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German tennis legend Boris Becker appeared displeased about being excluded from the list of youngest ATP finalists and champions. His reaction followed Brazilian youngster João Fonseca's inclusion after his Argentina Open triumph.
The 18-year-old delivered a commanding performance to defeat fifth seed and home favorite Francisco Cerúndolo 6-4, 7-6(1), securing his first tour-level title. With this victory, he became the youngest South American to win an ATP Tour title in the Open Era (since 1990). Fonseca also overpowered Cerúndolo, hitting 26 winners—17 from his forehand—compared to the Argentine's 16.
After Fonseca's semifinal victory, Tennis TV shared a post on X listing the youngest ATP finalists since 2000, with the Brazilian ranked 10th and 22-time Major champion Rafael Nadal ranked number 1. Check it out below.
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However, six-time Major champion Boris Becker remained unconvinced by the stats. For those unaware, the German tennis legend was among the youngest players to reach and win an ATP final. He was 17 years and 207 days old when he claimed the Queen's Club Championship in 1985.
Just weeks later, he triumphed at Wimbledon at 17 years and 227 days, becoming the youngest male Grand Slam singles champion at the time. Becker took to X and posted a series of tweets:
"Really ?!?" Becker questioned.
A fan later pointed out that the list only included stats from 2000 onward, prompting a response from Becker.
"So before the year 2000 we didn’t play tennis 🎾?" He added.
Fonseca’s triumph in Buenos Aires also placed him on an elite list of the youngest champions in the ATP Tour era since 1990. However, the 57-year-old German icon once again appeared displeased with the stats, as he was omitted.
"Did you forget about me?... BB," he wrote.
"I was lucky that Instagram didn't exist when I was playing": Boris Becker
In a recent interview with BILD, Boris Becker reflected on how social media would have magnified the attention he received during his career, likening it to the fame of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The German expressed relief that his playing days predated the social media era.
"I was lucky that Instagram didn't exist when I was playing. The hype today would certainly be comparable to that of a Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. You don't have a private life at all. Many things in my life were great highlights, some of which I would certainly not do today. I try to stay calm and find solutions to all problems. That's what I did when playing tennis," Becker said.
Boris Becker also joined the cast of Netflix's survival show, hosted by renowned adventurer Bear Grylls. The show named Celebrity Bear Hunt, will challenge celebrities in the wild jungles of Costa Rica, premiering on February 5.
