The level this was played at is just ridiculous. Two of the all-time greats playing in top form. Just incredible. I miss tennis like this.

Two masters of indoor tennis. Man I miss 90’s tennis!!

@SeanT649

Жыл бұрын

Me too Trent

@bulleranse8323

Жыл бұрын

Not me, tennis is much better these days. I actually preferred watching women’s tennis back in those days.

@MM-dm4xj

11 ай бұрын

@@bulleranse8323 Tennis was better back in the day

@lucalone

10 ай бұрын

I miss the serve and volley style of the 90's !!

@Simonas.G

10 ай бұрын

No shorts or netpoints.

This match is better that 95% of all AUS Open finals. These guys were killing the ball. Legends for life.

@insonder4515

5 ай бұрын

they don’t hit nearly as hard as todays players

@Notir072

4 ай бұрын

@@insonder4515 LOL, so wrong ! Did you even see this match here ? Becker and Sampras at their prime could easily be in the top 10 nowadays.

@GodSpeed91

4 күн бұрын

@@Notir072 I don't think he's wrong though, not technically. While I know these 2 are absolutely legends in their prime at that time but u gotta listen to the pros when they talk about today tennis. It's the racket change and technology that allows young players today to hit insanely hard and fast. Those balls u see in this tournament are moderately top spins and flat, but today they can hit just as hard but with even more spins. And I don't think Becker and Sampras are ready for those balls especially with their backhand' side.

One of the greatest serve and volley matches ever. We will never see a match like that again.

@mathewhorodner2000

Жыл бұрын

man is Becker a major choke artist

@vladraduandrei5227

Жыл бұрын

thankfully.

@shapursasan9019

Жыл бұрын

Well-said!

@radar0412

Жыл бұрын

@@mathewhorodner2000 64 Titles overall and 6 Grand Slam titles? Yeah, choker. 😂

@Tubais01

Жыл бұрын

@@radar0412 Federer has 20 slams, and multiple chokes (from a roger fan, I still think he is the best of all time, although not the greatest)

I've never come across this match before, and I don't understand why... The level of tennis is insane... What an exquisite match.

The volleying technique by both players in this match was insane. They recognized immediately when to get in and attack. They weren't waiting for the other to lose the point. They were trying win each point.

@mtklaric

2 жыл бұрын

so true. Compare this to any match between todays defensive play, nadal and djokovic, for example...how boring compared to this

@mrf9893

Жыл бұрын

@@mtklaric nadal is boring???!!

@Straight.Forward.Indian

Жыл бұрын

@@mrf9893Yes.... very boring.

@1bcordell

Жыл бұрын

@@Straight.Forward.Indian Thank you. Nadal and Djokovic are so boring to watch. I can't watch Nadal and all his OCD ticks, and all Djokovic knows how to do is grind from the baseline. This is why I like Fed so much, due to his variety and creativity.

@Straight.Forward.Indian

Жыл бұрын

@@1bcordell They just hit, hit, hit till they get a point.... Selfish baseline game. No varieties, nothing.. Guys like McEnroe, Borg, Becker, Edberg, Sampras, Ivanisevic, Rafter played sportive & real tennis. They had varieties of shots in their book. Becker was very good, but he couldn't win more Grand slam titles as he was too sportive and lost most of his points by experimenting too much & playing volleys.

So rare to see Sampras show emotion during a match...you can see how challenging it was for him and how deep he had to dig.

@farid1406

Ай бұрын

You know it got real when Pete was roaring. Another example I can remember was when he beat Kracijek at the Open in 2000 to reverse his general losing trend to him.

These two played every shot imaginable, covered every inch of the court and displayed equal amounts of brawn and brain. If not the best match ever, one of a handful of the best.

Amazing match! It’s really funny to see how different they were in terms of celebrating after great shots as compared to someone like Alcaraz today 😄 Becker hits some of the meanest backhands and doesn’t even pump his fist once

One of the best matches in the history of tennis!

Sampras was in his prime here, just won the US Open and on his way to win the Australian Open, Becker gave him one hell of a fight. Outstanding serve and volley tennis, one of the best attacking matches ever.

