Boris Becker appointed head of men's tennis in Germany
Wednesday 23 August 2017 15:59, UK
Three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker has been appointed head of men's tennis in Germany.
The former world number one will also be consulting members of the Davis Cup team in his home country as well as all the top German players.
Tennis was once a hugely popular sport in Germany but it has been in decline in recent years and the German Federation wants to reduce the gap with strong tennis nations.
Becker, who won six grand slams as a player and coached Germany's Davis Cup team from 1997-1999, said: "Tennis is a matter of the heart for me. It is what I can do best. I don't need to talk about my achievements as a player and I am proud of my accomplishments as a coach.
"I love this sport. I love this country and I am happy again to play an important role in German tennis."
Germany have not won a grand slam singles title since Becker's 1996 Australian Open victory and the last German man to win Wimbledon was Michael Stich in 1991.
For years, Germans were captivated by the victories of Becker and Steffi Graf but interest gradually ebbed away when success became rarer.
It is hoped Becker's appointment may go some way to reversing that trend.
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