Boris Becker's new documentary offers 'empathy without whitewashing' and 'real insight' into Novak Djokovic, says tennis journalist
Tennis journalist Jon Wertheim has lauded the authenticity of Boris Becker's upcoming documentary and was pleased with the added bonus of some revelations about Novak Djokovic. The Serb was coached by Becker between 2013 and 2016.
On March 7, Becker announced that his new documentary 'Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker' will be released on Apple TV+ on April 7.
"Game, Set and Action. I'm looking forward to the Apple TV+ Documentary 'Boom! Boom! The world vs. Boris Becker' launching on Friday 7th April," Becker shared.
Oscar-winning filmmakers John Battsek and Alex Gibney were granted exclusive access to Boris Becker for a three-year period to create the documentary.
The documentary explores the highs and lows of Becker's celebrated on-court career, as well as his tumultuous personal life. This includes his entanglement in a financial fraud case that ultimately led to his imprisonment in 2022.
The documentary will also feature interviews with prominent current and former tennis players like Novak Djokovic, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Mats Wilander and Michael Stich.
Tennis journalist Jon Wertheim had early access to the documentary, which he hailed as a "triumph." In particular, Wertheim commended the filmmakers for presenting an authentic portrayal of the six-time Grand Slam champion, without any attempt to whitewash his flaws.
He was also impressed by the valuable insights the documentary offered about Djokovic. Wertheim further emphasized that the documentary should be deemed "mandatory viewing" for all athletes.
"The @TheBorisBecker doc 'Boom Boom' is such a triumph. Empathy without whitewashing. (Bonus: real revelations/insight about Djokovic)... Drops on Apple on April 7. Should be mandatory viewing for all athletes...," Wertheim posted.
The @TheBorisBecker doc "Boom Boom" is such a triumph. Empathy without whitewashing. (Bonus: real revelations/insight about Djokovic)... Drops on Apple on April 7. Should be mandatory viewing for all athletes...
Novak Djokovic once regarded breaking Boris Becker's record as his most important achievement
At the 2016 Miami Open, Novak Djokovic clinched his 28th ATP Masters 1000 title with a win over Kei Nishikori. The victory marked his 714th tour-level win, helping him surpass his then-coach Boris Becker as the player with the 11th-most wins in the Open Era.
The triumph also saw the 22-time Grand Slam champion overtake Roger Federer as the all-time prize money leader on the ATP tour. When questioned about the significance of these accomplishments, he jokingly singled out surpassing Becker's 713 tour-level wins as a more meaningful achievement.
"Boris' wins, by far. That's the most important one (laughs). I had a phone call with him. We had a laugh about it," he said at the time.
"No, but, I mean, of course, I'm very grateful and proud of all the achievements, and the fact that I put myself in a position to make records and to have my name in the history books is a great incentive before matches like this."
Novak Djokovic currently ranks third on the list of most wins on the ATP tour with 1,046 wins.