I did not realize how close this was... What a match

@SobersRajakumar

3 жыл бұрын

I wanted Becker to win. He was dominating. Sampras just wouldn’t go away

Bullet Serves , crisp volleys , awesome passing shots on forehand and single fisted backhand , delicate drop shots & virtuoso display by extremely competing rivals- This is awesome tennis .

I didn't expect such a brutal match between them. Both were very serious players and they really make you feel that way. Respect.

@mtklaric

2 жыл бұрын

how old are you? 12?

this is incredible tennis. as someone who only started watching tennis from mid-2000s onward, I'm floored by how fast, offensive and athletic this type of tennis is. big serves backed up with great shot making. very cool!

@din9lebeRrY

Жыл бұрын

@warrenflatt same here. I started at the beginning of the hewitt (short lived) era. The game i started to watch is high powered tennis. This is power, with technique.

@jayteegamble

Жыл бұрын

I really miss that moment where 'the guy is at the net and here comes the passing shot'. Great moment of anticipation.

@mtklaric

Жыл бұрын

This is tennis from the future

One of those rare times when you feel there really should be no loser in the match.

@mathewhorodner2000

Жыл бұрын

Can Becker choke any more?

The service motion of both becker and Sampras is just Art !

Becker is a beast and one can see why. He has stretched Sampras to his absolute limits here. Don’t think Pete has had to work this hard in any of his GS or Masters victories. Greatest indoor match ever between two of the very best. Sampras full filled his idol(Lendl’s )wish of “over powering Becker”. As Becker rightly said Pete always slightly did every thing better than Boris, his best was not often enough to subdue Pete. But hats off to Becker for this match. An absolute honour to watch🙏

@michelez715

4 ай бұрын

Never ever heard that Lendl was Sampras's idol. Pete has said Laver was the player who was his role model since childhood.

@amitmarathe232

4 ай бұрын

@@michelez715 Sampras for sure looked up to Ivan. In the champions mind( Pete’s Autobiography) Sampras categorically puts Lendl in his top 5 Goat list. He dedicates 2 pages to his experience of staying with Lendl at his house in 1989. If you read the book or have read the book, you will realise that Sampras idolises and looks up to Lendl for sure for the qualities of discipline, professionalism, the precision of his ground strokes, the hard work that Lendl put in day in day out, dominating or staying ahead during the most competitive era in tennis( 80’s) , 270 weeks at World no 1, 8 consecutive US open finals with 3 consecutive wins, 9 consecutive Masters finals with 5 wins..n several such achievements that he brought to the tennis world.

I watched the whole match live. I still keep watching highlights of this match every week. Some matches never fade away from your memory. One of the greatest tennis matches .

I was a young boy when I watched this match. It was one of the most beautiful tennis matches I have ever watched. Simply poetry in motion. Nalbandian def Federer (2005) also was a fantastic match. But Sampras vs Becker has a special place in many people’s heart.

@jeremycostello4007

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, I totally agree! This was the greatest tennis match in HISTORY!

The net level looks way higher than nowadays, amazing footage

Miss serve and volley style of tennis. Pete to me is still the best player I have ever seen.

@thecrafter141

15 күн бұрын

Disgusting to play versus but great to see it at the best level ^^

This is what real tennis looks like and I love it

Becker's game here was lovely, both players equally deserve to win this tournament!

14:21 What a roar, a rare attitude coming from Sampras.

@kwansikkim8712

3 жыл бұрын

it shows this match was a real tough one. That was only break Sampras could have. Beating Becker under a roof, in Germany, was nearly impossible at that time.

@notsohandytim5090

3 жыл бұрын

@@kwansikkim8712: But, in the long run, Sampras owned Becker, even under the German roof.

this level of tennis is just insane. The variation and attacking style.. Todays tennis is a chore to watch in comparison.

I remember watching this match. It's the best match I have ever seen.

@medo_pg7786

5 ай бұрын

I remember it too! There was high tension from the begining to the end.

