Becker Withdraws From U.S. Open Tournament

Boris Becker withdrew from next week’s U.S. Open tennis tournament following the death of his manager Axel Meyer-Woulden, likely ending the Grand Slam career of one the game’s top players.

Becker, 29, pulled out of this week’s MFS Pro Championship at Brookline, Mass., on Monday after learning that Meyer-Woulden had lost his battle with liver cancer. Meyer-Woulden had been Becker’s manager since 1993.

Becker finishes with six Grand Slam victories: three at Wimbledon, two at the Australian Open and the 1989 U.S. Open.

If Pete Sampras set up the U.S. Open draw himself, he couldn’t have chosen a much easier path through the early rounds than he received.

Sampras’ name on the draw sheet was followed by “Q-Q-Q,” meaning he’ll play an as-yet-undetermined qualifier in the first round, with the winner meeting the survivor of a first-round match between two other qualifiers.

No. 2 Michael Chang starts off against Patrik Fredriksson of Sweden, then is likely to play a more dangerous Swede, Mikael Tillstrom.

Mead High School graduate Jan-Michael Gambill of Colbert, a wild-card entry, drew unseeded Scott Draper.

In the women’s draw, No. 1 Martina Hingis of Switzerland opens against American Tami Jones. No. 2 Monica Seles opens against Kristie Boogert of the Netherlands.