Boris Becker Timeline

Boris Becker 49

1967 Boris Becker born in Leimen, West Germany Boris Franz Becker is born in Leimen, a small town near Heidelberg, to architect Karl-Heinz Becker and his wife Elvira. His father builds a tennis club — the Blau-Weiss Tennisklub — in the town, giving Boris free access to courts from infancy.
1975 Starts playing tennis aged eight Boris picks up a racquet at age eight at his father's club, showing immediate aptitude. By eleven he is competing in adult divisions, his natural aggression and serve already remarkable for his age.
1979 Drops out of school to focus on tennis At twelve, Boris leaves school in the tenth grade and is transferred into the West German Tennis Federation's training programme, where he works under principal coach Gunther Bosch.
1982 Wins German junior championship Becker wins the German junior championship, his talent now widely recognised within European tennis circles. His powerful serve and fearless net approach are already his signature weapons.
1984 Turns professional; hires Ion Tiriac as manager At sixteen Becker turns professional, signing with Romanian businessman and former tennis star Ion Tiriac as his manager — a partnership that will shape his early career trajectory decisively.
1984 Wins first professional doubles title in Munich In his debut professional year, Becker wins his first doubles title at a tournament in Munich, beginning a career that will eventually yield 49 singles and 15 doubles titles.
1985 Wins Queen's Club — first ATP singles title Becker wins his first ATP singles title at Queen's Club in London, defeating Johan Kriek in the final — a result that signals he is ready for Grand Slam competition.
1985 Youngest Wimbledon champion in history Aged 17 years and 227 days, Becker becomes the youngest man ever to win the Wimbledon singles title, the first unseeded player and the first German to do so, defeating Kevin Curren 6-3 6-7 7-6 6-4. The victory makes him an overnight sensation worldwide.
1985 Wins Grand Prix Masters — ends year on a high Becker caps his extraordinary breakthrough year by winning the Grand Prix Masters tournament, confirming his status as one of the top players in the world at just 17.
1986 Defends Wimbledon title Becker becomes the first player in 19 years to defend the Wimbledon men's singles title, defeating Ivan Lendl in the final and demonstrating that his 1985 victory was no fluke.
1986 Reaches US Open final Becker reaches the US Open final for the first time, losing to Ivan Lendl — the first of many near-misses that will ultimately yield only one US Open title. His grass-court dominance is beginning to be tested on other surfaces.
1987 Wimbledon final defeat by Pat Cash Becker reaches a third consecutive Wimbledon final but loses to Australian Pat Cash in straight sets — his first Wimbledon defeat after two consecutive titles.
1988 Olympic gold medal in doubles Playing at the Seoul Olympics, Becker wins a gold medal in doubles with partner Eric Jelen — the only Olympic gold of his career and a source of immense national pride in West Germany.
1988 Wins third Wimbledon title Becker regains the Wimbledon title, defeating Stefan Edberg in a final that becomes one of the greatest in Wimbledon history and cements a rivalry that defines the late 1980s.
1989 Wins first Australian Open Becker wins his fourth Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, defeating Ivan Lendl in the final and demonstrating his ability to win on slower surfaces as well as grass.
1989 Wins first US Open Becker wins the US Open, defeating Ivan Lendl in the final to claim his fifth Grand Slam title in five years of professional tennis — a period of dominance that marks him as one of the greatest of his generation.
1990 Becomes engaged to Barbara Feltus Becker becomes engaged to German actress and model Barbara Feltus — a high-profile relationship that makes the couple one of the most photographed in Germany.
1991 Wins ATP Tour Finals for third time Becker wins the year-end ATP Tour Finals for the third time, affirming his status as one of the best players in the world over a sustained period.
1991 Wins second Australian Open Becker wins his sixth and final Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, defeating Ivan Lendl for the fourth time in a Grand Slam final — a personal rivalry of extraordinary completeness.
1991 Reaches world number one ranking Becker reaches the pinnacle of world tennis, officially ranked number one for the first time. He spends a total of twelve weeks at the top spot — the only German man ever to hold the ranking.
1992 Wimbledon final loss to Andre Agassi Becker reaches the Wimbledon final but loses to Andre Agassi, beginning the shift in tennis power toward the Agassi-Sampras generation that gradually erodes his dominance.
1993 Marries Barbara Feltus Becker marries Barbara Feltus in a ceremony that draws enormous media attention in Germany. The couple pose nude for the magazine Stern — generating both controversy and headlines across Europe.
1994 Son Noah born Barbara gives birth to their first son, Noah, who will later become an artist and record producer.
1995 Represents Germany at Davis Cup Becker is a cornerstone of the German Davis Cup team, his patriotic commitment to representing Germany in team tennis one of the defining aspects of his public identity throughout his career.
1996 Ranked in the top 5 for eleventh consecutive year Becker finishes ranked in the top five for the eleventh consecutive year — a consistency that places him among the most durable champions in Open Era history.
1996 Wins sixth Grand Slam at Australian Open Becker wins his sixth and final Grand Slam title at the Australian Open — his second Australian Open, defeating Michael Chang in the final. He is 28 years old.
