EThere are a few scenes from Boris Becker’s life that have burned themselves into the collective memory of Germans: First of all, of course, the moment when he threw his arms in the air on the English lawn in 1985 at the age of just 17 to celebrate his To celebrate victory as the first German and youngest tennis player ever in Wimbledon. Then there is a moment 18 years later: Becker appears on an RTL show, wearing a bow on his head with two fly swatters hanging on the right and left. The scene from 2013 became a symbol for the sad downfall of the former star, who made headlines at the time mainly with money problems and women’s stories.
A scene published by the Apple TV streaming service now shows how much harder life became for Becker: Becker sits in front of a camera with red eyes from crying, his voice sounds brittle, he says: “I’ve hit the ground running.” He but will not run away, but accept the punishment that awaits him. “On Friday I know what will become of the rest of my life.”
The scene was recorded in April, two days before Becker was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in London for concealing assets worth almost three million euros in bankruptcy proceedings. As has now become known, Becker was accompanied by a camera team that shot a two-part documentary for Apple TV. A statement from the streaming service said the series was based on three years of exclusive access to Becker and was directed by Oscar-winning American documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney.
The documentary aims to “explore every aspect of the man who became a tennis sensation after winning Wimbledon aged just 17, winning 49 titles in his career, including six Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal, and one top-flight , sometimes turbulent private life.” Friends and family of Becker should have their say, as well as tennis players like John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg and Novak Djokovic. It is not yet known when the series will appear. But it will probably end with Becker’s incarceration.
However, fans of the 55-year-old native of Leimen do not have to worry that nothing will be known about the time afterwards. Media have previously reported that Becker has built a reputation as a yoga and fitness instructor and nutritionist at Huntercombe Prison in Oxfordshire. Above all, the next camera team is apparently already ready to listen to Becker’s words and maybe film his tears. Tabloid media reported this week that presenter Steven Gätjen was spotted outside Oxfordshire prison with Becker’s partner Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro. According to a report in the “Bild” newspaper, Becker should get half a million euros from the Sat1 television station for “an elaborate Boris story” with an exclusive interview.
