Sania Mirza brings me good luck, says Boris Becker

12/18/2016

Tennis legend Boris Becker has revealed a good luck routine of having lunch together with Sania Mirza and her doubles partner before every major event. Becker also spoke about his split with Novak Djokovic saying that he is still good friends with the Serb and wished him a strong comeback in 2017.

Boris Becker on Saturday spoke about his close association with the Indian tennis players, saying that he and Sania Mirza have been good friends since a long time.

"I am good friends with all three. In fact the player I see the most is (Sania Mirza) because she is so good and No.1 in doubles so I see her in most tournaments on the final weekend,” he told IANS.

"We have this good luck routine and every time we are having lunch and she is with her doubles partner and I am with the team, she is winning the doubles tournament. So Sania insisted on all the important tournaments that we have lunch together because I bring her luck and she brings me luck," the 49-year old revealed.

"I am closest with her. And with all others I am good friends and we know each other for a very long time," he said.

Becker recently ended his three-year association as a coach with current World No. 2 Novak Djokovic and speaking about it, he said that at some point of time, every relationship has to come to an end.

"Any player-coach relationship doesn't last forever. We had three successful years and won many tournaments. It was time to go separate ways. I call him a very good friend and he can always call me when he needs me,” Becker said.

"We both decided there was a time we needed a break. Who knows what will happen in a year or two."

Despite having an unconvincing end to the year which saw Djokovic lose his World No.1 ranking to Andy Murray, Becker was sure that his former pupil will come back stronger next year.

"I think it was a novel evolution for Novak. He is not a machine, he is human. He has had his moments and sometimes when you have a long career you need to see the bigger picture. I'm sure he will come back next year and start winning again," the German said.

When asked about his biggest influence while taking up coaching, Becker said: "I was running the German junior team for five years after my retirement in (1999) so I had my first hand coaching experience coaching the young German team some of whom made the world top 10.

"Coaching is in a way difficult for a successful player because coaching is not about you but about the player you coach. And if you're a successful player your ego tends to come in between and it's a lot about yourself.

He continued: "The number one rule for coaching is it is not about you but the player you're coaching. I think it takes a little bit of maturity, bit of wisdom and a bit of years on your shoulders to understand it. I think I am a better coach now than I was 10 years ago."

Becker also spoke about the Olympics gold medal he won at the Barcelona games in 1992.

"An Olympic gold is much more memorable now that in 92 than when I was playing because I was between Wimbledon and the US Open. So sometimes you get a bit lost in transition. Becoming No.1 is the ultimate goal for any sportsman. But it doesn't happen overnight but over 12 months,” he added.

Sania Mirza brings me good luck, says Boris Becker

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