After Boris Becker was released from prison, Tommy Haas can imagine a role for him in German tennis.
“Depends on what task he sees for himself,” said the former world number two of the German Press Agency on the sidelines of the master tournament in Indian Wells. The ex-professional is tournament director there. “I’m looking forward to seeing him again and chatting with him and hearing how it went and what’s new and how he would like to get involved in German tennis.”
Haas: “He’s an absolute tennis idol, mine too”
Haas emphasized how important he thinks it is for players to have permanent contacts. “I know that he has done something for the DTB here and there, but I don’t know if it always makes sense when you have someone who is here and there for a week,” he explained 44-year-old: “Of course that can also help, because everyone still listens when Boris talks about tennis. He is an absolute tennis idol, mine too, who has achieved so much. But you need top former players and coaches who are there all the time.”
Becker had already worked as Head of Men’s Tennis at DTB from 2017 to 2020. At the end of April 2022, he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in Great Britain because he had concealed assets worth millions from his insolvency administrators Released from prison and returned to Germany.
According to Haas, a personality like Becker would also have situational value. “You need this support for players who then know: They are always there, I rely on them. And then you can bring in a Boris or a (Patrik) Kühnen or a Michael Stich or even myself from time to time, they then come in and try to motivate the players well, but I don’t know how DTB does it strategically, I’m too far away for that.” Haas lives in the United States.
