"I never had to play her again, Steffi Graf had enough" - When Boris Becker reminisced about his 6-1, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 childhood win over fellow German

Boris Becker once reflected on competing against compatriot Steffi Graf in a four-set match during their childhood. Becker disclosed that he had crushed his fellow German, leading Graf to refuse to face him again.

Becker rose to stardom after clinching his maiden Grand Slam title at the 1985 Wimbledon Championships at just 17 years of age, becoming the youngest men's champion at the grasscourt Major in history. By the age of 22, the German had added two more Wimbledon titles and a US Open title to his tally.

However, there was a time when Boris Becker lagged behind his peers. When he was training in Germany between the ages of nine and 12, his coach had a rule that required the worst-performing boy to practice with the girls if he didn't show signs of improvement. Becker frequently found himself in that position, often practicing alongside female players, including Steffi Graf.

In a 1990 interview with Sports Illustrated, Becker reminisced about claiming a dominant 6-1, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 win over Graf, humorously disclosing that she never played him again after that resounding loss.

"One day, I remember it was a Saturday afternoon, I beat Steffi four sets, all ones. You know, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1. Whew. I never had to play her again. Steffi had enough," Becker said.

In their professional careers, Boris Becker and Steffi Graf found themselves on the same side of the net, teaming up for mixed doubles at the 1992 Hopman Cup. Although the formidable duo led Germany to the semifinals of the event, they fell short against the Czech duo of Helena Sukova and Karel Novacek, losing 6-4, 6-4.

During a Q&A session on social media in 2023, Becker reflected on their blockbuster doubles partnership, praising Graf for her "amazing" performance while admitting that he "sucked" in comparison.

"Indeed! We have played mixed at the old Hopman Cup in Australian looooong time ago. Steffi was amazing and I sucked!" Becker posted on Instagram.

"My penalty was always to play another hour with Steffi Graf" - Boris Becker on being punished for his outbursts

Boris Becker and Steffi Graf (Source: Getty)

Boris Becker often ended up practicing with Steffi Graf for an extra hour in their youth as a consequence of his angry outbursts on court. In his 2023 documentary 'Boom! Boom! The World vs Boris Becker,' the six-time Grand Slam champion disclosed that despite idolizing Bjorn Borg, he struggled to emulate the Swede's calm demeanor.

Becker also marveled at the fact that both he and Graf, the two best tennis players Germany had ever produced, grew up just 10 miles apart.

"We were just in awe of him winning. We would play our junior tournaments imagining we were Bjorn Borg. I wasn’t well-behaved on the court back then. I would get angry and then, you know, break my rackets," Becker said.

"So my penalty was always, after my three hours of practice, to play another hour with Steffi Graf. You know the two best tennis players Germany ever produced came literally from ten miles apart," he added.

Boris Becker and Steffi Graf's childhood connection has endured throughout their tennis careers and into retirement. In the lead-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics, Becker took the opportunity to celebrate his compatriot's "greatness," paying tribute to Graf's historic calendar year Golden Slam achievement.