Becker Is Nearly Retired in His Return

Perhaps it was an unspoken message: Boris Becker was banished to Court 2 for the start of his second, and probably final, Wimbledon retirement.

Were the lords of the All England Club, in sending the three-time champion to the court nicknamed “the graveyard of champions,” expressing displeasure at his return?

“Maybe they were teasing me a little bit with that, yes,” Becker said.

It was a risky move, coming back after supposedly having retired from Wimbledon. That was in 1997, after a loss to Pete Sampras in the quarterfinals, and it produced a touching moment at the net.

Tuesday, Becker nearly was lumped into the group of aging boxers who keep coming out of retirement and losing. Three times he faced match point but three times he survived, eventually defeating British wild-card entrant Miles Maclagan in the first round, 5-7, 6-7 (9-7), 6-4, 7-5, 6-2.

The appreciative crowd, chanting, “Boris! Boris! Boris!” treated Becker, not his opponent, as the native son. He was overwhelmed by the reaction.

“I couldn’t believe the standing ovation I received when I got out on the court,” he said. “I was sitting down, tying my shoe, and when they started to clap, I couldn’t put my shoes on anymore because I was so nervous. It was an incredible feeling and I appreciate it very much.”

His pregnant wife, Barbara, nervous under the best of conditions, grew more so as the match went on and Becker noticed her discomfort.

“Actually, she was getting very excited toward the end of the fourth set and I turned to her and told her to be quiet, to calm down a little, because we [could] have a baby on the court,” he said.

“She’s not many weeks away from it, and the more excited she gets, the earlier my second [child] is coming. So I was trying to make her more relaxed.”

Becker was asked when the baby is expected.

“Middle of August. But another five-setter and I don’t know,” he said, joking.

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Jennifer Capriati showed that her fourth-round performance at the French Open was no fluke. Her first-round match against Anke Huber of Germany was halted Monday because of darkness, and they resumed tied, 5-5, in the third set.

Capriati prevailed after a tense final six games, winning, 5-7, 6-3, 9-7. Huber, the much-discussed girlfriend of French Open finalist Andrei Medvedev, double-faulted on match point.

“It is a very tough first round,” Capriati said. “We were both playing well and we were so into the moment, giving it all and playing well. I don’t think either one of us deserved to walk away a loser of that match.”

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French Open champion Andre Agassi had little trouble in his first-round match against Andrei Pavel of Romania, winning, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3. He shot down the notion that he has accomplished his goals.

“I think I could accomplish a lot more,” he said. “I don’t know what it’s like to be a two-time champion anywhere now, so I’d like to win more, finish the year No. 1. That’s something I haven’t done.”