@timkoster694

2 ай бұрын

This was when in earlier round Sampras lost, right? What a way to come back. I was shooting at my old 4:3 CRT tv.

Perhaps one of the best matches I’ve ever watched. Thrilling from the first point until the end. One that made Pete shouted. A rare occasion.

Maybe the greatest indoor match ever played.

@denisdaly1708

3 жыл бұрын

Nope. Becker beat Lendl 7 6 in the fifth, and his last ball hit the bet and trickled over for the match winner. Horrible luck for Lendl, but a great matche up to that point.

@binkyxz3

3 жыл бұрын

@@denisdaly1708 I disagree. Lendl was great defensively, but never had the attacking game of Sampras.

@binkyxz3

2 жыл бұрын

@Sleepy Joe Lendl was a clay courter who adapted well to hard courts (never won Wimbledon). Pete was an attacking all courter who adapted well to grass (never won French Open). I see few similarities. I recall Lendl making superior fitness a strategic advantage. That's about all.

@binkyxz3

2 жыл бұрын

@Sleepy Joe Forehand, ah, maybe 😐. Petey was NO baseliner; always looking to move forward and volley (lucky he did not mimic that from Lendl 😂).

@sleepyjoe6269

2 жыл бұрын

binkyxz3 when Pete did rally from the back of the court, it was like Lendl’s aggressive baselining. Particularly early in his career, his style was closer to Lendl’s. Lendl is the father of the modern aggressive baselining game whether you like it or not. Sampras, of course, was convinced to modify it specifically to win Wimbledon. Unfortunately a side effect was he never even sniffed an RG final.

I've been watching (and playing) tennis avidly since the mid-70's. In terms of quality of play and shotmaking, this is the best match I've ever seen. And yes, these guys would be great in any era. In fact, I'd love to see Becker and Sampras in their prime with the newer co-poly strings, which have made such a huge impact on the sport.

@luperamos7307

2 жыл бұрын

True, but these co-poly strings and oversized rackets mainly suit baseliners on much slower courts. Neither Becker's nor Sampras' game was designed for that. So I don't think they would have done well. Likewise, the big 3 wouldn't have done well on those much faster courts and without those strings. Federer is probably an exception.

@martinkocsis5035

2 жыл бұрын

@@anthonyroberts79 Agree! In terms of outfit though, the 90s win for me no speculation needed haha!!!

At the end of the match I really liked the way they hug each other with great sportiv respect!

Quel match et quel respect mutuel...l'accolade de fin de match est significative de l'état d'esprit de ces 2 légendes

Not a single grunt. Amazing.

Hell of a match..... Incredible. Muscular tennis played by two legends. The power and grit showed with precisely perfect tennis is unforgettable. Beckar was so focussed in whole match and hardly showed any emotion. Respectful hugging and admiration for each other was so evident on net.

I miss everything of 90s. Allsports: football, tennis, f1, basketall... and many things of life: cinema, music... OMG

You will never see this kind of match, ever again in today's game.

What an unbelievable match! And that embrace at the end!!

When playing on fast courts was actually “fast”.

@myheartspits

3 жыл бұрын

Why did they slow down all the courts? This was incredible to watch.

@zy9662

3 жыл бұрын

@@myheartspits to have longer rallies

@myheartspits

3 жыл бұрын

@@zy9662 It'd just be nice if SOME courts were faster. Longer rallies doesn't necessarily equal more excitement, right?

@zy9662

3 жыл бұрын

@@myheartspits yeah they should put back some of the speed again, they went for too slow now

@diddominicthiemwintoday6731

3 жыл бұрын

@@myheartspits to suit Nadal and stop Federer from dominating

Two titans of tennis played magnificently...that is tennis!!!!

Bloody hell look at the tennis , so explosive,two of the best back hand returnees in the game.

One of the best matches of all time.

