Boris Becker: "To be number 1, you have to be a little crazy!"
Boris Becker, a star player of the 80s and 90s, reflected on his professional career in an interview. He particularly highlighted one of his greatest achievements: reaching the world number 1 ranking.
After waiting 109 weeks on the second step of the podium, the German finally claimed the number 1 spot. Thanks to his victory in the final of the Australian Open in 1991 against his greatest rival, Ivan Lendl, he was overjoyed.
He expressed it perfectly: "You have to be a little crazy, a little selfish in the sense that your life is tennis," because, even though his career was marked by numerous titles (49 in total), Becker admitted that he had to make many sacrifices to reach that level: "It's hard to maintain that intensity for a long time."
Reaching the world number 1 ranking is an achievement that very few people attain—only 29 players have done so in their careers.
The man with 6 Grand Slam titles acknowledged: "Always reaching the finals or winning tournaments is ultimately what brings you to the number 1 spot."
