Former Wimbledon and Australian Open tennis champ Boris Beker has been reportedly sentenced to two and a half years after being found guilty by a British court of charges relating to his 2017 bankruptcy.
According to media reports, Becker, 54 failed to declare property in Germany and concealed $1.2 million of debt and shares in a tech firm and was found guilty earlier this month of four charges under the UK’s Insolvency Act and cleared of 20 other counts.
Judge Deborah Taylor ahead of sentencing said to Becker that the “obligation was on you to disclose these assets but you did not.
“I take into account your fall from grace. You’ve lost your career, reputation and all your properties.
“You have not shown remorse, acceptance of your guilt and have sought to distance yourself from your offending and your bankruptcy.
“While I accept your humiliation as part of the proceedings, there has been no humility.” Judge Taylor said Becker’s previous conviction in Germany for tax offences was “a significant aggravating factor”.
RESOURCE | ABOUT BORIS BECKER
Boris Franz Becker is a German former world No. 1 tennis player. He was successful from the start of his career, winning the first of his six Grand Slam singles titles at age 17. His Grand Slam singles titles comprise three Wimbledon Championships, two Australian Opens and one US Open. He also won three year-end championships, 13 Masters Series titles and an Olympic gold medal in doubles. In 1989, he was voted the Player of the Year by both the ATP and the ITF. He is the first male player to appear in 7 Wimbledon finals, tied with Pete Sampras and Novak Djokovic, behind Roger Federer.
At times Becker struggled with his early success and fame, and his personal life has been turbulent. Since his playing career ended, he has engaged in numerous ventures, including coaching Novak Djokovic for three years, playing poker professionally and working for an online poker company.
Tennis magazine ranked Becker the 11th best male player of the 1965–2005 period.
