“The Case of a Legend”
The desire to watch a legend fall is also evident in England. When commentator Andrew Castle addressed Becker directly during a broadcast last week with the words “Boris, we look forward to welcoming you back on your return”, British tabloids gleefully presented angry comments from Internet users. At the end of April, Becker was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, the second half of which is expected to be suspended. He had concealed assets worth millions from his insolvency administrators.
However, Becker can still be sure of the public support of his ex-colleagues. “Boris is a friend of mine, it’s just horrible,” said three-time Wimbledon champion John McEnroe. “He always told me it’ll be okay, it’s under control. This is Boris, he was a very confident player on the pitch. But sometimes you’re not necessarily a great investor.”
McEnroe wants to visit Becker in prison
Like Becker, the American McEnroe has been a long-time player for the BBC at Wimbledon and has announced a possible visit to his former adversary. “I want to see him if I can, if he wants or can see people.”
It can be considered certain that Becker will at least continue to pursue his sport from prison. Recently, Alexander Zverev’s brother Mischa reported on recovery wishes for the German tennis star, who was seriously injured at the French Open. It will be a while before Becker himself is back in the limelight. Even an early suspension of probation after 15 months would be too late for a visit to Wimbledon in 2023.