“We Didn’t Like Each Other Much When We Played” – Boris Becker On Andre Agassi

If there was one record that Boris Becker would like to improve, it would probably be his head to head record against Andre Agassi. Becker was the most popular star of his generation.

Soon enough, Agassi would take that away from him. In fact, this transition would have a stamp of authority. After losing his first three encounters to Becker in the late 1980s, Agassi would go on to win 8 straight matches against him. Their battles would always have a sense of tension.

This was largely a result of their flashy personas and extremely loyal fanbases that would flock up to watch their favorite star play. The German had opened up last year on one of his biggest rivals. Let’s find out what he had to say.

WATCH – When Andre Agassi Broke Down During His Last Match At The US Open

What did Boris Becker say about Andre Agassi? 

Boris Becker started by revealing that he had always thought of Andre Agassi as a player who challenged the system. Agassi was a rebel at heart, witnessed most openly by his reluctance to wear the traditional whites at Wimbledon.

“He brought fresh air to it, colors to it. He had the earrings and just the whole different style of playing and of personality. And I think the combination of, you know, Sampras and Agassi, Black and White, transcended tennis into another way. Because of him, we gained a lot of new fans, younger fans. He’d play with cut off jeans, you know we’d talk about the white of Wimbledon. So you know, he would always try to, in his early years, break the rules, break the rules within the rule. But obviously the foundation was always his performance and the fact that he won 8 Majors ultimately, speaks for himself.”

Boris would later talk about the controversial book of Andre. At one point, he had written that he hated tennis.

Wrong choice of words, says Boris Becker

The German found it difficult to digest that someone could hate a sport that gave them everything.

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“Surprised a little bit. You know, I thought tennis has given him everything. It’s given me everything. So you hate something that’s given you so much was a bit odd. But I think the book’s called honest or open, so he was open, that’s how he felt. I respect that and obviously it didn’t come across to many in the tennis community. That you hate something that you’ve been so successful of and you know made money from and all that. But it was a very honest and open book and yeah, that’s it.”

Lastly, the conversation went on to their famous rivalry. Andre Agassi had devoted some time to this in his book talking about their heat.

The passion of that rivalry missing nowadays, says Boris Becker

He thinks that Agassi always played against him with a certain intensity.

“He talked about me a little bit and he had some stories. Again, we were competitors, we didn’t like each other much when we played. He wanted something and I had it vice versa. I was sort of the biggest personality when I played and then he came and took over the mantle. That was something that I didn’t like. So it always became personal when we played which was great drama and a great match to watch. Missing nowadays a little bit. Nowadays everyone is very equal, very alike. Sometimes when they shake hands you don’t know who’s winning or losing. Well, you sure know who was winning or losing when Agassi played Becker, trust me.”

Whatever they say, both have the utmost amount of respect for each other. They know that the other man is a tough competitor ready to fight. Do you think the tennis world misses rivalries like Boris Becker and Andre Agassi?