Becker says he won't coach Zverev and urges him to win over German fans

A refusal to coach, citing family

Boris Becker has ruled out coaching Alexander Zverev, the new world number one, and told Der Spiegel why. He described Zverev's circle as a family business: Zverev has been coached since childhood by his father Alexander, his brother Mischa is closely involved in his career, and everyone in the circle shares in advertising contracts and prize money. Becker said he could not accept a family member holding a different view, especially one voiced in a language he does not understand.

“I have to be the boss in the ring.”

Becker also pointed to the travel involved. The 58-year-old, who coached Novak Djokovic from 2013 to 2016, said he does not want to do that to his family. He could picture a mentoring role at individual Grand Slam tournaments, Masters events or training camps, and said requests had already come in, though he declined to name the players.

“The job of a tennis coach means an enormous amount of travel, almost every week. I do not want to do that to my family.”

Why German fans are holding back

Becker said fans backed Zverev's opponents in all three Grand Slam finals this year, and that this had 'reasons' and was 'not good'. The 29-year-old became the first German world number one since Becker in 1991, a gap Berliner Zeitung puts at 12,839 days. Zverev won the French Open and the US Open this year and reached the Vienna quarter-final after Jannik Sinner was ruled out through injury. Becker said Zverev is charming and funny in private, but that he often comes across as curt and clipped in German interviews, and more likeable in English ones.

Becker said that in a fifth set he wants the crowd cheering for him, and that a player needs fans behind him. He added that Zverev may need to let more of that in.

“With Sascha, you do not always get the impression that he wants that.”

Becker's explanations

Becker said Zverev's parents come from Russia and that he speaks Russian with his box on court. Zverev has not commented politically on the war in Ukraine, which Becker said he understood personally, adding that it 'does not go down well'. Becker also cited Zverev's gold chain as a lucky charm and his curt manner with German journalists. Asked about domestic violence allegations, Becker said the matter 'was resolved in court' and could have been explained better with PR measures. Background in one source: an ex-girlfriend accused Zverev of bodily harm, and a Berlin trial was halted in June 2024 without a verdict against a payment of 200,000 euros, after an out-of-court settlement between the two sides.

A rivalry with a history

Becker has been one of Zverev's sharpest critics. Berliner Zeitung reports that in 2025 he questioned Zverev's fighting spirit and Zverev hit back. In late October in Vienna, Zverev said there was only one person who constantly criticized him and whose opinion did not interest him, because that person's earlier predictions had been wrong. Punto de Break reported that Becker was the one meant. On X, Becker replied on 29 October to an ATP post naming Zverev world number one with 'Congratulations Sascha !!!', and on 31 October he commented 'Wow' under a statistic about Zverev's results.