Boris Becker slaps back at Nick Kyrgios over his recent comments

Nick Kyrgios has not played a tennis match in over a year, but that does not stop him from creating controversy.  Kyrgios recently sat down with The Athletic (subscription required) and shared his opinions on how the game has changed over the years. His analysis of the game is that it is much faster now, and he specifically called out Boris Becker as a player who would struggle to compete in today’s era of players.

Boris Becker, a six-time Grand Slam champion and an Olympic gold medalist, former coach of Novak Djokovic, and the current coach of Holger Rune, apparently had enough of Kyrgios’s opinions and called him out on social media.

Of course, Becker has never been one to hold back. And that is a good thing for tennis fans wanting entertainment.

What Boris Becker said

Boris Becker noted that Kyrgios is doing a lot of talking lately about tennis for someone who is not playing.  Kyrgios recently announced that he will not play in the 2024 Australian Open in January making it the second straight year he will miss his home slam.  Becker pointed out that Kyrgios has not won a Grand Slam singles title as a player or coach; his sole Grand Slam win is the 2022 Australian Open men’s doubles title with friend and countryman Thanasi Kokkinakis.

Becker then directed Nick to “speak to your @OnlyFans about many things but tennis.”  This statement is in reference to Kyrgios joining the subscription-based social media platform OnlyFans which frequently features adult content.

Seven minutes after firing off the first social media post, Becker walked back some of the harsh words in what appeared to be an apology.

Becker wrote:

"“I wish Nick a speedy full recovery and can’t wait to see him back on a tennis court! He is an exciting player when he is fit! He has got a Grand Slam in his bag but you have to do the talking on the court ….good luck!”"

It is worth noting that Kyrgios never said Becker was a bad player.  He was attempting to compare eras and players which is a fruitless task. Each generation of players faces different equipment, technology, and playing conditions unique to it.  Pitting one player of one era against another of a different era is unrealistic and produces no definitive conclusion.