Boris Becker reveals a strange episode: He once tried to guide Roger Federer to the German Tennis Association.
The most important thing in brief
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Becker reveals that he once wanted to win Federer over to the German Tennis Association.
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Federer remained loyal to Basel and Switzerland – despite its geographical proximity to Germany.
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The Basel native led Switzerland to its first Davis Cup triumph in history in 2014.
Boris Becker told an anecdote on a Spanish TV show that surprised even die-hard tennis fans: He once tried to get Roger Federer to join the German Tennis Association.
In “La Revuelta”, the three-time Wimbledon winner remembered early encounters with the exceptional talent from Basel. And an unusual mission. “He comes from Basel on the German border, so we wanted him to play for Germany,” explained Becker.
He has known Federer “very well since he was a little boy”. There were actually discussions back then, said Becker.
But the later 20-time Grand Slam champion was already firmly rooted in his homeland: “He was very connected to Switzerland and Basel. But we hoped – I tried.”
Roger Federer remained loyal to his homeland
Federer was born in Basel in 1981. It was precisely the geographical proximity to Germany that gave Becker the idea of recruiting the teenager for the German Tennis Association.
But Federer stayed true to his origins – and wrote Swiss sports history. In 2014, he led Switzerland to the nation’s first Davis Cup title, and he won his 103rd and final career title at the home tournament in Basel in 2019.
Germany, on the other hand, last won the Davis Cup in 1993, with Michael Stich, Patrik Kühnen and Marc-Kevin Göllner.
