Boris Becker

When I was a child, I had posters of James Dean in my room. I was a big admirer of his work and was fascinated by him living on the edge. Looking back, my life was kind of the same.

I love the winning, I can take the losing, but most of all I Love to play.

An autobiography is not about pictures; it’s about the stories; it’s about honesty and as much truth as you can tell without coming too close to other people’s privacy.

Before, I wouldn’t have sacrificed anything for tennis but when I met Barbara it was different. I would have sacrificed tennis for Barbara.

The fifth set is not about tennis, it’s about nerves.

The only thing I had on my mind was tennis, and sometimes girls,… My life was all about tennis. My office was the whole world. The word home didn’t really exist.

I play because I have fun, if I don’t have fun on the court, there is something wrong. I am just a 19 year old boy that likes to do what he likes, nothing else.

It should not be a child’s only goal to become the best player in the world. That would be a bad, a harmful attitude.

If I am not playing at one hundred percent, it is going to be very difficult for me to win.

I’m only superstitious on the tennis court.

I always wanted to be honest with myself and to those who have had faith in me.

I always had the theory that the most important thing is be happy, enjoy what are you doing, and be fresh mentally.

Every little kid that steps on the court or the field has aspirations to go pro. I think being a pro basketball player is the best job. The thing I had to realize was that I can’t do every dream that I have.

So this is it. Match point for eternity.

If the girls and boys have talent and feel like working on themselves, they can become champions.

I only ever run when there’s some point to it – say, if it’s in a game of tennis.

Is more for precaution. You don’t know tomorrow what’s happen, no? But now I am happy because I don’t feel too much pain. But I can finish the match, so that’s a good sign.

I drew my strength from fear. Fear of losing. I don’t remember the games I won, only the games I lost.

There are many moments during a match when you are tense, wrestling with yourself. Tennis is a lesson in self-control.

That’s the hard part about sport: as men we haven’t started to be in our prime, but as athletes we are old people. I needed support. I lost trust and did stupid things.

Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball, the rules and realities of the game – and do it by watching some high school or small-town teams.