Boris Becker earned a lot of money during his illustrious playing career, but he told Alexander Zverev that was never his primary motivation.
Becker is the most successful German men's tennis player of all time. He claimed six Grand Slam titles, including three at Wimbledon. Becker won the first of his titles at SW19 when he was just 19 years old.
The former world No. 1 also gained a reputation for some of his antics off the court throughout his career. That could make some tennis fans believe Becker was more interested in becoming wealthy than the competition on the court.
However, Becker has insisted this is not the case. He made those remarks while having a conversation with Zverev, a player Becker has commented on regularly as a commentator and analyst since the end of his career.
For instance, the 56-year-old believed Zverev's greater maturity at the current stage of his career meant he had a chance of winning this year's French Open. That almost came true, but the 27-year-old lost the final in five sets to Carlos Alcaraz.
Becker has also given his thoughts about Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. He feels that Sinner's greatest strength is his consistency, while Alcaraz's biggest issue is not always knowing what to expect from him.
How vocal Becker remains about the sport demonstrates his passion for it. He explained to Zverev on his podcast that the competition was always his main focus throughout his time as a professional player.
"For me, the competition was always the main focus. I love the competition. I love to play. I love going into the match as well as the tennis 'fight'. And it was the same afterward."
Becker acknowledged that he earned a substantial sum of money over the course of his career. Still, he believes that not being his biggest motivation became even more important during the latter stages of his time as a player.
Yes, I earned a bit of money, but I never played tennis for the money. I wanted to win. And that was always at the forefront. And that probably saved me in the following years, For me, it was always about the competition, the game, and the desire to win, not about what you would do with the prize money or the contracts, that wasn't so important to me."
Becker's mindset is essential for players in today's tennis world. While prize money is more significant now than when Becker played, just playing for money is not the best reason to choose a career that can often be intense and stressful.
Loving the sport makes the challenges seem more manageable. Carlos Alcaraz is a terrific example. He manages to smile during big matches and moments, clearly loving being on the court, regardless of the financial incentives involved.
Despite a successful career overall, Zverev has yet to win a Grand Slam. Having a conversation with his legendary former compatriot could help his mentality as he seeks to end his wait for a major title.