TENNIS AUSTRALIAN OPEN : Becker Calls McEnroe Penalty Too Harsh

Boris Becker is defending John McEnroe, saying the misconduct rules are wrong and warning tennis officials against trying to turn players into robots.

“Tennis has to be careful,” Becker said at the Australian Open while McEnroe was flying home to Malibu, Calif., after being disqualified from the tournament for smashing his racket and cursing.

“Not everybody is like a computer. Tennis is more than just hitting a few balls,” Becker said. “It is very good to have a John McEnroe, and I hope we have a couple of more.

“Sure, you can’t say what he said to the umpire, but there should be a different penalty than just taking him out of the match.”

Becker took some of the attention off of the McEnroe affair with a slick escape from two sets down Monday night, a trick reminiscent of his route to the U.S. Open title last fall.

Down a break in the third set to 1989 Australian finalist Miloslav Mecir of Czechoslovakia, Becker won, 4-6, 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 and reached the quarterfinals against three-time champion Mats Wilander.

“I was quite astonished I got out of it,” Becker said.

It was the third time in recent months that Becker has come back from two sets down. He did it against Derrick Rostagno in the second round of the U.S. Open, and against Andre Agassi in Davis Cup play.

“You have to tell yourself not to go down,” Becker said. “If I go down, the other guy has to beat me. So it’s first a struggle against yourself. That’s the first fight you have to win, and then your opponent.”

Becker won both fights, turning up the level of his game midway through the second set after one fan called out, “Hey, Boris, you want to be No. 1?” and another fan yelled, “Remember Davis Cup in America.”

Becker’s first serve was off in the opening set, when he seemed distracted by cawing crows on the rim of the stadium and frustrated by the deft passing shots of Mecir, who broke Becker three times.

Becker blew a 4-0 lead in the second-set tiebreaker, double-faulting to 4-4 and losing it on a lunging forehand he hit long.

But after Mecir broke him in the third set for a 3-1 lead, the match suddenly changed. Mecir weakened--missing a short drop shot, double-faulting and getting broken at love after two more errors.