One of the best matches I watched and 2 of my favourite players in peak form

i watch highlights, i watch live matches in GS onTV, i pay for tickets to watch tennis live whenever i can. But i always come back to this match, saw it live in 96 at my uncle's place and somehow nothing comes close to the quality here

One of the best matches ever, really. Watched it over 10 times. Thats how good it was. P. S. I was 11 when they played this one but i remember it so well.

@fabianateparto

2 жыл бұрын

Me too!

@boygood8509

Жыл бұрын

You rememer it so well because you just watched it ;)

@jonbonesmahomes7472

Жыл бұрын

@@boygood8509 also..😄🤣

@medo_pg7786

5 ай бұрын

I was 13 and I remember it wividly. I only suported Sampas when he played Becker, so I was happy that he won :)

What an epic match! Both were on fire that day and deserved to win 🔥 how I miss this serve and volley game 🥺

@mathewhorodner2000

Жыл бұрын

Becker choked

J’ai suivi ce match en direct ! Quelle belle décennie du tennis ! Nous avions toutes sortes de talents ! Quant au public allemand, quel beau respect des joueurs ! J’ai vraiment eu de la chance de vivre cette belle époque ! 💜💜

@medo_pg7786

5 ай бұрын

I remember this match too. These two were actually my nightmares, because I favoured Agassi (instead of his greatest rival - Sampras) and Edberg (instead of Becker). And I never suported Sampras, unless when he played Becker. So I was kinda happy that Sampras won.

Becker was at the end of his career. But he was the one that really brought out the absolute best of Sampras especially on indoor courts.

@drlee2

2 жыл бұрын

I think he had a legit chance of getting that elusive 4th Wimbledon in ‘96 had he not got injured in the 3rd round. The problem was he would have faced Krajicek in the Final.

@soundar4270

2 жыл бұрын

Becker was defeated by emerging Sampras in 1993 Wimbledon SF and useless Goran Ivanisevic in 1994 SF. Beker in his prime started loosing on his favorite surface grass.

@steveturner609

2 жыл бұрын

@@drlee2 Yes indeed, and Kraijchek was absolutely on Fire at the time!!

@steveturner609

2 жыл бұрын

Richard Kraijchek at Wimbledon 96 was just awesome, he was taking NO prisoners!!

@steveturner609

2 жыл бұрын

@@soundar4270 - Your disrespectful comment about Goran Ivanisevic being useless, only goes to show your crass ignorance! I wouldn’t believe anything that you have written here!!

See saw contest between the two greats of tennis. What a joy to watch - truly incredible !

This is the best match ever. I saw it live. amazing match. Becker got a Wild Card to play this ATP finals.

Thank you. The calibre of this match is like something out of a dream. No need for lights at this venue. The sparks flying off both their rackets could illuminate the entire city. Becker backs up his swagger and shows what a genuine superstar he was. And I still think Sampras had the most solid first volley of any player in history. Cheers.

I remember this. What an awesome match between these two greats.

Das ist fantastisch. Sehr gut . Wir vermissen Boris . er war unglaublich.

One of the best Tennis Match , i ever watched..Truly Awesome

Absolutely incredible match, such a joy to watch... I haven't seen a match as exciting and good as this since!

I forgot what amazing hand skills Becker had, what a quality player.

@mtklaric

2 жыл бұрын

many people forget these are and always will be the Titans of tennis...

One of the greatest matches ever played, and every bit the equal of anything played today.This is the match that shows those who say Sampras and Becker were just one-dimensional servers/serve-and-volleyers don't know what they're talking about.This is what tennis could and should be: fast, attacking and spectacular - so much variety in their all-court games, and such a contrast to the baseline grinding of today.This is also the match that those deluded fools who have seen little or no tennis before this era, yet who loudly and insistently proclaim this era to be the best in tennis history, should be forced to watch, in full, to show them the error of their ways.

@michelez715

3 жыл бұрын

Marty dav, thank you! I couldn't express my thoughts any better than you have. Agree 100% with you.

@martydav9475

3 жыл бұрын

@@michelez715 Thanks very much Michele, I appreciate that, thanks.

