Google News Novak Djokovic on Boris Becker's sentence: "My heart is broken"
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Novak Djokovic did not have an easy start to the season, thanks to his choice not to get vaccinated against the Coronavirus. The world number 1 was unable to defend his title at the Australian Open, as well as suffering serious damage to his image.
Due to strict US regulations, the Serbian champion also had to give up the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells and Miami. The 20-time Grand Slam champion has only competed in the Atp 500 in Dubai, the Masters 1000 in Monte Carlo and the ATP 250 in Belgrade so far.
Nole, who has shown a rather precarious state of form, will try to reach 100% at Roland Garros. The 34-year-old from Belgrade will use the Madrid and Rome tournaments as his final tests ahead of Paris, where he will be called upon to defend the title he won last year.
In the traditional press conference before the start of the Mutua Madrid Open, Djokovic was asked to comment on the sad story involving his former coach Boris Becker. The German was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for hiding assets and wealth, avoiding collaborating with the bankruptcy trustee.
The three-time Wimbledon champion will have to serve at least half of his sentence in prison. "My heart is broken. Boris Becker and I have known each other for a long time and are friends, as well as being my coach for 3-4 years.
He has personally contributed to my success. I'm really sad about what happened to him, I can't say more. I will not go into the details of the story, because I am not in a position to do so. As a friend of him, I am very heartbroken.
I think there is nothing else to add." The Serbian champion hopes that Boris will be able to resist: “I don't know how things will go for him. I hope he takes care of his mental health, because that will be the hardest part."
What happened to Boris Becker
The former world number one had been accused of bankruptcy by the London court, the Bankruptcy Court, due to a heavy debt (about 6 million euros, ed.) That he was no longer able to pay.
The case involved a debt contracted by Becker years ago to the private bank Arbuthnot Latham & Co and other lenders. Attempts to pay off the debt by mortgaging various real estate properties, in particular one in Mallorca, proved useless.
Becker was unable to pay the repayment plan installments to the lenders, who obviously decided to sue him. The trial against Boris Becker began on 21 March; a trial that definitively sentenced him to two and a half years in prison.
Becker actually faced up to seven years in prison. The Southwark judge has in fact decided to inflict 30 months in prison on Becker. The German will serve half the sentence in prison and the remaining period of detention under a semi-release regime.