TENNIS ROUNDUP : Becker May Sit Out ATP With Injury

Boris Becker tore a muscle in his left thigh and may miss the ATP World Championship next week, German Davis Cup Coach Nikki Pilic said today.

If he is forced to pull out of the tournament, Becker will miss his last opportunity this season to take the No. 1 ranking from Stefan Edberg.

The ATP World Championship is a $2-million event featuring the top eight players in the world. The tournament starts next Tuesday at Frankfurt, Germany.

Becker was forced to retire during Sunday’s final against Edberg at the Paris Open with intense pain in his left thigh.

He was examined Tuesday by Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfarth in Munich. Pilic said the injury was diagnosed as a torn muscle.

Becker will undergo a fitness test on Friday and will then make a decision if he can play in Frankfurt, Pilic said.

“Becker is feeling better from day to day,” Pilic said. “He has not been limping since Tuesday.”

Becker and John McEnroe are staying away, but seven of the top 10 tennis players have signed up for the inaugural $6-million Grand Slam Cup.

The 16-man field is led by Stefan Edberg, the top-ranked player in the world, chief organizer Axel Mayer-Woelden said today.

No. 3 Ivan Lendl also has signed up for the tournament, which has drawn criticism because of its record prize money. The tournament, which will give $2 million to the winner, is scheduled for Dec. 11-16 at Munich.

The losing finalist will get $1 million and semifinalists are guaranteed $450,000 each.

Mayer-Woelden said Becker and McEnroe have turned down invitations.

Becker has described the Grand Slam Cup purse as “perverse,” and said long ago that he would not play.

But McEnroe, who also has criticized the event, said two weeks ago that he was considering taking part in the Munich tournament. He said at the time that he would donate his earnings to charity.