Four-time Stella Artois champion Boris Becker and three-time finalist Stefan Edberg will face each other for the first time since their 1996 final at the Queen’s Club to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the tournament.
Becker and Edberg will contest a first-to-eight-game Pro Set match between the singles and doubles finals on Sunday 15th June. The match will be televised and is scheduled for inclusion in the ‘Sunday Grandstand’ programme for finals day.
‘It will be an honour to play Stefan at the 25th Anniversary of the Stella Artois Championships,’ said Becker. ‘Having won the tournament four times, the Queen’s Club holds many special memories for me. My career really took off when I won the Stella Artois title in 1985 and then Wimbledon three weeks later as a 17-year-old.
‘Stefan and I enjoyed a great rivalry, playing many big matches over the years including my victory in that 1996 final at Queen’s. I am planning a similar outcome this time!’
Tournament Director Ian Wight said: ‘Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg have typified the very best of grass court tennis as the sport was in transition from wooden rackets to the modern power-play game. These two have been great ambassadors for tennis, for sport and for the Stella Artois and we were absolutely delighted when they both jumped at the chance ‘for one more go at each other’ to mark our 25th anniversary. It will be a huge bonus for our finals day crowd and for BBC viewers.’
At 17, Becker was the tournament’s youngest ever winner in 1985. He became the youngest Wimbledon Champion just three weeks later and claimed three more Stella Artois titles in 1987, ’88 and ’96.
Edberg won the event in 1991and reached the final on two other occasions (1988 and 1996). As well as winning six Grand Slam titles in his career, the 37-year-old Swede was known throughout the world for his good grace on the tennis court. He won the ATP Sportsmanship Award five times and it was renamed the Edberg Sportsmanship Award in 1996.
Over the years Becker and Edberg met an incredible 35 times, with Becker leading their head-to-head 25-10. Their last competitive match took place in the final of the Stella Artois Championships in 1996 with Becker winning 6-4, 7-6.
They contested three consecutive Wimbledon finals between 1988 and 1990 with Edberg winning the 1988 and 1990 finals and Becker triumphing in 1989.
The 35-year-old German also won four of their six meetings on grass, including all three of their matches at the Stella Artois Championships (1988, ’90 and ’96).
For further information, please contact:
Jolyon Armstrong
Media Director
Tel:01635 41677
Fax:01635 47493
e-mail:jolyon.armstrong@btopenworld.com
www.stellatennis.com