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Former world No. 1 men’s tennis player Boris Becker has been released from prison after serving eight months of his two-and-a-half year sentence, his lawyer confirmed Thursday. Becker, a German who’s lived in Britain since 2012, is now facing deportation from the United Kingdom.
In April, Becker was convicted for illicitly transferring large amounts of money and hiding assets after declaring bankruptcy in 2017. He had already been convicted of tax evasion in Germany in 2002, which turned into a suspended prison sentence.
“Any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity,” the Home Office said in a statement, although not directly addressing Becker’s case, as reported by Reuters.
Becker’s lawyer, Christian-Oliver Moser, said in a statement published by CNN that the former tennis star “has served his sentence and is not subject to any penal restrictions in Germany.” The former star athlete has denied all the charges and said he had cooperated cooperated with the bankruptcy proceedings — even offering up his wedding ring, according to Reuters.
The 55-year-old had a successful tennis career that included six Grand Slam titles: three Wimbledon Championships, two Australian Open trophies and one US Open title. One of his Wimbledon titles came when he was only 17 years old, which made him the youngest champion in tournament history. He is also known for his success on the sideline, as he coached tennis star Novak Djokovic for three years.
Although his time in prison was short, Becker tried to stay productive by working as a classroom assistant, teaching PE theory as well as the benefits of exercise and diet, according to the German newspaper Bild. He even taught 45 inmates a special type of yoga and meditation, per Bild.
According to CBS News, Becker’s 87-year-old mother, Elvira, told a friend that her son’s release was “the best Christmas present I could hope for.”
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