1997 Reaches Wimbledon final one last time Becker reaches the Wimbledon final for the seventh time, losing to Pete Sampras — a defeat that marks the end of his run as a genuine Grand Slam contender.
1999 Daughter Anna born from affair with Angela Ermakova Becker has a brief encounter with Russian waitress Angela Ermakova; their daughter Anna is born later that year. The story breaks publicly in 2000 and becomes one of the most discussed tabloid scandals in German sports history.
1999 Retires from professional tennis After 15 years as a professional, Becker retires from the tour at age 31. He finishes with 49 singles titles, 15 doubles titles, $25 million in career prize money and a record as one of the most decorated players of his era.
1999 Son Elias born Barbara gives birth to their second son, Elias, who will later become a model and musician.
2001 Divorce from Barbara Feltus Becker and Feltus divorce after the Anna Ermakova affair becomes public. The divorce is expensive and acrimonious, with Becker later stating that his significant career earnings were largely consumed by the settlement.
2002 Convicted of tax evasion in Germany; suspended sentence German authorities convict Becker of tax evasion — deliberately misrepresenting his place of residence to avoid German income tax. He receives a two-year suspended sentence and a €500,000 fine, escaping imprisonment.
2003 Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame Becker is inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island — an honour that places him permanently among the legends of the sport.
2004 Publishes autobiography "The Player" Becker publishes his candid autobiography, addressing his rise to stardom, his personal failings, his addiction struggles and the difficulties of managing extraordinary fame from a young age.
2007 Gains joint custody of daughter Anna Ermakova After years of legal proceedings, Becker is awarded joint custody of Anna Ermakova, publicly acknowledging their father-daughter relationship. Anna later becomes a model and television personality.
2009 Marries Sharlely "Lilly" Kerssenberg Becker marries Dutch model Sharlely Kerssenberg. The couple met at a charity event; the wedding is held in St. Moritz.
2010 Son Amadeus born Becker and Sharlely welcome a son, Amadeus. Becker is 42 years old at the time of his third child's birth.
2013 – 2016 Coaches Novak Djokovic to six Grand Slams Becker becomes Novak Djokovic's head coach in 2013, working with him for three seasons during which Djokovic wins six Grand Slam titles and 14 Masters titles — a second chapter in world tennis that rehabilitates Becker's professional reputation.
2014 – 2015 Djokovic wins Wimbledon; Becker returns to the All England Club Under Becker's coaching, Djokovic wins Wimbledon in 2014 and 2015 — an emotional return to the tournament where Becker made his name, this time in the coaches' box.
2017 Declared bankrupt in the UK A court declares Becker bankrupt following an unpaid loan of more than £3 million on his luxury estate in Mallorca. He owes creditors nearly £50 million in total — a staggering financial collapse for someone who earned $25 million in prize money alone.
2019 Divorce from Sharlely Kerssenberg Becker and his second wife Sharlely divorce after ten years of marriage, adding further personal turmoil to his difficult decade.
2022 Convicted of bankruptcy offences; sentenced to 30 months A British court convicts Becker on four counts under the Insolvency Act — concealing assets, transferring funds and hiding a property and bank loan during his 2017 bankruptcy proceedings. He is sentenced to two and a half years in prison. Judge Deborah Taylor tells him "there has been no humility."
2022 Released from prison after eight months; deported to Germany Becker is released from HMP Huntercombe under a scheme allowing foreign nationals to be repatriated before their release date. After serving eight months, he is deported to Germany. During his sentence he worked as a classroom assistant teaching PE theory to fellow inmates.
2023 Rebuilds public profile; returns to broadcasting Back in Germany, Becker begins rebuilding his life and broadcasting career, giving interviews about his prison experience and appearing on Eurosport's Australian Open coverage — his first significant television work since the conviction.
2024 Marries Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro in Portofino Becker marries his longtime partner Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro, a Portuguese woman who had stood by him throughout his trial and imprisonment, in an intimate ceremony in Portofino, Italy — a new beginning in one of Europe's most beautiful settings.
2024 Mother Elvira Becker passes away aged 89 Two months after the wedding, Becker's mother Elvira dies at the age of 89. The loss is a profound blow for Becker, who remained close to his parents throughout the turmoil of his adult life.
2025 Continues commentary and coaching consultancy Now 57, Becker works across European tennis media and has advised informally on several European touring players, including an unofficial role with German star Alexander Zverev — Germany's best player since Becker himself.
2025 Returns to Wimbledon as a pundit Becker returns to Wimbledon for the 40th anniversary of his historic 1985 triumph, working as a tennis analyst for Sky Sports after the BBC declined to re-engage him following his conviction. The 2025 anniversary generates widespread tributes to his career.
2026 A life fully lived — 58 years old At 58, Boris Becker has experienced more in one life than most could imagine — youngest Wimbledon champion, world number one, six Grand Slams, bankruptcy, prison, and a third marriage in Portofino. His legacy as one of the most charismatic and complex figures in tennis history is secure.