LONDON Dec 11 (Reuter): Boris < Becker bounced back into the big lime in 1996. ending the year as
he had begun it. with a victory speech and a fat cheque.
The 29-year-old veteran of 13 professional tennis summers won his first Grand Slam tournament for five years at the Australian Open in January and earned himself a cool 1 875 million dollars with victory in the Grand Slam Cup in December.
It wasn't all roses in between however, a pulled muscle kept the powerful German out of the French Open and an agonising wrist injury forced him to abandon Wimbledon midmatch Just as he was getting into his booming stride through a favourable draw.
But after several weeks out of action the three-times Wimbledon champion picked up where he left off and went on to overwhelm the big-serving Croat Goran Ivanisevic at the lucrative end-of-year Grand Slam Cup last weekend.
"He was Just too good I didn't know what to do.'' Ivanisevic said. "He is playing his best tennis ever."
Becker will be back in Melbourne next month to defend his title and he would dearly love to add to his Wimbledon haul 12 years after he became the youngest player to take the crown at the age of 17.
Wimbledon 1996 proved up-
setting for a multitude of top players besides Becker. Dutchman Richard Krajicek became the only unseeded player apart from the German in 1985 ever to win the tournament
On his wav to victory over the unheralded American Malivai Washington, he put out a Jaded Pete Sampras seeking his fourth title in a row. and 1991 champion Michael Stlch.
Former winners Andre Agassi and Stefan Edberg, as well as seeds Michael Chang. Jim Courier and French Open
champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov, were all casualties in the first of two very soggy weeks in southwest London
And Monica Seles, who had made a dream start to the year with victory in the Australian Open, slumped in the second round of the women’s draw
The Wimbledon public, swept along on a wave of patriotic fervour as the England
football team reached the semi finals ol the European soccer championship, were cheered by the spectacle of a British man reaching the Wimbledon quar terfinals for the first tune in 25 years Tim Henman eventually succumbed la lofty American Todd Martin
There were mixed reviews for 50 something pop star Sir Cliff Richard who entertained the Centre Court crowds during a lengthy rain break with an impromptu concert of his greatest hits — backed by a vocal group of female players includ Ing Martina Navratilova and Conchita Martinez
The US Open ran truer to form — sultry heat, tropical storms and a win for world number one Sampras
Sampras hung on to his ranking through a troubled year during which his coach Tim Qullikson died of a brain tumour. The Illness and loss affected him deeply and he was blasted out of the Australian Open by local boy Mark Philippousis before battling against the clay to go down to Kafelnikov at the French
'People don’t remember who comes in second and now that I ve won a number of majors the more I want to ^vin them."
Sampras said after his US Open victory
It was the first time in 50 years that the men s and worn en s winners successfully defended their titles and Steffi Graf too overcame strife in her personal life to retain her crown.
Once again the 27-year-old German won every Grand Slam
site etitcreik. ni|s«iiig out only on the Australian after surgery oti her foot
All this went on while her father Peter languished in jail on charges of evading taxes on her income. He was freed on bail last month but the case rolls on.
"Tt has been a really long, long year. " she said after winning the season-ending Chase Championship
Graf needs only four Grand Slam titles to pass Margaret Courts record of 24 With Seles still failing to recapture the magic she displayed before her courtside knife attack in 1993. Graf could polish those off in ^Jo-one else comes close in terms of talent, athleticism and mental toughness. Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario has the grit but not the array of strokes and finished the year twice the bridesmaid — at the French Open and Wimbledon.
The final proved a sad end to distinguished career for Edberg. 31 next month, who twisted his ankle during the first match, lost the rubber and could only watch from the sidelines as his team went down 3-2 to France.
But the tie produced some of the most exciting tennis ol the year with both reverse singles going to five nail-biting sets for the first time in cup's 96-year history.
Becker. 22 months younger than his great rival, has no intention ofgiving up just yet.
"I still believe I nave a couple of big ones left In me." he said. As long as I'm not embarrassing myself in shots, then I'm going to keep on."