Boris Becker shares private nine-word message to Carlos Alcaraz before telling response

Boris Becker has urged to remember that "this isn't a sprint, your life is a marathon", as he expresses concern over the physical and emotional state of the young tennis star. The Spaniard has had a turbulent 2025 so far, winning his first indoor hardcourt title at the ABN AMRO Open and also lifting the trophy at the Monte-Carlo Masters. However, he exited the Australian Open, Qatar Open and Miami Open before the semi-final stage - and was forced to withdraw from the Madrid Open due to injuries in both of his legs.

This range of positive and negative performances has caught the eyes of fans and critics alike, all of whom are ahead of the rest of the tennis calendar. One sporting icon who has openly expressed his worries about is Becker, who has urged the young athlete to take a step back and focus on his success at this point of his career.

The German tennis icon, who is a three-time Wimbledon winner and Olympian, spoke to retired WTA star Andrea Petkovic after Alcaraz admitted he considered taking a break from the sport following his first-round defeat in Miami.

On his podcast the 57-year-old said: "We're talking about a 21-year-old who couldn't cope with the expectations and the pressure anymore. We're talking about mental health. Someone like that almost reached the point of depression."

Becker then urged the people surrounding Alcaraz - including his coaching team, family and friends - to help the youngster "say no" to certain commitments, in order to keep the tennis star's career going for a long period of time.

He said: "So those around him have to ask themselves-haven't we done something wrong? Demanding too much of such a young player? He almost has to act like a machine... it's hard to say no.

"We have to protect Carlos from himself. But the point is that you can see that he's overexerting himself, he does too much, and I really hope that whether it's his coach or his manager or his father, they need to (communicate), because we still need him in ten years.

"He's the most spectacular player on the tour right now, he gets the most spectators in, has the largest fanbase, but he can't play every week."

Becker then revealed a personal moment he shared with Alcaraz at the Laureus Awards in April, where he instructed the Spainiard: "This isn't a sprint, your life is a marathon," to which the two-time Wimbledon winner just smiled and replied: "You're right. Talk to my people."

This response is telling, as it showcases that the onus is truly on the experienced people surrounding Alcaraz right now, and that he likely takes a lot of advice from those in his team helping him prepare for tournaments. Becker is right to express concern, as he calls back to his own tennis career where he felt the same pressures.

The Olympic gold medallist said: "I was also in that phase when I was 21-22 , when you're not doing it from your heart, you're running from one commitment to the next, and the contracts are very high paying, and the tournaments have signed contracts, which means you are contractually bound and only an injury can save you, but that is not how it should be, which is why I was worried for him."

Becker added: "I hope he will be fit again in time to defend his title at Roland Garros."

While Alcaraz continues to recover from his muscular injuries with a bid to be fit for the French Open on May 25, Becker's request serves as a telling reminder that even the most promising of athletes need time to regroup and grow at their own pace.