Boris Becker credits McEnroe for teaching him gamesmanship

Former three time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker has credited the American hot head John McEnroe for teaching him a few things about gamesmanship early on in his career.

Becker said, “My teacher in gamesmanship was a man from New York called John McEnroe. My English at 17, 18 was pretty limited. When I played [McEnroe] the first time in America, he won the first serve. At the changeover, he came to my chair. He said some words and I didn’t understand all the words, but I knew it wasn’t nice.

“After our tough battle, in the locker room, I asked him what was the meaning of what he said and it apparently meant I’m going to beat the s— out of you.”