"I never played tennis for money" - Boris Becker reveals how he was motivated by the 'fight' in honest conversation with Alexander Zverev

Boris Becker recently made an honest admission about his career while speaking to the Zverev brothers. The six-time Major winner admittedly never felt that money was a huge motivator for him, claiming that he played tennis as long as he did purely for its competitive aspect.

The German sat down for a candid chat on Alexander Zverev and his elder brother Mischa's new podcast 'A BIS Z' earlier this week. During the interaction, the former World No. 1 insisted that he loved playing tennis matches as they allowed him to push past his limits.

"For me, the competition was always the main focus. I love the competition. I love to play," Boris Becker told Alexander Zverev on the latter's podcast. "I love going into the match as well as the tennis 'fight'. And it was the same afterward."

Becker added that while he did earn a truckload of money due to the sport, he still cared more about "the competition, the game, and the desire to win" than his financial obligations.

"Yes, I earned a bit of money, but I never played tennis for the money. I wanted to win. And that was always at the forefront. And that probably saved me in the following years," he said. "For me, it was always about the competition, the game, and the desire to win, not about what you would do with the prize money or the contracts, that wasn't so important to me."

---

Boris Becker won six Major titles and spent 12 weeks as the World No. 1

Boris Becker won the final Major title of his career at the 1996 Australian Open

Boris Becker was one of the most successful tennis players to ply their trade in the sport in the 1980s. Having turned pro in 1984, he won Wimbledon the following year against all odds, becoming the first unseeded player to reign supreme at SW19 and the second-youngest male player ever to triumph at a Grand Slam tournament.

Becker defended his maiden Major title with aplomb in 1986 before enduring a Major title drought for three years. Fittingly, the German returned to the winners' circle at the All England Club in 1989, defeating arch-rival Stefan Edberg in straight sets in the final.

Renowned for his big serve, the 6'3" Becker would win three more Majors: 2x Australian Open (1991, 1996) and US Open (1989). The six-time Major winner also enjoyed two stints as the World No. 1 in 1991, amounting to twelve weeks. He hung up his racquet in 1999 and has since transitioned into the role of a tennis pundit.