European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 16, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Friday november 16, 1990 the stars and stripes a a Page 25 commentary Becker Lowers Boom in title ques Bucky Fox Boris Becker is the Boss without the Diamond a ring the sheriff without the Silver Star. I he a like Ali during the Frazier reign Reagan in a the Carter years the a a during these red Days. You knew they were no. 1. They just did no to have the title. Just so with Boris Becker. He son top of the Tennis world. He should be no 1. But he a not. Not officially. Stefan Edberg is. The swede beat Becker in the Wimbledon final in july and that a the difference. Edberg rocketed to no. 1 a month later. Becker is stuck at no. 2. Such is the frustration for Becker and his fellow germans at the at tour world championship this week in Frankfurt. His fans filled the fes Thalie wednesday night and stomped for their Boom Boom. Becker thanked them by overcoming Andres Gomez 4-6,6-3,6-3. But Edberg spoiled the party. He stepped on the Blue court and discoloured the Green machine Andre Gassi in a 7-6 7-44-6,7-6 7-5 thriller. This race for no. 1 is a numbers game. Edberg has 3,674 Points in the association of Tennis professionals computer. Becker has 3,449. I Edberg could Clinch the 1990 Crown in this year ending round Robin tournament with a Victory Over Pete Sampras Friday. Failing that Edberg would still be Safe by reaching sundays final. Boris Becker keeps Tennis top spot within reach by beating Andres Gomez 4-6,6-3,6-3 wednesday night. Edberg Felt Safe in wednesdays Post match press conference which ran past Midnight. He had out clutched Agassi. He Haa volleyed with precision. So he said a the Way i played today in a definitely up in More ways than one. Edberg stands 6-foot-2. Tat helps him handle the net easier than Agassi who Joes 5-11. Edberg is also great looking still Young at .4 and Speaks English with a dignified British accent and a touch of humor. Asked about Agassi a chances of winning Wimbledon the two time Champion said first of All he a got to go there and the press laughed. Agassi have. He keeps shunning Wimbledon with a frivolous Grin but this fourth ranked player wants respect. That was Clear at us press conference when he was asked whether he a using this weeks tourney to show he a in the class of Rydberg Becker. A i done to care what category people put me in a a Issi started. After a moments thought he said a but maybe it is a big thing to me. No question the next i play Stefan i would go to the Casino and id put Joney on myself. Then again i Haven to won a grand Loris a a a an t cons or me a Champion like Stefan or the champions. Becker can to compete with de ergs looks. After that its a German landslide. Ecker is bigger at 6-3. He a younger at 22. He has lore Wimbledon titles with three. He has a 17-10 watch advantage Over Edberg. Becker even Humours the press More. Becker on whether the German crowd helps him a Only if i play Becker on if he would drive Down to his Home town of Leiden a visit my parents i Hope i done to have time this Becker is one Gutsy Guy just to be in this Mega event. The at tour world championship or at finals whatever you want to Call it used to be the masters. It moved from new York to Frankfurt this year. Becker is the biggest reason for Germany a Tennis Boom. You could say he a the reason Germany Drew the masters across the Atlantic. Its simply Germany a biggest Tennis tourney. That a a Load on Becker. Just when he was turning his focus toward his grand German moment he Tore a muscle in his left thigh in the Paris open two weeks ago. It was bad enough the injury came in the final against Edberg blowing Beckers Chance to assume the no. 1 throne. Worse it kept Becker sidelined 10 Days and threatened to keep him out of the fes Thalie. But this is Boris Becker. The Willis Reed of Tennis. Reed also Tore a thigh muscle at Peak time of his career with the new York kicks. The injury came in game 5 of the 1970 Aba finals. It kept him out of game 6. Come game 7, Reed limped onto the Madison Square Garden court to a thunderous ovation. The Burly Center buried two jumpers and the kicks crushed the lakers 113-99 for their first championship. Twenty years later Becker is shaking off his pain. He noted he was a slower than usual in his first set loss to Gomez but a at the end near perfect with his serve. See Becker Bend. See Becker toss it