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Vijay Amritraj gave me the nickname 'Boom Boom': Boris Becker

It was 1985 March. I had already been famous after having won Wimbledon. I had gone to take part in Luxemburg Open and my doubles partner was Vijay Amritraj. He was my first doubles partner.

By Sujata Sarkar

Kolkata, Dec 18: After 31 years of his sensational maiden Wimbledon victory at a tender age of 17, Boris Becker, the legendary German tennis player revealed who named him 'Boom Boom'.

During his hurricane Kolkata trip on Saturday (Dec 17), Becker revealed that the famous nickname 'Boom Boom' was given by legendary Indian tennis player Vijay Amritraj.

Vijay Amritraj gave me the nickname 'Boom Boom': Boris Becker

The 49-year-old Becker said, "It was 1985 March. I had already been famous after having won Wimbledon. I had gone to take part in Luxemburg Open and my doubles partner was Vijay Amritraj. He was my first doubles partner.

(Tennis ace Boris Becker will be present at Kolkata 25k marathon)

"And in the training after having watched my powerful service Vijay was surprised and said, "Oh! What a powerful serve you have. And the hum coming out of your service which sounds like 'Boom Boom'. From today, I will call you 'Boom Boom Becker'!" Since that day my nick name has been Boom Boom."

The winner of six Grand Slams did not forget to reveal that Vijay Amritraj, being little older than him, used to give him required suggestions on tennis several times.

Becker clarified, “Vijay was little older than me and being a youngster in the circuit I took several tips on the game from him."

Boris, who has come to Kolkata to flag-off 25 kilometres run, to be held on Sunday (Dec 18), received a huge welcome in Kolkata on Saturday as fans thronged him in a bid to take his autographs. Fans were also desperate to capture his pictures wherever he put steps, throughout the day in the city.

Aware of the fact that tennis lovers still get nostalgic about his maiden Wimbledon victory at the age of 17, Becker added, "Yes, winning Wimbledon at that age had changed my lifestyle. But don't think that I was completely a novice that time. Just before Wimbledon I won the Queen's Club Championship.

"My world ranking was 20. I was well known at the locker rooms. But during those days the exposure of internet, social networking websites were almost non-existent. So I could not realise what was happening around me in the world after I had won the prestigious championship."

OneIndia News

Story first published: Tuesday, August 8, 2017, 11:07 [IST]
Other articles published on Aug 8, 2017