Where in the world is Boris Becker? These days the former tennis star is happily settled in Great Britain. There, he is best known as a TV commentator and for being Novak Djokovic's coach – that is, a former number 1 coaching the current number 1.
Boris and Lilly have been married for 6 years and have a son, Amadeus, together Photo: Kate Martin/HELLO! magazine
"People look at me and give me a nice nod and I like that," he tells HELLO!, in an exclusive interview. They don't make a big deal of it. They show me respect and maybe they are a little proud I have chosen this part of the world to live."
He's also earning respect as Wimbledon defending champion Novak's coach. "I'm very humbed to work with Novak," he says of the Serbian player who is set to play Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the semi-finals. "It's to do with the mental aspect and surmounting your own emotions – how you deal with pressure and expectations, how you deal with wins and losses. I lived this and, because I'm an emotional guy, I think this is my strength."
And having settled in Wimbledon, the scene of his famous men's singles title victory 30 years ago, when he was just 17, Boris lives walking distance from the All England Club with his wife of 6 years, Lilly and their son Amadeus, 5. Of course, his home is filled with pictures of his extended family: 21-year-old son Noah and 15-year-old Elias, whose mom is former wife Barbara Feltus, and daughter Anna, 15, who lives with her mother in London.
"We want more babies," says Lilly Photo: Getty Images
And do the couple have plans to expand their family? "We want more babies," says gorgeous wife Lilly, a half-Surinamese, half-German model who was based in Boris' former home of Miami when she met her future husband. "We've done pretty good with the first one and he needs siblings now."
Meanwhile, Lilly has another project – coming up with the concept of the Becker brand, initially via a lifestyle jewelery and fashion line called Becker by Becker. It's an endeavor which will involve collaborating with Boris's designer first wife, Barbara. "I don't think we will all be going on holiday together," Lilly says, "but we will work hard and do Boris' name proud."
Boris was just 17 when he won his first Wimbledon title in 1985 Photo: Getty Images
Boris, meanwhile, has written a book — Boris Becker's Wimbledon — charting his life and 30-year career. "Tennis is my first love, my big love, and writing the book was a labor of love," he says. "My win 30 years ago seemed like another lifetime until I started to put it on paper."
For the full feature and more photographs of Boris and Lilly, see issue 1386 of HELLO! now available at all Barnes & Nobles stores or for digital download!
