I thought more than once that it wouldn’t be so bad if died. And sometimes I think that I’ve already lived through too much, too soon.  In any case, afraid not afraid of death.”

That’s Boris Becker talking. A teenage idol and one of the greatest living German heroes. He lived a school boy dream of winning the hallowed Wimbledon, at the age Of 17, mm 1985, Since then, he has earned enough to own past about everything that Money Can buy, yet this celebrated tennis star is talking about death, that  too, at 22, why?

When Becker airs his views on what it is like for him, he is making a statement that the world of tennis is not just what is appears from outside glamorous, exciting, thrilling and filled with rich and beautiful things.

Perhaps, no other sport has been so glamorized in the last two decades as tennis. The constant media attention and the adulation that follows the top notches, has made pro tennis a serious business. One must indeed be very careful not to believe that the tennis world life between hotel and court is the real world.

Unlike the players of the 50s, 60s, or even the 70s, the millionaire stars of today are not enjoying, or having fun out of tennis. Reason? Well, the pressure of professional tennis is clearly taking its toll on them. The cold, unfriendly and at times brutal climate makes them rather insensitive. They have difficulties being real human beings.

“| wander in my flat and see no point in going on. It is a nightmare. You think a thousand times, Man what are you really doing.” That’s Becker again, filled with fear and paranoia, finding it difficult to meet the increasing demands on his time, emotions and energies.

Pro tennis today is a vast and confusing jungle. It is a travelling year-round show where some performers make an excellent livelihood and have opportunities to become millionaires overnight. They toil hard and are even willing to be uncomfortable at times, yet they end up being not satisfied with what they achieve. Perhaps, an unending desire to achieve more, stay better and be different keeps them going.

When the going is not to one’s liking, a feeling of resignation sets in, To get what one wants is everyone’s dream, However, having achieved what you always wanted to and realizing that it is not what it appeared to be, the feeling one is left with is nothing short of frustration.

The ever growing demand on the pro circuit has taken its toll on many youngsters. Tracy Austin, the youngest American ever to win the U.S. Open failed to cope with the stress, coupled with injuries, in the big league and quit while she was still in her teens. Champions like Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe decided to stay off tennis in their mid-20s – only to comeback without being the same old self. They realized that life means more than just tennis.

For someone like Becker, who has entered the adenine world of pro tennis, six years .In the circuit have been hard years. ‘Dog years” as he himself puts it. He looks back at 22 years as if he is already 50. He may not be older in reality but has seen, done and achieved things for which one needs eternity, that’s the kind of capsuled life he has lived so far.

The pressures from mangers, promoters, sponsors and agents is ever increasing. In this icy cold and heartless set-up, TV and big money run the schedule no matter how inconvenient the players are made to feel. For instance, at the US Open, women’s final is sandwiched between two men’s semi-finals. On a Saturday. That means, the winner of the second semi-finals, in all probability, cannot hit the bed before 2am on Sunday, leaving him only a low hours before the final, And  all this , to send prime time viewing.

The inconvenient playing timing, besides the demanding ATP tour, is the reasons for players suffer me frequent injuries. To stay on top, one has to play almost every week. For a player like Stefan Edberg, 18 to 19 tournaments are absolutely must if he wishes to cling on to the number one slot. That is what seems unreasonable.

Here. too, it is the survival-of-the-fittest. Today’s pro has to maintain a strict regimen day in and day out, for weeks, months and years, if he wants to stay-on top.

At times, media can play havoc with one’s career. Who would know that better than the current world number two Steffi Graf. Last year, the West German tabloid Bild, the nation’s largest circulated newspaper which boasts of 5.3 million subscribers, reported that Steffi’s 52-yr-old father, Peter had fathered the child of 21-yr-old nude model Nicole Meissner. From here began the decline of Graf.

Media grilled Steffi during press conferences in Berlin and she vehemently denied any such involvement on the part of her father, who was conspicuously absent. She lost the finals in straight sets to Monica Seles, who had never beaten her before and a frustrated Steffi smashed a hole in the locker room.

“In Paris and Berlin, | indeed did not just lose to Seles. | was defeated by an opponent who was not even on the court Yes, I also lost the two finals against the German Press”, said Steffi in an interview.

In the midst of all tension and controversy there are players, who have unique personalities and attitudes. One among them is lvan Lendl. Having been in the circuit for nearly 14 years, this hard boiled Czech has this to say. “I just enjoy what lam doing. I enjoy the exercise, the routine, the competition.” At 32, it means something.

Another pro who goes pretty much on the same lines is Jimmy Connors. The veteran, coming back to big time tennis after along lay off, was given a standing ovation at the Roland Garros last month when he pulled out of the third round match against fellow American Michael Chang after a 210minute dual that stood at two sets all.

| know how demanding modern tennis is I enjoy my game and get all the more keyed up when I see these youngsters trying to beat me. I have been a fighter all my life. 1 won’t lose. These kids will have to work hard to beat me”, that’s the spirit of Connors at 38.

So on one hand, you have Becker, who feels quite resigned even after getting so much, so early in life. On the other hand is Connors, with a lot of fire still left in him, not willing to give up.

That’s pro-tennis for you. Cold and heartless yet challenging and engaging to the core.

Article extracted from this publication >> July 5, 1991