February 3, 2025

Open Court

MORE TENNIS THAN YOU'LL EVER NEED

German mags report major Becker debt

Boris Becker is being hit with a double-barreled dose of German tabloid magazine drama.

Two magazines have published stories that assert the 49-year-old former tennis star’s forced bankruptcy declaration in a London court just before Wimbledon this year is just the tip of a debt-laden iceberg.

The German magazine Stern reports in its Thursday edition that the 49-year-old retired tennis star owes significantly more than had earlier been reported. The magazine puts his total debt at more than 54.4 million British pounds (more than $72 million US).

Another German magazine, Bunte, says it has seen a 24-page report from the Smith & Williamson financial firm. The report refers to almost exactly the same amount of debt.

And, according to Bunte, the firm believes it is “probable” that “additional creditor claims are established”.

becker
Two German magazines detail the breadth of retired tennis star Boris Becker’s financial woes.

An auction could be in the offing

The magazine claims Becker’s valuable collection of trophies are to be auctioned off by the firm of Wyles Hardy & Co. It also assrts that he has been urged not to dispose of any memorabilia either from his home, or his mother’s home. 

As well, it reports that the auction house already has taken possession of four watches valued at nearly $50,000 US.

Stern is reporting that financier Hans-Dieter Cleven is owed the most, some $45 million US.

Welt reported back in July that the two, who have been involved in several businesses together over the last two decades, were headed to court in Switzerland. The newspaper also reported Cleven had bailed out his business partner financially on several occasions in the past.

Stern reports that some of Becker’s assets have yet to be evaluated. But the total value of those that have, the magazine claims, is less than $650,000 US.

There has been no comment from Becker on the emerging drama. And the nature of the magazines will always make you reserve judgment.

But it sure doesn’t look good for him.

As his own lawyer said during the original flurry of stories back in June, “He is not a sophisticated individual when it comes to finances.”

The Daily Mail has a summary in English of the German reports.

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