The legendary lawn classic runs in Wimbledon – but this year without Boris Becker. The German legend is in prison but is still omnipresent at the Grand Slam. Now his former protégé Novak Djokovic explains how he takes care of Becker’s family.
Wimbledon favorite Novak Djokovic supports the family of fallen tennis icon Boris Becker in their difficult time. “I was really happy to have his girlfriend and son Noah as guests in my first two rounds,” said the Serb after his clear second-round win over Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis (6-1, 6-4, 6-2).
Djokovic revealed: “Noah and his younger brother Elias will be visiting Boris in the coming days for the first time since he went to prison.” Becker’s eldest son Noah and his girlfriend Lily de Carvalho saw Djokovic’s victories on Monday and Wednesday in his box on Center Court. He has no direct contact with his ex-coach, “but I communicate with him through them,” said Djokovic (35 ).
He tries to “support the people around him, his closest people, his family members, because I consider Boris himself a family member who I value very much, who I respect and who I care about,” said Djokovic, who was once with Becker had experienced successful years as a coach on the tour with a total of six Grand Slam titles.
At the end of April, Becker was sentenced to two and a half years in prison at Southwark Crown Court in London, the second half of which is expected to be suspended. He had concealed assets worth millions from his insolvency administrators. Becker is now in Huntercombe prison in Nuffield, around 70 kilometers west of his adopted home of London.
“He knows and they know that they can always count on me for support or help,” said Djokovic. “Of course it breaks my heart to see what is happening to him. I can only imagine how difficult it is for his family members. It’s a small gesture of friendship to invite them,” he said. John McEnroe had previously addressed moving words to the German icon. The American had sent an emotional message to Becker via TV at the start. “Boris, we love you. We miss you, man,” said the 63-year-old as an expert during the BBC broadcast of the Grand Slam tournament.
