Boris Becker Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What Is Boris Becker’s Net Worth, Salary, and Career Earnings?

Boris Becker, a former professional tennis player from Germany and current coach, holds a net worth of $200 thousand. He achieved remarkable success in tennis within a very brief period. At just 17 years old, he clinched the Wimbledon title in 1985, making him the youngest champion in the history of the tournament. He quickly rose to the number one global ranking, amassing six Grand Slam titles throughout his career, which included three Wimbledon victories, a U.S. Open, and two Australian Open titles. After retiring from playing in 1999, Becker transitioned to coaching and mentored future tennis stars like Novak Djokovic.

Becker disclosed that during his pro tennis career, he earned approximately $50 million, equivalent to about $120 million today when adjusted for inflation, as mentioned during a bankruptcy case in 2022.

Despite his significant financial achievements, Becker faced numerous financial and legal challenges later in life. In 2017, he initiated a legal battle with a British bankruptcy court, which extended into 2022.

A London court sentenced Becker to 2.5 years in prison on April 28, 2022, for concealing assets throughout his bankruptcy proceedings. More details regarding this case will be covered later in the article.

In December 2022, a German production company named Simon paid Becker $530,000 for the first interview rights after his release from prison.

Early Life

Boris Franz Becker was born on November 22, 1967, in Leimen, West Germany. Raised in the Catholic faith, he learned tennis at a center in Leimen established by his father. He displayed exceptional talent at an early age.

Career

Becker turned professional in 1984 and secured his initial professional doubles title that same year. In 1985, he became the first unseeded player to win Wimbledon’s singles title. Following this, he had a series of impressive wins, defending his Wimbledon title the subsequent year and developing a fierce rivalry with Stefan Edberg.

By the mid-1990s, financial and personal issues began to hinder his career. He retired in 1995 after a close finish at the Monte Carlo Open. Over his professional career, Becker amassed 49 singles titles and 15 doubles titles but never won on clay, favoring grass surfaces instead.

Career Earnings

Throughout his career, Becker earned $50 million from salaries and endorsements, with around $25 million coming from tournament winnings. When adjusted for inflation, this $50 million holds the same value as approximately $120 million today.

Relationships

Boris wed model Barbara Feltus in 1993 while she was pregnant; they welcomed their first child in 1994 and had a second child in 1999.

In the year 2000, Boris initiated a request for separation. Gratefully, Barbara chose not to pursue the prenuptial agreement, which spared Becker from an initial payout of $2.5 million.

Nevertheless, she subsequently filed a lawsuit against him and secured a significantly larger settlement. It was later disclosed that he had another child during their marriage, leading him to gain joint custody after a DNA test confirmed his paternity. In 2009, Boris entered into marriage with another model, Sharlely Kerssenberg. They welcomed a child together before separating in 2018. Reports surfaced in 2019 indicating that Becker was romantically involved with yet another model.

Post-Playing Ventures

In 2000, Becker founded Volkl Inc., which specializes in clothing and tennis rackets. He went on to publish an autobiography and participated in advisory roles for numerous sports organizations, including the German Tennis Federation and Bayern Munich Football Club. Additionally, he took up poker and has enjoyed success in various tournaments.

Bankruptcy and Sentencing

A British judge began bankruptcy proceedings against Becker in 2017. The judgment regarding debt was issued against Boris in October 2015. Although the exact amount owed by Becker was kept confidential, it was described as significant; some reports indicated it to be $14 million. Hand-Dieter Cleven, his business adviser, asserted that he was owed $41 million.

Becker maintained that he was capable of settling the debt. Unfortunately, this was not the first time he faced financial difficulties.

He reportedly had to pay out millions to his first wife, Barbara, as well as to a Russian model named Angela Ermakova, with whom he fathered a child after a brief encounter in a London nightclub in 1999. In June 2018, Boris stunned the public by claiming he had diplomatic immunity from all lawsuits, citing his appointment as a diplomat by the Central African Republic (CAR). It was later unveiled that this assertion was entirely fraudulent and that Becker’s CAR passport was among a collection that had previously been reported stolen.

In 2020, Becker was charged with not surrendering his Wimbledon trophies while liquidating his assets amid bankruptcy proceedings. Failing to adhere to bankruptcy rules and not disclosing asset information is a serious crime, and he faced criminal charges. He pleaded not guilty to all allegations made against him. This incident coincided with accusations that he had concealed over 1 million pounds by moving funds across various bank accounts.

Eventually, Becker’s assortment of sports memorabilia was auctioned off, generating $860,000 to assist in repaying his debts. Furthermore, his bankruptcy restrictions were extended until 2031 after it was determined that he was allegedly concealing assets and transactions amounting to 4.5 million pounds.

Real Estate

During the 1990s, a magnificent 60-acre estate in Mallorca was purchased by Boris Becker. At its zenith, the villa’s value soared to 9.4 million pounds.

He placed the 31,000-square-foot residence on the market for 13 million pounds in 2007. Despite Becker’s efforts to sell his long-neglected Mallorcan estate in order to settle his debts, he faced repeated obstacles from several squatters who moved in during 2018. The squatters expressed their intention to remain indefinitely, with some even suggesting they would transform the property into “Neverland” inspired by Peter Pan.

Sadly, just a decade earlier, Becker’s property was brimming with remarkable possibilities. It boasted 12 bedrooms, a gym, a swimming pool, a basketball court, a tennis court, and horse stables. Unfortunately, all these amenities were trashed by the squatters within a surprisingly short period. Additionally, they took all valuable furniture and anything else that wasn’t secured. The damage to the pool was particularly severe after one squatter attempted to harness solar panels for its operation. Reports in 2020 indicated that the squatters had been removed after allegations emerged that they were filming pornographic content inside the property.

In November 2020, to clear his debt, Boris transferred ownership of his Mallorcan villa to the British private bank Arbuthnot Latham.