Becker Gives U.S. Open a Piece of the Front Page in Big Apple

With the Big Apple abuzz over the prospect of a subway World Series, the fast times of Dwight Gooden and the possibility that the Giants may actually be decent this year, getting space in the New York sports pages these days is difficult.

Under normal circumstances, even the U.S. Open, America’s most important tennis tournament, would be bucking the hard line.

But the state of professional tennis, 1985, hasn’t been normal since a 17-year-old flash of red hair and bullet serves arrived from West Germany to jostle the status quo and claim Wimbledon as his very own.

Tennis has a new star, a new face photographers want to photograph. Beckermania has arrived in America and for that, the U.S. Open can give thanks. Because of young Boris Becker, this tournament, beginning its 104th run today, has been getting the type of publicity splash usually reserved for events like Madonna’s wedding.

“Mac’s Shadow” was the banner over one full-page story addressing Becker’s imminent challenge to defending champion John McEnroe.

“Fans’ favorite: brave Becker” topped another article about U.S. Open ticket sales.

There have been stories quoting other players about Becker, quoting Becker’s coach about Becker, quoting Becker about Becker. Ray Mancini may have retired, but the nickname Boom Boom is still holding fast in bold headline type.

This afternoon, Becker will provide more grist for the mill. He will lead off the men’s competition in the Stadium Court, where his first-round opponent will be Australian-born Peter Doohan, ranked No. 99 in the world.

McEnroe, on a schedule that could lead to a quarterfinal collision with Becker, will be next up on the Stadium Court today, opening defense of his 1984 title against Shlomo Glickstein, ranked No. 2 in Israel and No. 119 everywhere else.

Other interesting first-day matches in the men’s division will have Mats Wilander playing Vijay Amritraj, Ilie Nastase playing Mike Bauer, and Joakim Nystrom playing Chip Hooper.

Wilander is third-seeded in the Open, the best of the impressive young Swedish contingent, and a final-round loser to Becker in the ATP Championship Sunday in Cincinnati. He’s hoping to make amends for his first-round exit at the last Grand Slam stop, Wimbledon, but the savvy Amritraj is usually good for one major upset a year. He got McEnroe in 1984, Jimmy Connors in 1983, and he’s due this year.

Nastase was last seen conducting courtside interviews at Bobby Riggs’ battle-of-the-sexes doubles hustle in Atlantic City, which is where he belongs at 39. But Nastase is a former U.S. Open champion, he wants to play and so, for nostalgia’s sake, he was granted a wild-card berth. His match was even made the feature of the evening session.

Nystrom’s match against Hooper is of interest because Nystrom, No. 13 in the world, is Becker’s only real obstacle en route to McEnroe and the quarterfinals.