July 7th: The Day Wimbledon was Won by a Teen

Becker breaks through in 1985

July 7th 1985 was the day that 17 year old Boris Becker beat South African American Kevin Curren to the title of Wimbledon Champion. After three hours and eighteen minutes of game-play, the West German teenager became the first ever German tennis player to win Wimbledon, and the youngest player ever to win the tournament too. With both his personal life and tennis career getting him front page attention throughout his heyday, Becker is recognised as one of the most famous and successful sportsmen of twentieth century.
    After his triumph in the men's singles final on July 7th, Becker confidently declared: 'This is going to change tennis in Germany. I am the first Wimbledon winner and now they have an idol.' This may sound a little cocky, but he had every right to be so. His short but intense career of fantastic results and achievements saw him win Wimbledon two more times in 1986 and 1989, awarding him 6 grand slam titles and ranking him the world's number one in 1991. The final game against Curren in 1985 defined Becker's aggressive technique and energetic moves from diving volleys to sprinting baseline shots. Most credited of all was his massive and speedy serve, earning him the nickname 'Boom Boom' for the fast impact he created with the immense power he put behind it. Many tennis players today can be seen using similar styles, so you could say that Boris Becker actually helped to define mens tennis technique towards what it is today.
    Unfortunately for Boris, the press found out a little too much about his personal life, which got him fame that appeared to override his tennis talent. After being found in a restaurant broom cupboard with Russian model Angela Ermakova, rumours spread and public scandal commenced. It was revealed later that he actually fathered the model's child (the bright blonde mop of hair probably gave it away), which instigated the complex divorce between Becker and his wife Barbara in 2001. Boris' naughty streak does not end there though, ladies and gentleman. In October 2002, he received a two year suspension as he failed to pay $1.7 million of taxes. Tut tut tut...
    Your serve: did Boris ruin his reputation and lose respect as a professional sportsman due to his scandalous personal life? Or did his youth contribute to his downfall? Wimbledon is currently holding its 126th championships this month. With Andy Murray and Roger Federer set to go racket to racket in the mens singles final on Sunday 8th July, how do you think that game will compare to Becker's '85 win?