Boris Wants Grand Slam This Year

As farfetched as it may have seemed a few years ago, and as much of a longshot as it may be even now, Boris Becker truly believes he has a chance at a Grand Slam this year.

He is the only man who can do it after winning the first major of the year, the Australian Open, beating Michael Chang 6-2, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 in the final Sunday.

Up next are the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

“It’s a dream of mine,” he said. “It depends on many things. At the French, you need a good draw, you need good weather, you need certain things which happen your way. I’m going to chase it.”

Monica Seles, the women’s champion, might have a better chance of achieving a sweep of the four majors that has been accomplished only twice in the Open era - by Rod Laver in 1969 and by Steffi Graf in 1988.

Seles doesn’t want to think that far ahead, but Becker doesn’t mind fantasizing a bit.

“I do know that I’m able to play great in Grand Slams again,” he said after winning his first major in five years. “I proved it last year, and I’ve proved it now.”

The French, the only major Becker hasn’t won, figures to be the hardest for him. A serve-and-volleyer, he’ll have to play patiently through long rallies to win on the slow red clay of Roland Garros. Becker reached the semifinals of the French in 1987, ‘89, and ‘91, but he skipped it in ‘92, lost in the second round the following year, skipped it again in ‘94, and went out in the third round last year.