The Player. Boris Becker with Robert Lbenoff and Helmut Sorge

I would've preferred to give three and a half stars but nvm, well worth a read if you're a fan, I always wanted to hear his own point of view.It doesn't appear to be too ghost written and though the tennis is featured, it's not just about tennis, and that's inevitable. We all know Becker's physical tennis style - it was often the things happening off the court that threatened his place in the game and could well have distracted him. It's obvious that Boris has had many highs and lows, very early fame and success that he struggled to deal with, as he was suddenly thrust into the public eye. He overcame that to sustain a long and illustrious tennis career at a time the game was undergoing some key transitions which he describes well - the context of someone who witnessed and was at the middle of the change of a tennis era.If there is anyone who bridged those two eras, it was Becker. Despite his serve dominant game, he was always entertaining to watch. And he makes a good point - at a time when most sports are being dogged and threatened by drug scandals and cheating, tennis remains a relatively untainted, predominantly skill based game, equal parts mental, emotional and physical. The main cloud over it at present is the increased commercialism and exploitation of the sport. Fair enough - professional top players deserve remuneration but at what point does it become more about the money than the game?Boris is a contradiction - swinging between tightly controlled discipline, and extreme passion/drama; self assuredness and then self doubt/loathing. It is those shades that made him an interesting player and individual. His feelings towards his homeland veer from pride, affection and sentiment; to some disappointment, frustration and bitterness.His accounts of meeting other great, legendary figures - sporting and political - leave a lasting impression and have obviously helped put priorities and his own position in perspective for Becker. As did fatherhood.We watched him transform from boy wunderkind of Germany, forced to represent a nations hopes and pride, to becoming a grown man in his own right with family and business responsibilities. Flawed but surviving when others may have been broken by the pressure. It is sad that his marriage to Barbara became a casualty and ended so messily, but that's life that intrudes - the book was written some time ago however and I think that since then both have been able to move on. Becker is now on the sidelines of tennis but it's cool too see him involving himself once again, through coaching and commentary - all the best to him.

Boris Becker is the epitome of an attacking tennis player bursting onto the grounds of Wimbledon at 17. He really was the transitional player who, with Stefan Edberg, ended the Ivan Lendl dominance bridging the gap to the Agassi/Sampras generation. But instead of being a superb athlete, Boris was a deep thinker with many other goals in his life and this book reflects as much on his complicated personal life as it does his tennis career. You could say that Boris was almost embarrassed or bored with his tennis career. He understood that life was so much more, intellectually and personally.If regular life were only so simple. Of course not all of the public will get a hostess pregnant on a "chance" one-time meeting. Complications ensue capped by his income tax evasion trial. Through this Becker maintains his dignity although somewhat bruised.Becker is a complicated man and this book does a great job of portraying the true Becker. If you want a tennis book only, read Patrick McEnroe's new book or step back to Pete Sampras' book. This is more about knowing and understanding the unique and talented Mr. Becker.

I would rate it as average - 2.5 Stars.First half was interesting as it mainly dealt with tennis but most of the last half had lot of personal details(2 chapters on divorce proceedings) and stuff not related to tennis.I would strongly recommend his more recent autobiography published in 2015 - "Boris Becker's Wimbledon" which is more concise and interesting.

Very interesting life. I am not a tennis fan. I like to read autobiographies/biographies of people I know nothing about. The biography I read before this one was of Clementine Churchill. There is a trend with movie star biographies. Their lives are interesting up until they become famous. Then all they do is work.

This book is a good read. This is how an autobiography for a sportsperson should be written - AFTER he/she retires. Most people just write it in the middle of their careers and leaves the story ...well half finished. Boris does provide some honest insight into his life in this book more than his sport which is an interesting choice as one would expect sports to dominate most of the content. Every boom - boom fan should get hold of this one to get to know his life through his eyes first hand. Highly recommended.

While we watched this champion burst upon the scene, pursue his career with dogged determination and eventually bow out on tennis' greatest stage it was easy to forget he was a young man growing up in full public glare. We know all about the tennis but next to nothing about the boy wonder who grew into a man. A fantastic account from the horse's mouth which an intriguing layer to the man we knew as Boom Boom Becker!

As a Becker fan, It will always be interesting to learn about his achievements as well as his challenges as a sportsman (hero) and also as a man (mortal).

What should be a great story about an interesting sports figure is poorly written. The paragraphs were choppy, basic grammar and sentence construction made the story so difficult to read.

Being a huge tennis fan, I have started to read my way through the greats of our game.Having read Andre Agassi "Open" I compare all the others, not only in writing style but also in the substance of the book too to this!Boris's book is slow and somewhat disjointed, I must have lost myself a hundred times when returning to the book once putting it down.As for the fellow reviews on Amazon about Mr Beckers exploits off the court I must agree, the book does end on a little bit of a silly note (I wont spoil it here) but it left me thinking (Idiot)!Worth a read if you are a fan as I say but do your self a favour read Andre Agassi (1st) then Pete Sampras (2nd) then this and the others as this really is a let down in a lot or respects!

Anyone looking for a blow by blow account of Boris Beckers life will be disappointed. As the front cover says it is "The Player" and not what I would call a normal biography.However, it is still a biography of sorts and it satisfied a curiosity.

A very interesting and in depth autobiography from one of the all time great tennis players. Boris Becker tells it how it was and I really enjoyed reading his accounts of what really happened and why.

Great read, interesting life outside tennis. Would recommend whether interested in tennis or not. The guys had an interesting life

I was a Hugh Boris Becker fan in my youth hence my interest. It's not the best auto biography ever but interesting none the less. It's no André Agassi but A lot better than jimmy Connors!!