(oncourt.com)
Mark Philippoussis may soon have a new coach _ none other than former triple Wimbledon champion Boris Becker. The Scud was expected to join with 'Boom Boom' at Queen's Club on Monday for the Stella Artois Championships, according to a report in the Melbourne Herald Sun.
"Becker has been approached by members of Philippoussis' management who believe the 23-year-old Australian is primed to finally deliver at the highest level but still requires greater tactical awareness," writes chief tennis writer, Leo Schlink.
Becker would be working with Philippoussis' full-time coach Gavin Hopper. Scud recently parted ways with another prominent former pro, 1987 Wimbledon champion Pat Cash. They last teamed at the Australian Open in January, after which Cash said he was not happy with the money he had been offered by the Philippoussis camp this year.
Schlink writes that Cash, who lives in London, will be coaching Andrew Ilie and American Vince Spadea for the grass court season. Becker, 32, retired at Wimbledon last year, after losing to Patrick Rafter in the fourth round. He won The Championships in 1988 (aged 17), '90 and '95.
Philippoussis' former coaches include Peter McNamara and Nick Bollettieri.
Scud seeks Becker's guidance
By NEIL HARMAN
09jun00
PARIS: Mark Philippoussis has turned to Boris Becker for the grass court guidance that can transform one of the game's most ferocious hitters into a Wimbledon champion.
Becker confirmed last night that he has been approached by Philippoussis' representatives in an effort to bring the two together for next week's Stella Artois event at the Queen's Club in London, the one competitive week before the All England Championships begin on June 26.
Having parted company with another former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash, in April, Philippoussis needs some practical help on grass. He was in superb form at last year's event before his left knee locked after he had taken a one set lead over defending champion Pete Sampras in their quarter-final.
But it is a measure of Philippoussis' desire, hardened by a couple of impressive performances at Roland Garros, before he was beaten in the fourth round by Spain's semi-finalist, Juan Carlos Ferrero, that he should ask Becker for help.
Since retiring from competitive tennis after last year's Wimbledon defeat to Patrick Rafter, the 32-year-old German has sought some meaningful outlet for his talents.
He is involved in several business ventures in Germany and remains a hero in his home country, but he has relinquished his involvement with the Davis Cup squad and has spent most of his time working with a squad of young Germans hoping to find someone who can re-light the fire he placed under the sport with his momentous 1985 Wimbledon victory at age 17.
The truth about Philippoussis' decision to drop the 1987 Wimbledon champion Cash from his team is somewhat hazy.
The Philippoussis camp were said to be unhappy at the level of commitment Cash was showing, given his support for the Seniors Tour and lack of availability, while Cash said that whenever he was wanted, he was there.
Cash announced in April the Philippoussis camp offered him less than 50 cent of what he received for his services last year.
How long the partnership with Becker will last probably hinges on the outcome of the next month. Philippoussis' longtime fitness guru Gavin Hopper remains firmly in his corner and his father Nick is never far from his side. This will also be Becker's first advance into coaching a senior player, though he had expressed an interest in helping Britain's Greg Rusedski.
It should be an intriguing blend. Neither is a shrinking violet. Philippoussis is a quiet character off the court, but that has never been Becker's style. Becker was approached by representatives from Philippoussis' agents Octagon at the ITF Olympic dinner.
"I want to do what I can to help tennis in any way," he has said.
"I feel I have an enormous amount to offer in many capacities. I am looking forward to seeing what I can do to help Mark. He is a player of enormous potential."
Pat Cash has agreed to help prepare talented Australian Andrew Ilie for Wimbledon later this month, while Boris Becker assists Cash's former grasscourt pupil, Mark Philippoussis, over the next four weeks.
Ilie arrived in London last Saturday with his new coach, Peter Murphy, and trainer Ann Quinn.
Quinn, who directed Cash's physical conditioning before and after his 1987 Wimbledon triumph, has organised Cash as a regular hitting partner on the surface on which he also spearheaded two Australian Davis Cup victories.
The hard-hitting Ilie, predicted by rising Russian Marat Safin as a potential top-10 player after their close match at the French Open last week, has entered the Nottingham tournament but will first play at Queen's Club from Monday in the traditional grasscourt warm-up event.
So will Philippoussis, whose management has been negotiating for some specialist tutelage from Becker, a three-time Wimbledon champion, in the hope of adding the finishing touches to an already formidable grasscourt game.
Gavin Hopper remains Philippoussis' full-time coach, but last year worked in tandem with Cash, whose serve-volley expertise helped carry his fellow Victorian to a one-set lead in his quarter-final against eventual champion Pete Sampras before having to retire with a serious knee injury that required surgery.
The London-based Cash has been a free coaching agent since he split from Philippoussis after failing to come to financial terms on a contract extension in March.
Meanwhile, the mystery surrounding Ilie's severe cramping in the last two sets of his third-round match against Safin at Roland Garros has been solved, with blood tests revealing Ilie, who had drunk the requisite five litres of fluid, was suffering from a bacterial infection. Ilie retired when trailing 0-5 in the fifth set of a match he had led by two sets to one.
Also apparently restored to health is defending Wimbledon title-holder Lindsay Davenport, who was restricted by back spasms during her first-round loss to Dominique Van Roost at the French Open, but has now been granted a wildcard entry into the main women's lead-up event at Eastbourne.
Scud calls on Becker
Herald Sun, 08/06/2000
"Mark Philippoussis is poised to form a devastating player-coach partnership with BB in a bid to land his first grand slam title at Wimbledon next month
Philippoussis, who split with 1987 all-England Club champion PC in March, is expected to begin working with former world No 1 Becker at Queen’s Club on Monday for the Stella Artois Championships.
Boris Becker has been approached by members of Philippoussis’ management who believe the 23-year old Australian is primed to finally deliver at the highest level but still requires greater tactical awareness.
BB, 32, has been seen talking to members of the Philippoussis fraternity and attended the International Tennis Federation’s world champions’
dinner in Paris on Tuesday when it is understood more talks were held.
It is believed Becker will work with Philippoussis’s full time coach Gavin Hopper as well as seconding his own former coach Mike Depalmer to the Philippoussis party.
Becker retired after losing in the fourth round at Wimbledon last July to Pat Rafter, having won the title three times – the first unseeded in 1985 to
become the youngest male champion in history.
The German also reached the final in 1988, 90, 91 and 95 in a glorious grasscourt career.
Philippoussis last season led Pete Sampras by a set before injuring his left knee, retiring and having to undergo surgery.
Cash and Philippoussis last teamed at the Australian Open in January when rumours first surfaced over Cash’s dissatisfaction at being offered a reduced deal to continue in the role. The duo parted soon after.
Becker has worked on the development programs for the German Tennis Federation, mentoring Nicolas Kiefer and Tommy Haas, and is now considering forming his own management company.
Regarded as the greatest Wimbledon combatant, apart from six-time winner Pete Sampras, over the past two decades, Becker retired with 49 titles,
including two Australian Open crowns, and prizemoney of $41 million.
If Becker agrees to terms, he will join an illustrious group to have coached Philippoussis, including Cash, Peter McNamara and Nick Bollettieri.
Cash is expected to work with fellow Victorian Andrew Ilie and American Vince Spadea for the English grasscourt season."