In 2002, Boris Becker narrowly escaped a prison sentence for tax evasion. Will he get off lightly again after the London conviction for bankruptcy?
Boris Becker likes to talk about being born twice. Once, more than 54 years ago, when he saw the light of day on 22 November 1967 in Leimen as the son of Elvira and Karl-Heinz Becker. And once again on 7 July 1985, the day of his first Wimbledon triumph. When the spotlight of the sports and media world turned on him and never went out. Until today. The eternal “17-year-old from Leimen” was “born”.
Almost 37 years have passed since then, his active career has long since ended, but the headlines still belong to Becker. Sporting ones are no longer. Becker had to stand trial these days in a court in London against the accusation of bankruptcy fraud. On Friday he was found guilty. In the worst case, he even faces a prison sentence.
The big headlines, they were not limited to Becker’s sporting achievements even in his heyday on the tennis court. His wedding to actress Barbara Feltus in 1993: a media event. The divorce and subsequent custody battle over their sons Noah and Elias: an even bigger one. Becker’s hearing was broadcast live on TV.
Bosch: “Becker made viewers cry with him “
Becker with his charisma, his passion, moved people – on and off the tennis court. His discoverer and long-time coach Günther Bosch said in an interview with t-online last December on the occasion of the Becker film “Der Rebell”: “What Boris has achieved is not only the results and the six Grand Slam titles he has won. It’s the enthusiasm he was able to convey. He was able to bring the spectators to the point where they cried with him – they in the stands, he on the court.”
In July 1999, in his “living room” at Wimbledon, he ended his exceptional career after 49 tournament victories. On the evening of his last match against the Australian Patrick Rafter, the legendary “broom closet affair” with the Russian model Angela Ermakova took place. Boris cheated on his wife Barbara with her. The affair, which, as Becker later recounted, did not take place in a broom cupboard but on a staircase between two toilets in a posh restaurant, produced daughter Anna.
The media were looking for stories, Becker delivered reliably. During his career and even more so afterwards. Over the years, numerous short-term relationships with more or less well-known women followed.
Becker convicted of tax evasion in 2002
2002 he came into contact with the law for the first time. Becker was sentenced to two years probation and a fine of 500,000 euros for tax evasion between 1991 and 1993.
His relationship with Germany cooled, he settled in London, married girlfriend Lilly Kerssenberg in 2009 (divorce 2018). As a tennis commentator for the British BBC, he was then finally back in his profession – and highly respected. An esteem that Becker missed at home.
The women’s affairs, low-level Twitter arguments with comedian Oliver Pocher, two dubious autobiographies, at least one of which he later regretted himself, disreputable poker tournaments – the Germans did not recognise “their Boris”, who he never wanted to be anyway. At best, they turned their backs on him. Others only made fun of the once greatest sports hero of the republic (four times Sportsman of the Year). Becker polarised, people never cared for him.
His reputation only began to rehabilitate when he returned to the big tennis stage. At the end of 2013, Novak Djokovic hired him as his coach. What else was he supposed to teach the then already best player in the world, critics asked. Becker gave them the answer in the form of six Grand Slam titles, which the Serb won during their collaboration until the end of 2016.
Afterwards, he was suddenly also in demand on German TV. As an expert on the sports channel Eurosport. His opinion carries weight. And he is well received by the audience – competent, witty, self-deprecating. In 2017, the German Tennis Federation hired Becker on an honorary basis as head of men’s tennis. For reasons of time, which are probably also related to the ongoing proceedings, the three-time Wimbledon champion resigned from this position at the end of 2020.
Becker’s past catches up with him
But Becker, it seems, has found his place in life after his tennis career after a long search.
Currently, however, his past is catching up with him. For his financial problems always remained an issue. In 2017, a London court had declared him insolvent. Numerous of his trophies were auctioned off to at least marginally serve the creditors. But: In 2020, the British Insolvency Service accused him of not having disclosed all assets. Therefore, Becker was now on trial.
He had to defend himself against 24 charges. Before the trial began, he announced that he would personally try to “refute the allegations on each of the 24 counts”. On Friday, he was found guilty on four of the 24 counts. It is not yet known whether Boris Becker will have to go to prison or not. The sentence is to be announced on 29 April. Becker followed the pronouncement of the sentence with a red head. He can still appeal against the sentence.
