MEAWW.COM / NEWS / CELEBRITY NEWS

Boris Becker's 'a devil': Former tennis ace's estranged wife slams him for abandoning son Amadeus, 13

In April 2022, Boris Becker received a 30-month prison sentence for hiding $3M in assets and loans to evade paying debts after bankruptcy in 2017

BY PIYUSH ARORA

UPDATED FEB 19, 2023

Sharlely Kerssenberg, who has filed for divorce, revealed that Boris Becker has stopped paying child support (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: Sharlely Kerssenberg, the estranged wife of Boris Becker, recently broke her silence as she branded the disgraced tennis star 'a devil' who has abandoned his young son after his release from jail. The three-time Wimbledon champion, 55, was released from jail in December 2022 and was deported from the UK to his homeland of Germany.

Becker was sentenced to 30 months in prison in April 2022 for concealing £2.5 million ($3M) in assets and loans in order to avoid paying his debts after declaring bankruptcy in 2017. He had already received a suspended jail sentence after being found guilty of tax fraud in Germany in 2002. Following his release, Kerssenberg, 46, who had filed for divorce, revealed that the tennis star had stopped paying child support for their son Amadeus, 13. She also claimed that he had 'ruined his reputation' with his jail sentence.

Who is Anett Boszormenyi? Boris Becker’s comments on Marton Fucsovics’ fiancee called ‘sexist’

‘Boris doesn't care’

"Boris can be charming and loving when he wants to, but also extremely hurtful with words. A devil," Kerssenberg told the German newspaper Bild, according to Daily Mail. "Prison didn't make Boris a better person. Boris lives in a world in which everything revolves around Boris Becker. It is not my fault he went to prison. He ruined his reputation all by himself. Boris doesn't care whether we're doing well or badly. We used to have an honest love. When I started to emancipate myself in marriage, there were arguments. Also because of Boris's lies about his finances."

Former tennis player Boris Becker of Germany and his girlfriend Sharlely Kerssenberg attend the Amber Fashion Show and Auction held at the Meridien Beach Plaza on May 22, 2009 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. — Former tennis player Boris Becker of Germany and his girlfriend Sharlely Kerssenberg attend the Amber Fashion Show and Auction held at the Meridien Beach Plaza on May 22, 2009 in Monte Carlo, Monaco (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

When asked if Becker was capable of showing love, the Dutch model said, "Boris loves his children and his mother. In the form in which love is possible for him." In addition, Kerssenberg said Becker had not had contact with their son for ten days following his release from jail until Christmas Day when he spoke to the 13-year-old for just two minutes. Kerssenberg said she doesn’t even know Becker’s current postal address, which has made the divorce proceedings even more difficult. Her lawyer noted Becker "does not provide any reliable information about the current state of affairs."

German professional tennis player Boris Becker during a match at The Championships, Wimbledon, London, 1987. (Photo by Chris Cole/Getty Images) — German professional tennis player Boris Becker during a match at The Championships, Wimbledon, London, 1987 (Chris Cole/Getty Images)

‘A murderer said he wanted to kill me'

Becker spoke about his experience in jail in an interview with the German network Sat1 after his release. "I thought I was going to lose my life in Wandsworth. Someone, a murderer I later found out, wanted my coat and he wanted money and he said he would kill me if he didn't get it. Then in Huntercombe, another murderer said he wanted to kill me. My food tray was shaking," he told the station, according to DailyMail.