Boris Becker thinks Germans tried to “crucify” him after he lost tennis matches.
Boris Becker thinks Germans tried to ‘crucify’ him after he lost tennis matches
The shamed three-time Wimbledon champion, 55 – who was released from jail in Britain and deported to his German homeland in December after serving seven-and-a-half months behind bars for hiding £2.5 million in assets after declaring bankruptcy – claims he’s had droves of critics in his country for nearly 40 years due to everything from his looks to his lifestyle, taste in women and match losses.
He defiantly told a press conference at the Berlin Film Festival on Monday (20.02.23) at the presentation of his new documentary ‘Boom! Boom! The World vs Boris Becker’ when asked if he’d now be adopting a more modest lifestyle after his bankruptcy scandal: “I’ve had critics for 37 years and that’s not going to change anytime soon.
“Have I made mistakes? Of course. But name someone who hasn’t made mistakes. The difference is that my mistakes are always immediately reported in the whole world.
“Some don’t like my blue eyes, some don’t like my long nose. Some don’t like my taste in women. I’ve never been able to please everyone and maybe I didn’t want to.”
When he was asked about his addiction to sleeping pills during his career, he added: “Life as a winning tennis machine is much harder than it looks. When I don’t win, Germans in particular try to crucify me.”
Boris also claimed his time in jail had made him “wiser” and more “humble’, but since he was released German tabloid Bild has highlighted how the ex-tennis champion is still living a millionaire’s lifestyle by tracking his stays in Germany at five-star hotels and on the African island São Tomé.
Boris spoke at the press conference after he was branded a “devil” by his estranged wife Sharlely ‘Lilly’ Kerssenberg.
She told Bild he hasn’t given her a current address so they can finalise divorce proceedings more than four years after they split.
Dutch model Lilly, 46, added: “Boris can be charming and loving when he wants to, but also extremely hurtful with words. A devil.
“Prison didn’t make Boris a better person. Boris lives in his world in which everything revolves around Boris Becker.
“It is not my fault he went to prison. He ruined his reputation all by himself.
“Boris doesn’t care whether we're doing well or badly. We used to have an honest love.
“When I started to emancipate myself in marriage, there were arguments. Also because of Boris's lies about his finances.”
Lilly, who has son Amadeus, 13, with dad-of-four Boris, also accused the former tennis ace of stopping paying child support for their boy.
Boris, who was released from prison on 15 December and immediately deported to his native Germany under an early release scheme, is now dating risk analyst Lilian de Carvalho Monteirow, who he is reportedly planning to marry.
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