‘Humiliated’ Boris Becker has ‘nothing’ to show for ‘glittering’ career

The tennis star’s career has been “destroyed” and his reputation left “in tatters”, according to his lawyer.

Three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker, arrives alongside partner Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro for sentencing at Southwark Crown Court (Victoria Jones/PA) (PA Wire)

Tennis legend Boris Becker has been left with nothing to show for his “glittering” sporting career and will have to rely on charity to survive, his lawyer has said.

The three-time Wimbledon Champion, 54, was declared bankrupt in 2017 over a loan from private bank Arbuthnot Latham against his estate in Mallorca.

His barrister Jonathan Laidlaw QC said the bank now has the property, which Becker said was worth about 50 million euros (£42 million) at the height of the property market.

He said the six-time grand slam champion will lose any interest he has in any other property or asset he has.

His fall is not simply a fall from grace but amounts to the most public humiliation for this man. The degree of his suffering, and it will continue, is punishment that no other bankrupt in this country is likely to ever experience

Jonathan Laidlaw QC

“This defendant has lost literally everything and he has already paid an extremely heavy price both for the mismanagement of his financial affairs, which of course he has nobody to blame but himself, but also for his offending,” he said.

“Boris Becker has literally nothing and there is also nothing to show for what was the most glittering of sporting careers, and that is correctly termed as nothing short of a tragedy.”

Mr Laidlaw said Becker, who after retirement coached current world number one Novak Djokovic, worked as a TV sports commentator for broadcasters including the BBC, and acted as a brand ambassador for firms such as Puma, does not have a future.

“His fall is not simply a fall from grace but amounts to the most public humiliation for this man,” he said.

“The degree of his suffering, and it will continue, is punishment that no other bankrupt in this country is likely to ever experience.

“These proceedings have destroyed his career entirely and ruined any further prospect of earning an income. His reputation is in tatters.

“He will not be able to find work and will have to rely on the charity of others if he is to survive.”