Boris Becker has drawn a line behind Germany. The tennis legend has found new happiness in Italy and is teasing his old home country.
Munich – Boris Becker didn’t say anything good about Germany on the talk show “3 nach 9”. The tennis star, who has been living in Milan for three years, made it clear: life at home is no longer an option for him. “Working again and again, but privately no!” stated the 58-year-old categorically. His reasoning is a direct swipe at German cities and their infrastructure.
Becker particularly uses the punctuality of public transport to criticize Germany. “The Italian trains are on time,” he explained to moderator Giovanni di Lorenzo, alluding to Deutsche Bahn’s notorious delays. Some things simply work better in Italy than in German cities, said the three-time Wimbledon winner, who obviously appreciates the efficiency of his new home country.
Becker criticizes German people
In addition to the inadequate infrastructure, Becker is also bothered by the way people in Germany treat him. He would be spoken to again and again, not always politely. The former world number one particularly dislikes the “permanent first-name” approach, as he lacks the necessary distance at home. This constant attention and lack of privacy make Germany unattractive as a place to live.
However, Becker doesn’t take offense at the Germans’ behavior – after all, he was always present in the media. “People have almost no choice,” he admits, admitting that he has made his own mistakes and been too open about his privacy. Nevertheless, he draws the conclusions and remains faithful to his new life in Italy, where he can live “in peace and freedom” with his wife Lilian and their one-month-old daughter Zoë Vittoria.
In his new family happiness in Milan, Becker has already begun to pass on his passion for tennis to the next generation. With a mischievous grin, he reveals that he is already practicing tennis with Zoë Vittoria, who is only a month old – and his wife Lilian also receives training sessions from her prominent husband. “Since then, an hour has been relatively long for them,” jokes Becker about his strict training methods. (tb)
