Baylor, 2004
College champion
Becker spent four years at Baylor University in Texas, led the Bears and won the NCAA singles title in 2004 before turning professional in the second half of 2005.
Source: Tennis MajorsThe 21st century
Benjamin Becker
Germany · born Merzig, 1981 · right-handed · 's-Hertogenbosch champion 2009
All playersBack to the rankings
35
Career-high ATP singles ranking, October 2014
1
ATP singles title, won on grass
2
Finals at 's-Hertogenbosch, 2009 and 2014
866
Ranking of Raemon Sluiter, his opponent in the 2009 final
2004
NCAA singles champion with Baylor University
Playing career
Benjamin Becker was born in Merzig, in Saarland, in 1981. He spent four years at Baylor University in Texas, won the NCAA singles title in 2004 and turned professional in 2005, finishing that year ranked No. 477. He is not related to Boris Becker.
In 2006 he came through qualifying at Wimbledon and at the US Open, where he beat Andre Agassi in the third round in Agassi's last professional match. His only ATP title came on grass at 's-Hertogenbosch in 2009, again as a qualifier. He reached a second final there in 2014 and a career-high No. 35 that October.
He retired in 2017.
On grass
| 's-Hertogenbosch 2009 | Came through qualifying, beat top seed Fernando Verdasco and fourth seed Rainer Schüttler, and won the final 7-5, 6-3 against the Dutch wild card Raemon Sluiter without facing a break point |
|---|---|
| 's-Hertogenbosch 2014 | Lost the final to Roberto Bautista Agut 2-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 |
| Wimbledon | Second round seven times, his best result. On his debut in 2006, as a qualifier, he lost to Fernando Verdasco 9-7 in the fifth set |
Every grass title: 1
Show every title, tournament by tournament
| 's-Hertogenbosch (Rosmalen) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Men's singles Rosmalen Grass Court Championships | |
Leading grass titles only: the grass majors, tour-level grass events since 1968 and the leading grass championships before 1968. †single source; ‡ sources disagree. Roll of champions
"Everybody can play tennis, especially on a grass court. It closes the gap a bit."
Anecdotes
The person behind the player.
US Open, 2006
Agassi's last opponent
Ranked 112th, Becker beat Andre Agassi 7-5, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5 and closed with a 133 mph ace. "He was my idol growing up," he said. Walking into the locker room during the tribute to Agassi was hard: "It was awkward, me walking in. You feel bad, too. I couldn't really be happy."
Source: CBS NewsNew York, 2006
The other Becker
He arrived with his cap on backwards and served up to 140 mph. CBS noted that he was no relation of Boris Becker and had never met him.
Source: CBS News's-Hertogenbosch, 2009
Against No. 866
His opponent in the 2009 final, Raemon Sluiter, was ranked No. 866, the lowest-ranked player to reach an ATP final. Becker lost only five first-serve points. Sluiter called his week "like a dream but without a happy ending".
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Where they won on grass
- Autotron, Rosmalen ('s-Hertogenbosch)
- Find a grass court near you
Rivals and partners
- Andre Agassi
- Roberto Bautista Agut
- Raemon Sluiter
- Fernando Verdasco
- Rainer Schüttler
On Grass Tennis Club
Elsewhere online
Sources
- Benjamin Becker, ATP profile
- Libéma Open, history and complete winners' list
- "Ben Becker wins Ordina Open", UPI, 2009
- Ordina Open report, Associated Press, via the Honolulu Advertiser, 2009
- "September 3, 2006: The day Agassi played his final professional match", Tennis Majors
- "Graceful departure for Agassi", CBS News, 2006
- Benjamin Becker, Wikipedia
- Rosmalen Grass Court Championships, Wikipedia
- GTC roll of grass champions, checked against a second source where one exists
Page updated 4 November 2026. Spotted an error? Send a correction.
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