Becker may sell trophies as £2m debt to British tycoon is revealed
BORIS BECKER is believed to have borrowed £2 million from a British telecoms billionaire amid claims he may sell his Wimbledon trophies to help pay off an alleged £54million debt.
The three-times Wimbledon champion was declared bankrupt in June. Becker’s costly divorce from his first wife, and a series of failed business ventures, has caused his assets to dwindle from £35million to just €540,000, according to German magazine Stern.
The fall from grace led Becker to ask for a loan from John Caudwell, the co- founder of Phones 4U. Mr Caudwell, whose daughter worked as a personal assistant in Becker’s London office, agreed to loan him £2million, with the interest rate set at 25 per cent.
A spokesman for Mr Caudwell told The Times the loan had been repaid, although later than agreed. Becker’s financial woes are said to have spiralled, with the six-time Grand Slam winner now owing £10.5million to Arbuthnot Latham & Co, a private London bank.
He is also believed to owe €38.4million to Hans-dieter Cleven, his longterm business adviser. It is understood that his total debts amount to more than £54.4 million, a figure “vehemently denied” by his lawyer, Christian-oliver Moser.
Becker was said to be considering selling his Wimbledon trophies, which are kept at his £7million London home.
His agent was unavailable when approached for comment last night.