Buoyed by a roaring home crowd and pelting his opponent with 29 aces, Boris Becker rallied from a set down Sunday to beat Pete Sampras in five sets and win the Eurocard Open.
Becker was at his best on the indoor court, posting a 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory and ending the 21-match winning streak of the world's No. 1 player, the longest such streak this year."He's to Germany what Michael Jordan is to the United States," Sampras said. "There's only one king in Germany and his name is Boris."
Becker, cheered at every move by a crowd of 7,200, won the 48th title of his career, 29 of those indoors.
"Becker is the best indoor player I've ever played," Sampras said.
The tournament field, one of the best ever, began with 29 of the world's top 30 entered. Players such as Becker and Andre Agassi are still trying to qualify for the year-end ATP Tour World Championship.
Becker's victory almost guaranteed himself a spot in the Nov. 19-24 tournament, which features the world's eight best players. There are six players still competing for three open spots.
Becker, who had been sidelined with a wrist injury since Wimbledon in June, was playing in only his third tournament since his comeback. He gained the deciding break at 2-1 in the fifth set, slamming a backhand winner down the line.
"My muscles started to hurt in the fifth set, but I gritted my teeth and hung on," said Becker, who will move up to No. 3 when the new rankings are released Monday. "Being this good this soon after the injury is the best Christmas gift I could have.
Sampras' last loss came on Aug. 9 when he was beaten in Cincinnati by Sweden's Thomas Enqvist. This was his first loss in eight finals this year. His streak was the second longest of his career after 1994 when he won 29 in a row.
"I have a lot of respect for Pete," Becker said. "I really didn't expect to win today."
Sampras had been in devastating form. In the quarterfinals he routed Andre Agassi in straight sets in a match he called perhaps his best ever.
But Becker, who fired 76 aces during the tournament, shifted into high gear in the second set behind his powerful serve. At every key moment he called upon the weapon in a match decided by a single break in each set.
"I don't know why I'm serving so incredibly well," Becker said. "I can't explain it and I'm not even going to try."
Sampras holds a 9-6 record against Becker, but he is only 4-6 indoors against him.
"He was just too good today - great comeback," Sampras said. "I'm disappointed. I felt I had him sometimes; he probably felt the same way."