Boris Becker to make commentary return at Australian Open after prison release
Just a month after being released from prison disgraced tennis star Boris Becker will return to commentary work at the first Grand Slam tournament of the season.
The Australian Open begins on January 16 and Becker will return to punditry work as part of German Eurosport 's commentary team. Becker won the Australian Open in 1991 and '96 but the Daily Mail report that his criminal record will prevent Becker from travelling to Melbourne for the tournament.
Instead it's believed that Becker will work from Eurosport's TV studio in Munich and is expected to pick up £250,000 for the work. Becker will co-commentate on the crunch matches and present a 'Matchball Becker' analysis programme twice a day.
Eurosport's senior manager for sport, Jochen Gundel, said: "Boris has been an integral part of the tennis broadcast on Eurosport since 2017 and has received an incredible amount of recognition and encouragement in this role, inspiring tennis fans with his analysis and insights, even receiving a German TV award for it in 2018."
The three-time Wimbledon winner was sentenced in April to two-and-a-half-years in jail, after being found guilty of four charges under the Insolvency Act. Becker was jailed for concealing £2.5million worth of assets after being declared bankrupt in 2017.
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Eurosport state that Boris Becker has been an integral part of part of their tennis coverage since 2017The tennis star, who had lived in the UK since 2012, had been expected to serve half of his sentence. However, the 55-year-old qualified for automatic deportation due to being a foreign national who didn't have British citizenship.
The 'fast track' release scheme helps relieve pressure on Britain's prisons, but now Becker is banned from returning to the UK until his full sentence has expired.
Despite Eurosport hiring Becker to form part of their Eurosport coverage it is believed the German will be axed from this year's Wimbledon coverage.
Tennis commentator Boris Becker (right) is set to be axed from the BBC's coverage of Wimbledon this summer (MDM)A source told the Sun newspaper : "His services are no longer required at Wimbledon, his favourite gig. It’s understood his team haven’t been told so he’s sure to be gutted. But he can’t get back into the UK, so covering it wouldn’t be easy.”
Following his release from prison Becker was paid a reported £435,000 for the exclusive interview with German television station Sat TV, when he revealed his prison hell including having death threats from murderers
As part of a New Year's Eve video message to fans Becker said: "I call this the most difficult year of my life. But it's done, it's dusted. I came out alive - I think I came out stronger. I think my mental health is better than ever.”
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