Boris Becker: Rise and Fall | ITV documentary on Wimbledon great continues this week, how to catch up?

Considered one of the greatest tennis players to grace the grass courts of Wimbledon during the open era, ITV’s exploration into the rise and fall of former champion Boris Becker continues this week, with “Boris Becker: Rise and Fall” charting the significant events that led to the legend’s meteoric fall from grace in the Tennis community.

Becker burst onto the Tennis scene as a teenager in 1985, becoming the youngest Wimbledon champion at just 17 years old, captivating the world with his powerful serve-and-volley style. His dominance continued, securing the Wimbledon title twice more in 1986 and 1989, solidifying his status as a tennis legend. 

However, as the series discovers, despite his on-court success, Becker's post-tennis life has been marred by turmoil. Financial mismanagement, including bankruptcy proceedings, and personal challenges have overshadowed his once-illustrious career, marking a stark contrast to his glory days on the Wimbledon courts.

With a repeat screening this evening of the first episode that premiered on the broadcaster last week (and available to stream on ITVX on demand), the second part of this two-episode series picks up after an expensive Miami divorce from his first wife following revelations that he had fathered a child outside the marriage marks the start of Becker's financial decline.

In the latest episode, two divorce attorneys, several women who were involved with Becker, including his estranged second wife Sharlely, and the prosecutor who handled his case for concealing more than two million pounds in assets were interviewed. Becker was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, but he was released after only seven months and deported to Germany.

How many times has Boris Becker been married?

Boris Becker has been married twice. His first marriage was to Barbara Feltus in December 1993, which ended in divorce in 2001. He then married Sharlely “Lilly” Kerssenberg (formerly Lilly Becker) in June 2009, but they finalized their divorce in 2018.

What time is “Boris Becker: Rise and Fall” on ITV One this week?

The second episode of “Boris Becker: Rise and Fall” airs on ITV One on Tuesday February 13 2024 at 9pm, with the first episode repeated this evening (February 12) at 10:45pm. Both episodes will be available for catch-up on ITVX after broadcasting on the network.