@Steve-fb6cs

3 жыл бұрын

I agree with everything here. This Tennis is amazing to watch and far more better than current grinding one. Also the thing that this era is best just because it has players with more slams is just ridiculous and disrespectful to past legends. Tennis fans have deteriorated with time making such claims.

@notsohandytim5090

3 жыл бұрын

marty: Nice of you to refer to the current generation tennis fans (many of who are new) as "deluded fools".

@wookiedude21

3 жыл бұрын

Agree 100%. These men had to be ready for anything

I was fortunate to watch the match live on TV. This is one of the greatest tennis matches. The match had everything-great serve and volleys, baseline rallies, passing shots, return of serve winners. Last point was was insane !!! Becker's backhand returns and passing shots !!! How i wish he won more grand slams. Pete is always Pete...cool, calm and collected. he won the important points. Oh god that super fast surface !!!

@valsammajoseph421

3 жыл бұрын

The longest point was won by whom?

@michelez715

3 жыл бұрын

Benjamin, quite agree with you. The half volleys were pretty spectacular, too.

Beautiful to see the german crowd cheering after Sampras win. Very respectful.

I can't get tired of watching this video, this is tennis level Thank God for uploading it ;)

“During the first set, he was playing the best tennis I have played against.” (Sampras After The Match About Becker)

That was freaking insane tennis.

Two Real Champions. What a match !!!

My two favorite players growing up! Man, I loved watching them play!

SO much better than today’s slugfests. Proper fast tennis.

@meilstone

11 ай бұрын

Yeah, screw that top spin bonanza...

@nillivanilli2922

11 ай бұрын

I agree, I like topspin but flat is way more fun

@angerisdiscipline3913

10 ай бұрын

Looooool I heared your comment imagining you're a proper lad in your late 50s drinking a beer

@dthorne4602

10 ай бұрын

​@@meilstone the best is a blend of contrasting styles, not just one.

@duartenalves

9 ай бұрын

ATP and ITF don't care about tennis, they care about money hence the homogenization of the court speeds.

this is probably the best match i have ever watched and yes i have seen all the fedal matches.

I can’t believe how amazing that last rally was 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 I literally screamed out with disappointment when Becker hit that to the net…I was a HUGE SAMPRAS FAN and still think he was the Greatest but Becker was just as great from mid 80s to mid 90s ♥️♥️♥️

I really wanted to have a serve like Boris Becker because it looks like his wind up to hitting the ball is so damn cool lol

1985-2000 was a period of most talented players. Almost 15 players who competed against each other and even won GS. Mcenroe, Connors, Mats Wilander, Lendl, Edberg, Becker, Sampras, Agassi, Ivanisevic, Pat Rafter, Jim Courier, Michael Stich, Kuerten, and some more players.

Two best players of their respective generations .

Hope that one day this style of fast court tennis will return.

this kind of tennis is so much gentle...so much friendly...these were persons you can show respect for 100% for what they did in the sports world ever. its much different to the times nowadays. i am german, but also liked sampras so much!

Indeed, one of the best Serve & Volley game I have ever seen! Both were incredible players!

@juandi2570

Жыл бұрын

Are you blind? What about the rallies?, the groundstrokes?… This match had it all… Power tenis at Its best…

Superb match. Pistol Pete remains the best player I've ever seen, but forgotten how good Becker was. This is how tennis shd be played on a fast court, imo - serve and volley, and attacking. This match had that, but also wonderful passing shots and half volleys. Also great not to have endless ball bouncing before the serve, grunting, and (pre Covid) constant towelling off between points.

@Rowlph8888

Жыл бұрын

Well, you can tell right here, why Pete essentially ended Becker's dominance.He's just slightly better than Boris, in 3 facets, and Boris is only Petes equal, in all of the others. Hes faster, more agile and had a slightly more accurate serve. The vast majority of the times they but, Pete was just slightly tooa good.

Becker's start of the match with 4 straight aces should have been included in this highlight.

@katerinadicamella

3 жыл бұрын

Funny, that is how I remember the most about this match!!

@rdberg1957

3 жыл бұрын

Becker was able to get incredible angle on his out wide deuce court serve.

