Boris Becker confirms new place of residence abroad: More than 600 kilometres away from home in Leimen

Boris Becker has found a new home. Together with his girlfriend Lilian, the German tennis icon now lives in Italy.

Hamburg – It was the worst time of his life, as Boris Becker has repeatedly emphasized in recent months. Now, almost exactly one year after his imprisonment, the German tennis icon is free again - and in the process of building a new life.

Boris Becker is free again: German tennis icon came out of prison early

The three-time Wimbledon champion was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in April 2022 for several offences in his bankruptcy proceedings. Since then, he has been in prison near London. Shortly before Christmas 2022, Becker finally benefited from a trial designed to ease the pressure on overcrowded British prisons and was released much earlier as a result. In the end, he spent 231 days behind bars.

Immediately after his release, Becker took off again, there were interviews and TV documentaries. In it, he repeatedly regretted his mistakes, spoke about the hardest game of his life. Always by his side: partner Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro. Becker now lives with her in Italy, as he confirmed on Wednesday during a lecture at the OMR digital festival in Hamburg.

Boris Becker confirms new place of residence abroad: More than 600 kilometres from his home town of Leimen

"There is a lot of speculation in the public. Where did he go? Does he sleep with friends? No, I moved to Italy," he said. Previously, Bild had already reported that Becker lived in Milan with his partner Lilian, who had also accompanied him to the fair.

His girlfriend was Italian, she wanted to live in her home country again, Becker continued. "My mother used to say the clever phrase 'Happy Wife, Happy Life' and I guess I've misunderstood that all these years," Becker said with a laugh. He now wants to do better. Becker now travels a little more than 600 kilometres from Milan to his birthplace of Leimen in Baden-Württemberg.

An eventful week for Boris Becker and his partner Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro: On Monday they were guests in Paris, on Wednesday in Hamburg. © PanoramiC / Imago

Boris Becker: Dolce Vita instead of fish and chips

Becker had lived in his adopted home of Great Britain until his conviction and is considered an absolute fan of the island. At the moment, however, there is no way back, there is still an entry ban for the tennis hero. Then it's Italy – Dolce Vita instead of fish and chips. And AC or Inter Milan instead of Chelsea, Arsenal or West Ham United. Becker is a big football fan and should also be able to experience exciting stadium visits in Lombardy. Currently, the two big Milan clubs face each other in the Champions League semi-finals.

In a major TV appearance on Sat.1 a few days after his dismissal, Becker had already hinted at a future abroad. In Hamburg, he spoke again about his seven-month imprisonment. "Prison was my worst defeat, which I don't wish on my worst enemy, but I survived that too," he said.

Boris Becker sees himself "on the right track" after private insolvency

In the meantime, he is "powerfully looking ahead," says the three-time Wimbledon winner. He also criticized the media's handling of his person. "It's a phenomenon that third parties always talk about me, but I don't get a chance to speak myself," Becker said. He also expressed confidence that he would soon be able to put his private bankruptcy behind him. "We are on the right track. And it's not just up to me, but also to the insolvency administrator, where we meet, what is still outstanding." But it is manageable and he hopes to be able to publish good news in this regard soon.

He has ways and opportunities to shape his life financially, Becker said, emphasizing: "I'm out of the woods." His partners had also stood by him during his months-long prison stay. "And they are now waiting for me to be able to go back to the Bütt. Whether it's the TV stations or the sponsors." From May 22, Becker wants to report on the French Open again as a TV expert for Eurosport.

Boris Becker about to make a comeback at the German Tennis Association?

Former Davis Cup team boss Becker also spoke with OMR Managing Director Philipp Westermeyer about a possible return to the German Tennis Federation (DTB) at the end of the digital festival: "The association wants me to take up a role again. The question is: Do I want this? Can I do that?" said Becker. He also brought former Wimbledon champions Steffi Graf and Michael Stich into play. "If the three of us could play a role, then the chance of winning is simply higher than if I were to do it alone," Becker said. (AKL/DPA/SID)