Boris Becker, the German tennis icon and former Wimbledon champion, tarnished his reputation when he wassentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for concealing £2.5m in assets and loans to evade debt repayment.
Becker, 58, served eight months of his sentence at HMP Wandsworth, coincidentally just three kilometres from Wimbledon.B December 2022 he was released, deported to Germany, and banned from the United Kingdom for a decade.
Talks with the Home Office to reduce this ban are reportedly still ongoing. Now living in Italy with his partner, Becker is attempting to rebuild his life after a shocking downfall. Mirror Sport provides a detailed look into his current situation.
Family life and new residenceAfter making the UK his home since 2012, Becker was forced to relocate to Milan, Italy, following his deportation. He lives there with his 34-year old wife, Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro.
The couple recently welcomed their first child, Zoe Vittoria, born in November 2025. Announcing the pregnancy news on social media, Becker posted: "A little miracle is on the way. The best is yet to come."
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Zoe is Becker's fifth child from four different mothers. He has Noah and Elias with ex-wife Barbara Becker, Anna Ermakova from his notorious fling with Angela Ermakowa, and another sibling for Zoe, Amadeus, whom Becker had with Sharley 'Lily' Becker.
Becker has opened up about how his time behind bars unexpectedly strengthened his bond with daughter Anna. Speaking to Germany's Stern magazine, the tennis legend revealed: "I'd never spoken so much and so regularly with my daughter. It took prison for us to get closer than ever before."
The former world number one added: "We're not the perfect family. But we have a mindset that unites us - we're family and in the end we always find a solution."
In a separate chat with Corriere della Sera, Becker shed light on his decision to settle in Milan: "I've played well in this city, I've won the tournament four times; I've always worn Italian brands. My wife was born in Rome. And having another child at this age gives me the opportunity to take care of the baby more than I have in the past, if Lilian will allow me."
Coaching return stanceThe German ace came remarkably close to coaching Italian sensation Jannik Sinner back in early 2022. While Sinner has since become a tennis powerhouse, at the time he was still an emerging talent looking to make his mark. Becker confirmed the near-miss to Corriere, saying with a laugh: "I thought it was a secret... I never talked about it. It's true."
He continued: "Two months later, I was waiting for the London ruling. I told Jannik: I don't know how it will end. I can't make the commitment. But I didn't want to leave him stranded, so I gave him a couple of names: one was Darren Cahill. For me, he's the best."
Speaking about a potential return to coaching Jannik Sinner should Darren Cahill step away, Becker explained: "Darren won't quit. As for me, I was convinced Jannik could become the best. At the time, he needed to improve his serve and footwork, but he was unique; mentally, he was already a prodigy.
"Today, I'm in a different phase of life, my family is growing, and I have a new business. I don't want to be on the road so much, and perhaps the role of coach is starting to feel too limited."
Prison ordeal and life-threatening momentsThe German tennis legend has been candid about his stint behind bars, telling Corriere that he feared for his life on two separate occasions. "Twice. The second time at the end. My cell was at the end of a corridor," he explained.
"I come back from the refectory, and there's a new person in the cell of my neighbour and friend, Ike, a muscular giant with enormous influence. You never do that: your cell is a safe zone. So I say to him, 'Hey, what are you doing there?'
"He turns around, I have the food tray in my hand, and he starts yelling at me, coming at me. I respond. Luckily, seven or eight of them come up behind me, protect me - I won't tell you what they do to him. And they take me back to the cell. Ike arrives too; he knew him from before, and apologises for him. I'm shocked; I had a close call.
"This guy had killed two people at 18. Three days later, he comes to the laundromat where Ike works: he falls to his knees in front of me, apologises, and kisses my hand. I tell him: there's no point, it's hard for everyone here.
"I only realised later that he did it for Ike. I was part of a respected group. And respect had to be restored, or the boy in there would have had no chance. Prison is a tough, dangerous place, with its own rules. Prisons are run by the prisoners, not the guards. No one has any idea what goes on in there."
Like most deported individuals, Becker is barred from entering the UK for 10 years, though he told talkSPORT last year he's working to overturn this. "Well first of all I have to be allowed back into the country, because of my deportation I'm not allowed yet," he said.
"I'm working closely with the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice just to give them enough reasons for me to come back. I love London, I love Wimbledon. I think once I'm allowed back I'm talking then with the responsible people at the tournament but I don't think that's going to be the issue. It's more me being allowed back into the country."
Regarding his current work, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports recently announced that Becker is part of Eurosport Germany's team for their Australian Open coverage. The first Grand Slam of the year is now underway in Melbourne.
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