Becker Turns Misfortunes Into Victories as He Shoots for No. 1

Boris Becker says it’s difficult to get to the top, but that it’s even harder to get back there.

“People see me playing tennis and nobody knows the real cost of winning,” Becker said. “Sometimes it is necessary to grow and learn as a human being. That’s what I did in the past two years.”

Becker, playing with increased confidence after struggling over the past two years, looks as if he is ready to stake his claim as the best tennis player in the world.

The 21-year-old West German beat Stefan Edberg and John McEnroe, the No. 3 and No. 4 ranked players in the world, in less than 24 hours to win the Paris Open, which attracted 17 of the top 20 players in the world. Becker downed Edberg 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 after stopping McEnroe in Saturday’s semifinals 7-6 (7-2), 4-6, 6-3.

Against a slightly off-form Edberg on Sunday, Becker raced through the final in two hours for his fifth tournament title of the year and 24th of his career.

Becker, the U.S. Open and Wimbledon champion this year, has a good claim on the No. 1 ranking for the year although he still trails Ivan Lendl in the computer rankings.

Because he had won two Wimbledons and advanced to the No. 2 ranking in the world by the time he was 18, Becker was expected to move into the top spot three years ago, especially when his victory at the 1986 Paris Open capped a three-week, three-tournament, three-continent victory march.

“I was playing great tennis in 1985 and 1986, but I didn’t go through any difficult moments,” Becker said. “In order to be the best, you have to go through those moments. That’s what I did in ’87 and the beginning of ’88.”

Becker’s troubles started in the beginning of 1987 when he broke with former coach Gunther Bosch at the Australian Open--where he lost to Wally Masur in the fourth round.

Becker righted himself a bit in 1988, making the Wimbledon final but losing to Edberg. Foot injuries plagued him all year long.

“All that helped me this year. That is the reason I am playing so well,” Becker said.

Becker’s fortunes turned in last year’s Masters when he beat Lendl in five sets, winning the deciding point on a let cord in the tiebreaker.

Since then, he won Wimbledon for the third time, beating Edberg, and took the U.S. Open by beating Lendl in the final.