"No one
ever played
like him!"

July 7, 1985. Wimbledon. Sunday.

The sky above Centre Court is typically British: slightly overcast, warm, 24 degrees Celsius. On the most famous tennis court in the world, a 17-year-old boy from Leimen is playing against Kevin Curren, the South African serving specialist. Becker: unseeded, underdog, newcomer. Curren: tournament favorite, cool-headed, experienced.

Around 17 million people worldwide are watching on television. Among the 15,000 spectators in the stadium are two men following the match with particular tension: Helmut Fischer, Head of Advertising at PUMA, and Armin Dassler, owner of PUMA. Both have their eyes fixed on the court. Standing there is the player whose success they have, to some extent, tied to the fate of their company.

“We signed the contract. And now he’s standing there – in the Wimbledon final. Seventeen years old! And playing with such power, such energy – no one saw that coming,” Helmut Fischer recalls. “Boris plays on grass like no one before him. With diving volleys! There’s so much heart in it, so much courage. Not this coldly calculated kind of sport. Something real.”

The match stretches over four sets. Boris finally wins the fourth 6:4 – becoming the youngest Wimbledon champion in history.

Herzogenaurach. A few months earlier.

A manager comes to Herzogenaurach. His name: Ion Țiriac. He wants more money and more opportunities for his protégé. Boris Becker has just become junior world champion. “Țiriac is a negotiator like I’ve rarely seen. Ice-cold. He doesn’t care what others think. He comes straight to us and negotiates directly with Armin Dassler. Period. And he knows exactly what Boris is worth.” Adidas doesn’t believe in him. PUMA does.

Țiriac already negotiated a PUMA deal for another player: Guillermo Vilas – Argentinian, French Open champion, a star of the scene. PUMA developed a new racket for him. “Boris was to get exactly the same racket as Vilas – just with a different name on it. Then Boris came to Herzogenaurach – shy, but with a clear gaze. You could tell immediately: this kid knows what he wants.”

Until then, PUMA didn’t have much of a tennis legacy. That was about to change. To do it, PUMA brought in engineer Günther Adam, who had previously worked at Völkl. Together, they developed a new racket: lighter, more aggressive, with an enlarged sweet spot – a real weapon. PUMA also made a statement with its shoes: white leather, red and blue details. High-quality, stable, distinctive, bold. “This was our first tennis shoe with real character. Not just functional. A statement. And Boris wore it – for his biggest match.”

The racket became a cult item. The shoe a bestseller. Boris later said: “That shoe was groundbreaking because it was the first mid-cut tennis shoe, and I needed that to support my ankles – for my particular style.” That same year, a signature collection was launched – with Boris as co-designer. Jackets, shirts, tracksuits. “We sold millions. Boris was a stroke of luck. And with him, we were able to show that PUMA could do more than just tennis shoes. We helped shape the sport.”

ISPO, February 1985 – Autograph cards nobody wants

Before his Wimbledon triumph, PUMA brings Boris to the ISPO in Munich – the “International Trade Fair for Sports Equipment and Sports Fashion.” At Boris’ request, Helmut Fischer has autograph cards made. “I was proud we managed to produce them in such a short time. Boris is at the booth, and no one wants an autograph. In the evening, he was really down. I looked at him and said: Boris, next time they’ll shut down the hall. Just something I said offhand.”

ISPO, September 1985 – Hall closed

Six months later: Boris is Wimbledon champion. Tennis fever has gripped Germany. PUMA goes big: new booth, a dedicated space for Boris. “Thousands came. Two, three thousand people. Everyone wanted Boris. Autographs, photos. A woman was desperate to touch him.” The police arrive. Then the fire department. “And in the end, they really did shut down the hall. Just like I said they would.”