High. See Becker Boom. Its a classical serve. And one of the Best. Richey Reneberg a rising player from Houston ranked 23rd, had the misfortune to face that Becker blast four times in october. Becker won All four matches. Before the fourth showdown in Paris Reneberg Lendl Becker win Frankfurt Germany a amps a Ivan Lendl led off the third Day of the at tour world championship by beating Andres Gomez 6-4, 6-1 thursday. The Victory gave Lendl a 2-0 record to Lead his group in this $2 million round Robin tournament. Gomez 0-2 lost his shot at the title. Boris Becker upped his record to 2-0 and clinched a semifinal berth by beating Thomas Muster 7-5, 6-4, in thursdays second match. The late match had Andre Agassi with a 1-1 record and a shot at clinching a semifinal spot playing Emilio Sanchez 0-2. The round Robin phase was to continue Friday. The 5 . Match has Becker is. Lendl followed by Stefan Edberg is. Pete Sampras and the Gomez Muster match. The top two players from the two groups Advance to the semifinals at 7 . Saturday. The final starts at 7 . Sunday. Tickets for the fes Thalie event run from 35 Marks to 200 Marks Friday. The saturday sunday prices go from 35 Marks to 240 Marks. The Box office number is 069-75751288. Considered the meanest serves in Tennis. He likened the serves of Sampras and Goran Ivanisevic to a bullets. You barely see As for Beckers serve Reneberg called it a heavy. He hits it so heavy like a Hammer. That a Boris Becker. He keeps pounding. One Day he will Nail Down no. 1. Then he will finally be King with a Crown. The stare and Stripe Sabatini squeezes past Novotna in slims meet by Pat Calabria Row a new Day Fri slyer a. A a 11131 was worst of 2 sat nil a the Virginia slims a Pion ships wednesday night. Be Best too As it turned out. Did no twin her first round Mph Lana Novotna As much As she Simuni f did no to Triumph As much As simply endured. ,�?� Sabatini said. A i kept g for it. That Sall i could Onri pay Turvy match that mirrored Saipan he a Jerk the . Open Champi dated a match Point in the Sec. Triple match Point in the is the third set saved a fourth a kit a 12th game and finally 7.fi la a tense tiebreaker for a 6-1, an to Xie tory that consumed 2 a 31 minutes. Not to mention a Range of emotions. A i Hung in there a Sabatini said a and i had some she was cruising up 6-1, 3-0 when the wheels began to come off and Novotna gamely drove Back. Sabatini served for the match at 5-2, and lost the game. She served for the match at 5-4 a even held a match Point a and lost the game. She seemed unnerved by Novotnak a determination and Sharp volleying. And once Novotna got going she kept rolling. A i got off to a terrible Start a Novotna said. A i Felt like i did no to even belong there. Then suddenly i was Back in the match and i took the crowd of 12,596 at Madison Square Garden went along for the ride hooting and hollering and stamping its feet. In the seventh game of the third set Novotna saved two break Points to go up 4-3. Two games later she saved two More break Points to go up 5-4. And then came the game that probably meant the match. With Sabatini serving Novotna nailed an overhead smacked a forehand Winner and slipped a backhand Volley beyond sabatinis a reach. It was 0-40 a triple match Point. A i just decided to go for my shots a Sabatini said. A i had nothing to lose she won the next five Points to save the game for 5-5, and the match. Novotna let her head slump to her Chest. A i tightened up a Novotna said. A i Felt i had to do it right there. I should have Given her the Chance to Novotna still had two More chances. She held serve for 6-5 and held a break Point a her fourth match Point a in the 12th game. But Sabatini smashed a hard serve and Novotna backhanded it perhaps an Inch beyond the White Stripe of the Baseline just Long for Deuce. Four Points later Sabatini won the game. A Luck a Sabatini said. And then Sabatini won four straight Points in the tiebreaker for a 6-2 Lead netted a forehand and a on her third match Point of the evening a slapped a backhand Volley that Novotna had to Chase Down. She reached the Ball but patted a running forehand into the net. It was Over. A it was a hard match a Sabatini said. Then she said she was going to bed. Monica Seles after a harrowing Day getting lost in Bloomingdale a had no problem negotiating a 6-2, 6-2 first round win Over Barbara Paulus. Earlier Mary Joe Fernandez Defeated Nathalie Tauz iat 6-1,7-6 7-3
