This time, the serves came buzzing at Goran Ivanisevic.
Boris Becker served with devastating efficiency against the most ferocious server in the game, winning 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 Sunday to capture the $6 million Grand Slam Cup and the richest prize in tennis."I felt good from the start, I returned well and I was getting my first serves in," Becker said. "I played amazing tennis; I didn't make any mistakes. I enjoyed playing at home."
Riding the support of the crowd of 10,000, Becker earned $1.875 million in winning this tournament for the first time. Ivanisevic, the defending champion, received $812,500.
"He was the main reason I lost," Ivanisevic said. "I didn't know what to do, he was too good."
The tournament featured the 16 men with the best record in the year's four Grand Slam tournaments.
Becker's prize included a $250,000 bonus for the Australian Open title. Ivanisevic has appeared five times in Grand Slam Cup, earning a total of $3.6 million.
Ivanisevic had a cold and fever at the start of the week and nearly pulled out of the tournament.
"He is playing his best tennis," Ivanisevic said. "He has a good chance to be No. 1 next year."
Becker, ranked No. 6 in the world, was simply better in all aspects of the game against the fourth-ranked Croat.
He never dropped his serve nor faced a break point. In 84 minutes he beat the man who has blasted more than 1,550 aces this year, by far a record on the tour.
Becker hit 19 aces to 12 for Ivanisevic. Becker lost only 15 points in his 15 service game, seven of them double-faults.
"Against the best server in the game, on this fast surface, that was as good as I can play," Becker said. "He is the best server ever. Maybe his legs were not as fresh as mine after his five sets yesterday."
Ivanisevic needed five sets to beat Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the semifinals, while Becker had a quick three-set victory over Tim Henman.
"Yesterday, I was running on reserve," said Ivanisevic, who won a career-high five titles this year. "Today I felt like I was pushing the car to the petrol station and it was too far."
Becker's 49th tournament victory was also his 30th indoors, a tour high.
"I didn't have any lapses of concentration," he said.
Becker broke for a 5-3 lead when Ivanisevic hit two straight forehands into the net. Becker went a break up in the first game of the second, this time with a backhand volley that escaped a lunging Ivanisevic.
Winning almost all of his service points, Becker cruised through the set. A forehand passing shot gave Becker another break point and he took it with a smash to go up 3-2 in the third.
Ivanisevic saved two match points, one thanks to a double-fault, but he then netted a backhand.
Becker won his fifth title of the year. The only final he lost this year was against top-ranked Pete Sampras at the ATP Tour World Championship in Hanover three weeks ago.
After injuring his wrist at Wimbledon, Becker missed three months. But he came back to win in Vienna, Stuttgart and now Munich.