'Wish I had them': Boris Becker's sad bankruptcy admissison

Tennis champion Boris Becker has admitted he has no idea of the location of several of his grand slam trophies as his bankruptcy proceedings continue.

The six-time grand slam champion and former world No.1 is facing court in London having been accused of failing to return several of the trophies as part of his bankruptcy declaration in 2017.

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Having sold his properties in order to get his fanances sorted, Becker told Southwark Crown Court's jury that his efforts to track down several of the trophies had come to no avail.

Becker is on trial for a variety of charges including his failure to return nine trophies and other awards, as well as various counts of concealing property, failing to disclose estate, concealing debt and removal of property.

Telling the jury he'd return the trophies 'tomorrow' would he be able to locate them, Becker said he regretted not taking better care of the trophies he had won.

“For the player, it’s about winning the title. The trophy is not so much when you are playing,” Becker said.

“Nowadays I wish I had them to show them to my children.”

Becker's Australian Open trophies from 1991 and 1996 are among those being sought by the courts, as are 1992 Olympic gold medal and two of the three Wimbledon trophies he won.

Using his hands to demonstrate to the jury the relatively small size of the Australian Open trophies that are actually given to players to keep, Becker said the grand slam was 'a big tournament to win it, but what you keep is like this', adding that 'it is the smallest' among slams and that other players often joked about their size.

Boris Becker left 'embarrassed' by bankruptcy proceedings

Becker was working as a commentator for the BBC - along with Australian and Japanese outlets - in 2017 when his admitted to court he felt 'shocked' and 'embarrassed' working at Wimbledon having been in the news.

"As you can imagine, I was very shocked at the fact. Because it was all over world news, and I walked through the gate of Wimbledon and everyone knew," he told court.

"I was embarrassed because I was bankrupt."

The 54-year-old German said he had been seeking to pay off a more than £3 million ($AUD 5.24 million) loan from private bank Arbuthnot Latham, including through the sale of his estate in Spain.

Becker said he was struggling to earn money because of 'damaging publicity "all around the world", but said it impacted him most in Germany and the UK.

"It is very difficult when you are bankrupt and in the headlines every week for it. It is very difficult to make a lot of money with my name," he said.

Becker also admitted to court he was going through a 'stressful' time with his ex-wife.

The tennis champ recounted a story of a message he had received while commentating a Roger Federer match at Wimbledon involving his former wife Sharlely "Lilly" Becker.

The pair were living in 'separate quarters' of their rented home in London.

"My son called me saying my wife was breaking down the house - the furniture, the windows. The police came... while I was on site," he added.

The former World No.1, who was occasionally helped to give evidence by a German translator, denies 24 charges under the Insolvency Act.

With AFP

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