Express & Star

Boris Becker bankruptcy auction set for June

The three-time Wimbledon champion initially tried to block the sale by claiming diplomatic immunity.

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Boris Becker

Trophies and memorabilia from Boris Becker’s illustrious tennis career will be sold in June after the first planned auction was blocked by the three-time Wimbledon champion.

The 82-lot collection was initially advertised last year after the German star, 51, was declared bankrupt, but the sale in June was halted when he claimed diplomatic immunity.

He then dropped the claim in December and auctioneer Wyles Hardy & Co announced on Tuesday that a timed auction will run from June 24 to July 11.

Boris Becker auction
A selection of the lots to be included in the auction (Wyles Hardy & Co/PA)

Pieces include a certificate commemorating Becker’s men’s doubles gold medal win with Michael Stich in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and a lot containing a sweater, wristbands and socks.

A watch given to Becker by Novak Djokovic and a US Open trophy awarded for his victory over Ivan Lendl in 1989 are also among the lots, which could fetch upwards of £200,000.

The first planned sale was postponed after Becker argued that his appointment by the Central African Republic as a sporting, cultural and humanitarian attache to the European Union meant he could not be subjected to legal proceedings.

A statement from Mark Ford, a trustee of Becker’s bankruptcy estate, said: “We are pleased that the auction can now be resumed as these assets are one of the few remaining assets of the bankruptcy, and we anticipate declaring a dividend to creditors later this year.

“We hope and expect the sale will create the same level of excitement as it did last year, as this is a rare opportunity for tennis fans to acquire memorabilia of this kind.”

Boris Becker
Boris Becker tried to block the sale (Aaron Chown/PA)

Referring to the initial auction, he added: “We concluded that Mr Becker’s application in June 2018 for an injunction to prevent the auction, and the associated publicity that it generated, may have deflated potential realisations of the trophies and memorabilia.

“Our view was that bidders may have experienced uncertainty resulting from the claims asserted by Mr Becker in support of his application.

“The auction had attracted very substantial bids and, in our experience, had it not been for Mr Becker’s intervention, last-minute bids would have significantly increased the return for his creditors.”

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