1984: As Boris Becker walked around his temporary residential complex in Delray Beach, Florida, sporting chunky headphones and a personality low-key enough to go unnoticed, not one person guessed how dramatically things would change just a year and a half later. To the world, he was a rookie 17-year-old who started playing just a year earlier and hadn’t completed learning his ropes. To his classmates back at home in Leimen, Germany, he was that boy who dropped out of school to move across the pond. But Boris knew he had something to prove. His father, Karl-Heinz Becker, knew his lad would succeed in doing just that.

Perhaps it was with that same belief that the dad, an architect by profession, built a tennis court in his hometown where the young boy honed his skills. And it was with that same belief he showed up to the All England Club in 1985 to cheer on his son, who ultimately changed the course of history. On July 7 forty years ago, Becker became the first unseeded player—at the time Wimbledon did not seed players beyond the Top-16—and the first German to win the Wimbledon singles title, defeating Kevin Curren 6–3, 6–7(4–7), 7–6(7–3), 6–4. He was also the youngest-ever Grand Slam singles champion at 17 years, 227 years back then. Yet, life had other plans.

A 713-214 record, six Grand Slam wins, two more Wimbledon singles title, and a No. 1 World ranking later, the world was hit was a reality they didn’t know excited: In April 2022, Becker was sentenced to a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for hiding over $4 million in assets, and “illicitly transferring large amounts of money and hiding assets after he was declared bankrupt”. While Becker was released after eight months, he was deported to Germany (not allowed to enter the UK before October 2024) after his release, missing out on a chunk of his broadcasting shenanigans.

However, as 2025 rolled by, he stayed hopeful, mostly about his return to Wimbledon. Unfortunately, that dream just hit a minor hurdle as reports confirmed that BBC had frozen him out of their coverage team, ending a two-decade collaboration that began in 2002. Still, true champions don’t stay sidelined for long, and Becker has found his voice again… This time, with Sky Sports Italy. Just yesterday, the German legend shared the news on X, confirming his return to tennis punditry during Wimbledon. “Happy to be back in the studio @SkySports in Milano and talk about @Wimbledon… A club & tournament I know very well !!!” he wrote, reigniting the familiar excitement his presence brings.

While TNT Sports overlooked him for their Wimbledon coverage, too, despite working with him during the French Open in Paris, it’s clear Becker’s insights are still in demand. His experience, candor, and connection to the tournament make him one of the most compelling voices in the game.

Speaking in April last year, Becker was open about his journey toward redemption and return. “I’m working hard with the authorities to have all the applications ready to be back for next year,” he admitted. “I miss Wimbledon. It’s part of my life. It’s in my DNA. I don’t think anyone alive knows Wimbledon as well as I do. But let’s see who I’m working for there. After October 2024, I can be given permission from the Home Office. They decide, I don’t decide.”

Meanwhile, the BBC’s star-studded commentary lineup this year includes John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, Pat Cash, Tracy Austin, Tim Henman, Annabel Croft, and Andy Stevenson. Surprisingly, Nick Kyrgios was also left off the list, signaling a broader reshuffle of familiar voices.

Now back behind the mic, Becker is sharing his perspective on the tournament he calls home. And as he reflects on that first iconic win in 1985, one thing is certain: Wimbledon has never stopped being part of Becker’s story.

Boris Becker reflects on his first Wimbledon triumph

Boris Becker’s meteoric rise began 40 years ago when, as a fearless 17-year-old, he stunned the tennis world and became the youngest male Wimbledon champion. That moment not only turned him into a national treasure in Germany but also a global icon. Yet behind the glory, the weight of expectation soon pressed hard. Reflecting ahead of the 2025 Championships a week ago, Becker shared his complex emotions from that turning point with Stern magazine.

“It was certainly meant kindly, but they almost crushed me and took away my air to breathe,” Becker expressed. “I was always a freedom-loving person, and suddenly this freedom was gone.” Even his parents, he recalled, began seeing him through a different lens. “Boy, what were you doing there? That was their attitude,” he added. Despite knowing him his whole life, they hadn’t realized the inner steel he possessed.

That steel, Becker said, became his lifeline. “I survived as a prodigy. I survived the 17-year-old Boris Becker and everything that came after that,” he declared. “I have this character trait: I survive. You can put me in the jungles of Vietnam — I’ll find a way to survive. You can put me in prison — and I’ll find a way to survive.”

That survival instinct proved crucial when Becker served time in a British prison for concealing assets during a bankruptcy case. The isolation was brutal, but he powered through. “As they say: in a serious crisis, you’re all alone. Yes, that’s how it was with me,” he admitted.

Now, as the semifinals light up the world’s biggest grass court, Wimbledon welcomes back not just a champion, but a survivor who has truly lived every beat of the game. For Becker, SW19 isn’t just grass and glory; it’s the crucible that forged him.

For more updates, check out EssentiallySports’ minute-by-minute update of the Championships on our Live Blog.