“He supported me, he supported my family” – Becker on Djokovic

The German described Djokovic, a 22-time Grand Slam winner whom he coached during the 2014 to 2016 seasons, as a family member

Serbia's Novak Djokovic with then coach Boris Becker during a practice session at the 2016 Australian Open

AI/Reuters/Panoramic

Haresh Ramchandani

February 20, 2023

Retired German tennis star Boris Becker has said that world No 1 Novak Djokovic supported him and his family even while the six-time Grand Slam champion was behind bars last year.

As part of a new documentary “Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker” by Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney which was showcased at the Berlin film festival, the German described Djokovic, a 22-time Grand Slam winner, whom he coached during the 2014 to 2016 seasons, as a family member.

“Novak Djokovic became a family member. You know we had a professional relationship for many years and we parted ways in 2016,” Becker said in a news conference. “But we always stayed close and especially my time inside (prison) — he supported me, he supported my family. I’m very proud that probably the greatest player of all time is part of a story of Boris Becker.

Speaking about the rivalry between Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, with both players tired at 22 Majors, Becker said, “Tennis has two kings at the moment which is great. This is why tennis at the moment is again very exciting.”

Becker spent eight months of a two-and-a-half-year jail sentence behind bars in the United Kingdom for breaking insolvency rules by hiding £2.5 million ($3.1 million) of assets and loans. He was released in December, following which he was deported back to Germany.

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