“I just pray for him,” Novak Djokovic is ‘heartbroken’ for former coach Boris Becker
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Boris Becker and Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic has expressed his sadness about former mentor Boris Becker‘s imprisonment. The three-time former Wimbledon champion was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in London this week for attempting to evade paying his debts by concealing £2.5 million in assets and loans. Following his retirement, Becker maintained a high profile as a TV commentator and as a great coach of Djokovic for three years, beginning in December 2013.
“I am just heartbroken”- Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic, speaking to reporters ahead of the Madrid Open, said, “I am just heartbroken for him. He’s a friend, a long-time friend, a coach for three, four years, someone I consider close in my life and has contributed a lot to my success in my career. I was just heartbroken. I don’t know what to say more than that. I’m not going to get into details of the verdict, because I’m not in a position to do that, but as his friend, I’m super sad for him. It’s not much that you can say.”
“I just hope he will go through this period that he has to be in jail and that when he comes out he’s, you know, being able to live his life as, I don’t know if we’ll use the word “normal,” because the life is definitely changing, I mean, for anybody going to prison, especially for that long of a time,” the 21-Grand-Slam champion added.
“So I don’t know how things will turn out for him. I just pray for him. I hope things will be well in terms of his health, his mental health because that’s going to be the most challenging part,” Djokovic concluded.
Novak Djokovic gears up for Madrid Open
Novak Djokovic is preparing for his first match at the Madrid Open in 2022, which he will play on Tuesday. On Saturday, World No. 1 was spotted hitting the practice courts with Pablo Carreno Busta. With the Spaniard, Djokovic was seen practicing his groundstrokes.
For the first time since 2019, Djokovic will compete in the Madrid Open, which he won after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4 in the final. Due to COVID-19, the event was cancelled in 2020, and the Serb decided not to compete in 2021 because he wanted to rest before Roland Garros. Djokovic will be hoping to bounce back swiftly from his setback to Andrey Rublev in the Serbia Open final. However, with the likes of Casper Ruud, Hubert Hurkacz, and Denis Shapovalov in his half of the draw, it won’t be easy.
Also Read: Watch: Novak Djokovic gets a hero’s welcome in Madrid despite anti-vaccination stand
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Pritha Ghosh
(414 Articles Published)