Serena Williams' ex-coach endorses Boris Becker's criticism of Nick Kyrgios' comments: "There is no point in comparing eras, it's stupid"
Serena Williams' former coach, Rennae Stubbs, has shared her support for Boris Becker's scathing criticism directed at Nick Kyrgios.
In a recent interview, Kyrgios highlighted the contrast between today's fast-paced tennis and the "slow" pace of the sport in the previous era. He expressed his belief that past legends like Becker and Pete Sampras would struggle to excel in the modern landscape of the sport due to this shift.
"The game was so slow back then. I’ve watched Boris Becker and I’m not saying they weren’t good in their time, but to say that they would be just as good now, it’s absurd. A big serve back then was like 197 to 200 (km per hour — about 122mph). People like me, we serve 220 consistently, to corners. It’s a whole different ball game," he told The Athletic.
Kyrgios' remarks did not sit well with Becker, who called the Aussie's credibility into question by citing his lack of a Grand Slam singles title.
"Nick makes a lot of noise about tennis lately!?! Why does he speak about a sport he apparently hates …fact-check Nick has never won a major championship as a player or coach( yes doubles 1) so where is any credibility coming from?" Boris Becker posted on X (formerly Twitter).
The 56-year-old also criticized Kyrgios for trying to compare across generations in the sport and suggested that he focus on topics other than tennis on his OnlyFans.
"Trying to compare generations… Laver v Federer , Borg v Nadal , Sampras v Djokovic!?! I am not even gonna mention McEnroe,Conners ,Lendl Agassi , Courier, Edberg, Wilander ,Kuerten, Bruguera , Rafter , Hewitt and many more …speak to your @OnlyFans about many things but tennis," he added.
Becker's comments garnered support from Stubbs, who pointed out that while the evolution of any sport was natural, drawing comparisons across eras was "stupid."
"Well said Boris, sports evolve. Tennis players get faster, stronger, better. Swimmers get faster, runners get faster, golfers hit further, there are so many comparisons BUT there is NO POINT in comparing eras. Its stupid! STUPID!!! SO JUST STOP DOING IT!!" she commented.
Stubbs seemingly also took a dig at Kyrgios, stating that all great champions knew to show respect for other greats of the sport.
"And any great player appreciates what the other greats have done before them. It's called respect! Something that some people will never have or never understand," she commented further.
"Boris Becker is bringing in a lot of mentality and a few technical things" - Holger Rune
Holger Rune recently shed light on his partnership with coach Boris Becker, revealing the German's role in enhancing his mental approach during crucial moments and providing technical expertise.
"I think he is very exciting. I think he is bringing a lot of mentality and a few technical things. But more mentality like how you can handle the big moments better and how to save your energy in the matches, to do things mentally better," he said on the Advantage Connors podcast.
The Dane also shared that Becker was extremely involved in his development, collaborating closely with his fitness coach and analyst to identify areas for improvement.
"He is a very good man, he already made a plan with my fitness coach and my analyst and what we needed to improve, and he’s extremely involved already. We had this test period during the tournaments," he added.
Rune and Becker have extended their partnership into the 2024 season, after enjoying success together towards the end of 2023.