Wimbledon Final.

Djokovic met Federer in the final, and unsurprisingly, Federer was the favorite owing to his fantastic Wimbledon history. However, after a grueling encounter that lasted almost four hours, it was Djokovic who came out on top. It was Djokovic’s second Wimbledon title. The win also helped Djokovic reclaim top spot from Nadal in the ATP rankings.

Becker coached Djokovic for three years before they went their separate ways. In those three years, the Serb amassed a total of 6 Grand Slam titles. It’s safe to say that Becker’s words were ultimately effective in helping Djokovic develop a winning mentality.

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