Tiriac Wonders About Coach Boris Becker

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 5th March 2014

Tiriac Wonders About Coach Boris Becker

epa04051211 Boris Becker, the coach of Sebian tennis player Novak Djokovic watches the Davis Cup first round tie between Germany and Spain in Frankfurt Main, Germany, 01 February 2014. EPA/ARNE DEDERT |

Ion Tiriac, the Romanian tennis star turned billionaire with the trademark moustache, was the initial guiding force behind Boris Becker’s teenage onslaught onto the tennis world that saw the German become a Wimbledon champion at the age of 17. But nearly three decades on Tiriac is not sure his former prodigy has what it takes to become a top-flight coach with world no.2 Novak Djokovic.

So far Becker has coached Djokovic in two tournaments, the Australian Open and the Dubai Duty Free Championships. And on both occasions the 26 year-old Serb has ended up with disappointing exits against the Swiss pairing of eventual champions Stanislas Wawrinka and Roger Federer.

Tiriac, who owns the Madrid Masters 1000 Series event and still keeps very close touch with tennis matters although his business interests are now diverse, has restored a closer relationship again with Becker after the pair went their separate ways for many years. Yet speaking to the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag, he said: “I don’t know if Boris is a good coach. I don’t even know if he is a coach. Maybe he is learning how to be a coach.”

Throughout the early years of Becker’s playing career, Tiriac made it his business to appoint top flight coaches to educate the young German with Guenther Bosch and Bob Brett filling the role. Now Tiriac questions what Becker is attempting to achieve with Djokovic.

“If Becker’s job is to improve Djokovic’s technique and shot making, then he is the wrong man to undertake such job,” said Tiriac who also managed players such as Guillermo Vilas, Henri Leconte, Goran Ivanisevic and Marat Safin. “There is nothing you can teach more in that area to someone who is a champion and a top world player like Novak.

“A coach should be someone who knows players more than they know themselves, who guides them and their thoughts, who gives the right amount of help, enough to make him indispensable. Look at what Lendl has been doing with Andy Murray. That’s serious work. Ivan has managed to work on Andy’s psychological side extremely well.”

During his time in Dubai it was clear that Djokovic was becoming a little bored with constantly being questioned on what Becker might add to his game. “We’re not significantly changing anything,” said Djokovic.

“The biggest thing he can contribute is the mental approach. That’s one of the reasons Boris is here, because of the big matches and the Grand Slams. I felt I dropped two or three titles in the last two years I could have won.”

As second seed, Djokovic has been handed a bye in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells and then will face either Romanian Victor Hanescu or a qualifier. He is a two times champion of the event played in California’s Coachella Desert, winning in 2008 and 2011.

Topics: 10sballs, Andy Murray, Australian Open, BNP Paribas Open, Boris Becker, Dubai, Goran Ivanisevic, Indian Wells, Ion Tiriac, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Sports, Stanislas Wawrinka, Tennis