London (AFP)

The auction of personal trophies and souvenirs Boris Becker reported 765,000 euros, a sum intended to pay off some of its debts, said Thursday the trustee responsible for selling the assets of the former star of German tennis.

The online sale involved 82 items: medals, cups, snowshoes, watches, photographs and other personal items. Launched on June 27, the sale closed on Thursday, bringing together a total of 495 participants from 32 different nationalities.

It's a replica of the US Open silver cup made by jeweler Tiffany for his victory in 1989 over Ivan Lendl who won the highest bid (167,000 euros), said the judicial administrator, the London firm Smith & Williamson, in a statement.

According to one of its managers, Mark Ford, the amount of debts Boris Becker could reach 50 million pounds sterling (56 million euros).

The three-time Wimbledon winner, 51, was declared bankrupt in 2017. In June 2018, he had stopped the auction of his trophies and personal souvenirs at the last moment, citing alleged diplomatic status.

The former world number one then claimed to have been appointed by the president of the Central African Republic "attached" to the European Union for cultural, sports and humanitarian affairs of that country.

But the Central African administration had retorted that Becker's passport was a fake, obviously coming from a lot of "stolen virgin passports".

Becker closed the Baroque episode in December by waiving the claim of immunity before a London court specializing in insolvency cases.

The former player has already had legal setbacks for unpaid debts with the Spanish courts, concerning work in his villa in Mallorca, and with the Swiss courts, for not having paid the pastor who had married him in 2009.

In 2002, the German court had sentenced him to two years in prison suspended and 500,000 euros fine for some 1.7 million euros in back taxes.

A six-time Grand Slam champion, "Boum Boum" Becker, nicknamed for his devastating service, won 49 titles and earned more than 20 million euros in earnings during his sports career.

Today, he devotes himself to his tennis-related activities, notably that of commentator.

© 2019 AFP