Boris Becker Recalls Steffi Graf’s Crucial Support After His Shocking 1987 Wimbledon Exit

Boris Becker Recalls Steffi Graf’s Crucial Support After His Shocking 1987 Wimbledon Exit

Boris Becker and Steffi Graf are two of the greatest tennis players ever produced by Germany—and their intertwined journeys in the sport go beyond shared national pride and Grand Slam glory. In his 2004 autobiography *The Player*, Becker opened up about one of the most difficult moments in his career: his stunning second-round exit from the 1987 Wimbledon Championships. What stood out most to the former World No. 1, however, wasn’t just the heartbreak of the defeat—it was the quiet but deeply meaningful support he received from Steffi Graf in its aftermath.

The Upset That Shook Wimbledon

In 1987, Boris Becker entered Wimbledon as the top seed and two-time defending champion. At just 19 years old, he had already captured the imagination of the tennis world with his explosive serve, acrobatic volleys, and fierce competitive spirit. Many expected Becker to secure a third consecutive title on the grass courts of SW19.

But in one of the tournament’s biggest upsets, Becker fell to Australian Peter Doohan—then ranked World No. 70—in four sets: 6-7, 6-4, 2-6, 4-6. The loss stunned fans and players alike and sent shockwaves through the draw. Becker, the tournament favorite, was out before the weekend.

Steffi Graf: The Unexpected Consolation

While Becker’s opponents and colleagues expressed surprise, most offered little in the way of comfort. In a highly competitive sport like tennis, sympathy from rivals is rare—and Becker knew better than to expect it. However, one person stood out amid the silence: Steffi Graf.

“Only Steffi had consoling words for me. To this day she has no idea how much she helped me,” Becker wrote. At a moment when most players viewed his exit as an opportunity, Graf’s compassion left a lasting impression on him.

1. Graf, just 18 at the time, had watched portions of Becker’s match before stepping onto the court for her own second-round encounter against Laura Gildemeister. Confident in Becker’s dominance, she assumed the applause coming from the nearby court signaled his victory.

“Steffi, good soul, had watched parts of the first and second set before her match. She was sure I’d make it. She heard the noise that came from our court… and she was in no doubt: ‘They’re behind Boris. He’s winning,’” Becker recalled. “The victor, however, was Peter, not Boris.”

Graf’s misinterpretation only added to the surreal nature of the loss, but her reaction following the match helped Becker through the emotional aftermath—a gesture of quiet solidarity that stayed with him for decades.

A Shared Understanding of Pressure

In *The Player*, Becker expressed deep admiration for Graf’s mental strength and relentless determination. “I’ve always rated Steffi’s incredible willpower, her ability to overcome her own resistance and to face the challenge over and over again,” he wrote.

The two German champions shared more than nationality. They both came of age in the spotlight, dealing with immense pressure and expectations while carrying the hopes of a tennis-mad country. Becker noted that they didn’t need to verbalize their burdens—they understood them instinctively.

He described a “deep feeling of affection” for Graf, born not from romance, but mutual respect and shared experience. “We saw each other mostly at the Grand Slam tournaments where both women and men played, such as Wimbledon in 1987,” Becker wrote.

Interestingly, their connection went even further back. The two trained together as children and even faced off in a practice match—a memory Becker recounted with amusement. He jokingly claimed victory with a lopsided scoreline, after which Graf reportedly declined future challenges from him.

Parallel Paths at Wimbledon 1987

While Becker’s 1987 campaign ended prematurely, Graf had a breakthrough run at that year’s Championships. She reached her first Wimbledon final, showcasing her emerging dominance on the women’s tour. Though she ultimately lost to Martina Navratilova in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3, Graf’s performance marked the beginning of her reign as one of the game’s all-time greats.

A year later, she would return to Wimbledon to claim the title—part of her historic 1988 Golden Slam season, in which she won all four Grand Slam titles and Olympic gold in a single calendar year.

A Lasting Bond Between Legends

The story of Becker’s 1987 Wimbledon defeat is often told as one of the sport’s great upsets. But it also offers a glimpse into the human side of tennis—where even champions need support, and sometimes find it in the most unexpected places.

For Becker, it was not a fellow male rival, coach, or fan who helped him through one of the darkest moments of his career. It was Steffi Graf—his compatriot, fellow prodigy, and a player who understood the weight of the moment not with words, but with empathy.