@kaykayeffemm1828

2 жыл бұрын

And 3 aces to confirm his sensational break

Sampras served is his primary weapon. IT setup his attack.

No moonballing, lobs, forehand slices and other kind of bullsh...t, wonderfull to watch

Best Indoor Tennis Match Ever 1 ) Becker v Sampras (1996) 2) Becker v Mc Enroe ( Davis Cup 1987)

@lorenzo97tth562

Жыл бұрын

0) Djokovic v Nadal (2012 Australian Open)

I remember that match. Respect to both. Every game of this duel was pure heaven for tennis fans.

Das ist eines der besten Matches überhaupt! Kraft und Kontrolle pur, und durchgehend ästhetisch. Wahnsinn!!

for me this was the best pete ever was - combination of great hitting ability, mature game sense, and peak athleticism. a marvel to watch, and a match for any player of any era.

Becker’s one handed backhand is fire 🔥

Probably one of the best match ever and the best ATP finals played.

The tourist played an awesome match against the bank employee 💪🏻

@lreally

2 жыл бұрын

LOL

They both won an equal number of games in the match 🔥❤️

I haven’t watched this match before, simply an eye-opener. Two talented tennis players in their prime. I am a diehard fan of Sampras, but I also appreciate the talents of Becker. Both are great and genius. It’s amazing to see how fast they reacted, especially the unbelievable and perfect volleys.

insane era of one-handed backhands.

Such a beautiful match... Extremely good skills from the two legends😍😍

For Becker to make Sampras work that hard for the win, and at his age, astounding.

@timothylee2772

9 ай бұрын

At that time, Becker was 28 and Sampras was 25. Am I missing something here🤔🤔🤔

@Eric0816

2 ай бұрын

​@@timothylee2772 At that time 28 was considered to be old. The year before when he played his last Wimbledon final at 27 years of age the British press called Becker "the old lion". Wilander and McEnroe were burned out at 25 years of age. Back then players started to win Grand Slams as teenagers and by their mid 20s the wear and tear showed up. Alot of progress hase been made since then when it comes to training and nutrition.

Two great champions producing a great match and what a great moment at the net from both the players that's why everyone watches tennis. Sampras Vs Becker was a box office match those days along with matches with agassi courier stich lendl Chang etc etc

Such different tennis... I'm glad i grew up in this era, gave me the game i have now... big fan of Sampras and Lendl but i have to give props to Boris reluctantly

This is without a doubt, the best era that world tennis had, today you don't see the professional level of those years. Boris Becker was a monster and Sampras simply achieved perfection…

The best tennis you’ll ever see. The new big rackets and extra spin strings have changed the game, not for the better.

These guys could hold their own among today's top players. Also, didn't realize they hit inside out forehands back then.

@mitchaelhollingsworth1698

Жыл бұрын

That was a shot even during the wooden racquet days. It's just now with racquet and string technology you can get more pace and spin on them. Also it helps that becker and sampras had phenomenal powerful serves and forehands and lesser backhands. So it makes sense both would want to maximize their strengths. A player like stefan edberg might opt to take a neutral shot as a backhand because his was so good. Gasquet or wawrinka certainly do / did that. Gives them better court position.

I remember that match ! Two of my all time faves ! Two titans ! Much respect ✊🏽

When Sampras broke in the 5th, that’s probably the most well deserved scream I’ve ever heard in a tennis match.

@mathewhorodner2000

Жыл бұрын

Becker choked

I had only seen these two play at Wimbledon (1993, 95 & 97). Pleasant surprise to see them rallying from baseline. But none was a pusher. Both tried to find angles and finish points! And I had rarely seen Sampras scream and pump his fist!

Wow. I forget how strong Pete and Boris were. Just great to see this brand of tennis.

The best one hand backhand

UNA DELLE PARTITE PIU' BELLE DI TENNIS INDOOR DELLA STORIA PER LA QUALITA' E LA CLASSE DEI VINCENTI PIAZZATI DAI DUE GIOCATORI.

The best Tennismatch ever.