Public formed a special bond with global superstar

on journey from centre court to prison

HIS lawyer’s mercy plea to the Wimbledon’s youngest ever judge summed up the stunning men’s winner. We loved his fast, fall from grace of tennis’s one aggressive style and his time golden boy. athletic lunges at the net.

Barrister Jonathan Laidlaw We loved his fist pumps and spelled it out for the world to his tantrums. We loved his hear: “Boris Becker has literally self-effacing humour in the nothing and there’s nothing to commentary box. show for what was the most Like many elite sportsmen glittering of sporting careers. after retirement, Becker

That is nothing short of a struggled to find something to tragedy.” replace the adrenalin rush.

Germany’s first global His love of poker, reckless sporting superstar of the mass business adventures and lavish media age, who won six Grand spending meant he always Slams, made more than faced financial ruin. €100million in today’s money It didn’t help that the man from winnings and commercial nicknamed “Bonking Boris” deals, and dated some of the had numerous flings, including world’s most beautiful women one with a model in a London now sits in a prison cell, ruined restaurant broom cupboard and humiliated. while his wife was pregnant,

The legend nicknamed which cost him dearly in the “Boom Boom” thanks to his divorce courts. powerful serve is now But when it comes to money completely bust. I will only ever have this

And although he deserves memory of Becker: winning the his punishment for serious Wirral Tennis Tournament in financial crime, many in this 1989 and secretly donating his country will be saddened entire £25,000 prize at his demise. money to the Hillsborough

Saddened because he has Disaster Fund. enjoyed a special bond with the I can’t think of too many public ever since, as a people sitting outside of a 17-year-old in 1985, he became prison cell who would do that.