Im 55 years old and Im very proud of the things that Ive done.
But Ive made mistakes, Becker told the assembled media at theBerlin Film Festivalon Sunday.
Ive paid a heavy price for some of the things I did in my past.
Boris Becker in action in Indian Wells, Calif., Feb. 18, 1987Photo by Andy Hayt /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
Today Im a bit better for it.
Hopefully a bit smarter.
Maybe a bit more humble.
Boris Becker celebrates winning the Wimbledon Men’s Singles Championship in 1985Photo by S&G/PA Images via Getty Images
The World vs. Boris Becker, directed by Oscar winnerAlex Gibney, will debut onApple TV+later in the year.
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He would dive, he would jump [for the ball].
He was impressive and he burst on the scene so young.
As an unseeded player, he took down a heavily favored Kevin Curren in that 85 Wimbledon final.
Then, at 18, Becker defended his title, defeating the Terminator-like Ivan Lendl in straight sets.
He arrived on the tennis scene with the charisma to match his power game.
Says Gibney, Hes a big, larger-than-life personality.
Tiriac arranged endorsement deals for Becker and recommended he live in the tax haven of Monaco.
It was a foreshadowing of more trouble to come.
For a tennis freak, Gibney says of himself, that was pretty good.
Hes a great tennis player, but hes also a good storyteller, the director notes.
So thats what got me in.
He said in the press conference that the mental discipline of his tennis served him well later on.
But thats not also a very good life lesson dont put yourself in the hole.
Its not like golf, for instance, where you really play against yourself.
Thats definitely one of the things we wanted to rip apart in this series, Gibney acknowledges.
And the coughing match.
Mac accused Becker of having suffered from the same cold for four years.
Episode 1, which mostly focuses on Beckers triumphs, screened at the Berlinale.
One of the interviews Gibney did with Becker took place two days before his sentencing.
