Tennis legend Borris Becker was sentenced to 2 and a half years in prison for illicitly transferring large amounts of money and hiding assets after he was declared bankrupt, according to the Associated Press. The 54-year-old was convicted earlier this month and was facing a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.
Becker was found to have transferred hundreds and thousands of pounds after filing for bankruptcy in June 2017 from his business account to his other accounts. He was also convicted of failing to declare a property in Germany and hiding 825,000 euro ($871,000) bank loans and shares in a tech firm. Becker was acquitted of 20 other counts by a Southwark Crown Coury jury in London, including charges that he field to hand over his many awards.
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Following the sentencing, defense attorney Jonathan Laidlaw wanted leniency for Becker, saying that that Wimbledon champion hadn’t spent money on a “lavish lifestyle” but rather on child support, rent and legal and business expenses. Becker’s bankruptcy stemmed from a 4.6 million euro loan from a private bank in 2013, as well as $1.6 million borrowed from a British businessman.
Becker, who is from Germany, was a former No. 1 tennis player. In his career, Becker won 713 singles matches and six Grand Slam titles. He won the Australian Open in 1991 and 1996, the US Open in 1989 and Wimbledon in 1985, 1986 and 1989. He also coached tennis superstar Novak Djokovic for three years (2013-2016). In an interview with The Guardian last year, Becker talked about how he didn’t think he would have success in tennis.
“I didn’t always think I was going to make it,” Becker said. “I broke my ankle in 1984, during my first professional tournament, playing against Billy Scanlon. My parents didn’t want me to become a tennis pro, and when I called my mother she said to me, ‘I told you so, you should have stayed in school.’ I questioned myself a lot during the next few months of my rehab. That’s when you find out how much you want it.”
Becker also said: “Tennis is a very logical sport. I’ve always tried to instill that knowledge in players I’ve coached. You don’t win a game of tennis by luck or by surprise. If you follow the rules and you’re physically fit, you’re going to win more games than you lose.”
