Boris Becker urges calm - and polarizes
Wimbledon will soon raise the white flag and postpone the legendary lawn tournament. Boris Becker thinks an early decision is wrong - and the general mood anyway for scaremongering.
by SID
last edit: Apr 01, 2020, 02:42 pm
Boris Becker has always polarized - that's no different in the corona crisis. While almost all politicians and virologists warn of the consequences of the pandemic, the former tennis star complains about the alleged hysteria.
Becker reminded on Twitter of 25,000 flu deaths in Germany last year ("May they rest in peace!"), Denounced the media ("The whole end of the world scenario / Armageddon brings nothing but fear!") - and Becker warned the Wimbledon organizers before an early cancellation of the Grand Slam tournament: "Patience is a virtue". The three-time Wimbledon winner hopes to wait until the end of April for a decision.
But it won't happen. The creators of the legendary lawn tournament want to decide this week whether the tennis aces will hit the net as planned from June 29 to July 12. The signs are rejected. It would have a historical dimension: for the first time since its foundation in 1877, the world's oldest tennis tournament would not take place in peacetime.
The BBC anticipates cancellation
For the usually well-informed BBC, it is clear: "When the All England Club comes together, it will almost certainly come to the conclusion that Wimbledon 2020 is not feasible." Especially since the British government, due to its initially too lax measures against the corona virus, came under severe pressure and special permits are likely to be very difficult to obtain.
Another reason for the likely cancellation: Financially, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) would not be hit as hard as a host. English media reported that the organizers had insured themselves against the failure due to a pandemic - probably the only major sporting event.
"We have insurance against earthquakes and terrorism and things like that," organizer Edwin Weindorfer told the New York Times, but he didn't have insurance against a virus. His tournaments in Berlin, Stuttgart and Mallorca in June, which are about to be canceled, are not financially secure.
A lot of criticism for Becker
Finding new dates for all tournaments that fall victim to the pandemic will be a very complicated puzzle, as the US Open (August 31 to September 13) and the postponed French Open (September 20 to October 4) are already in late summer ) should take place. However, a time window has opened due to the postponement of Olympia (July 24 to August 9).
However, the question is whether the situation has eased by then. Some, like the former tennis player Amelie Mauresmo, even fear that there won't be a single serve in the ATP and WTA professional series in 2020. This in turn drives Boris Becker mad. "We should stop painting black," tweeted the Londoner of choice, "of course tennis will still be played this year."
Becker's recent comments and cross-references between corona and flu met with a lot of criticism on the Internet. One user even thought it dangerous that Becker would spread such a "long-range humbug".