LONDON // Boris Becker said that Novak Djokovic first approached him to become his head coach the day that the Serbian lost the world No 1 ranking to Spain’s Rafael Nadal in October.
Djokovic’s announcement this week that the German six-time grand slam champion was set to become his coach was greeted with surprise, and Becker conceded it had been unexpected.
“I was approached by Novak and his manager while he was playing in Beijing,” Becker told BBC Sport on Friday. “He decided he needed somebody in his corner that had been there and done it.
“I was surprised – I didn’t expect the phone call. I was very honoured.”
Marian Vajda, who has been Djokovic’s coach for each of his six grand slam titles, will continue as part of the team, but Becker is set to assume primary responsibilities at the Australian Open, which starts on January 13.
It will be Becker’s first foray into coaching a top-level player, and he said he would put 100 per cent into it.
“This isn’t a half-hearted job. It wouldn’t be right for him or for me,” Becker said. “You’re in it to win it. You either go at it fully or you don’t. Either I commit myself or I don’t commit myself.”
Becker joins another former world No 1 and multiple grand slam winner, Ivan Lendl, in joining the coaching circle. The Czech-born American teamed up with Andy Murray at the start of 2012 and has since guided the British player to two major titles.
“When Ivan was appointed, I thought about what took some of these guys so long to talk about some of these all-time greats as being coaches,” Becker said.
“There was a generation that really changed tennis, and the way we played in the 1980s is not that different to how we’re playing today.”
sports@thenational.ae
Pakistan v New Zealand Test series
Pakistan: Sarfraz (c), Hafeez, Imam, Azhar, Sohail, Shafiq, Azam, Saad, Yasir, Asif, Abbas, Hassan, Afridi, Ashraf, Hamza
New Zealand: Williamson (c), Blundell, Boult, De Grandhomme, Henry, Latham, Nicholls, Ajaz, Raval, Sodhi, Somerville, Southee, Taylor, Wagner
Umpires: Bruce Oxerford (AUS) and Ian Gould (ENG); TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS); Match referee: David Boon (AUS)
Tickets and schedule: Entry is free for all spectators. Gates open at 9am. Play commences at 10am
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg
Roma 4
Milner (15' OG), Dzeko (52'), Nainggolan (86', 90 4')
Liverpool 2
Mane (9'), Wijnaldum (25')
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Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
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Founded: 2013
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Sector: IT
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Selling a stock today in the belief its price will fall in the future
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Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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5pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600 metres
Winner: Dasan Da, Saeed Al Mazrooei (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: AF Saabah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Mukaram, Pat Cosgrave, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 2,200m
Winner: MH Tawag, Richard Mullen, Elise Jeanne
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) | Dh70,000 | 1,400m
Winner: RB Inferno, Fabrice Veron, Ismail Mohammed
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh100,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Juthoor, Jim Crowley, Erwan Charpy
