Six-time grand slam winner, Boris Becker auctions trophies to pay off debts

Trophies and personal souvenirs belonging to German tennis star Boris Becker will be auctioned online from Monday by British firm Wyles Hardy to partially clear bankrupt champion's debts.

youngest winner in Wimbledon's history, who claimed first of three titles d just 17, is auctioning off 82 items including medals, cups, watches, and photographs.

sale will end on July 11, Wyles Hardy said on its website.

Some of trophies up for grabs include a replica of a Challenge Cup awarded to Becker following one of his Wimbledon wins, and three-quarter size replica of Renshaw Cup presented after he became youngest ever Grand Slam singles champion.

His Wimbledon finalist medal from 1990, when he was beaten by Swede Stefan Edberg, and a replica of US Open silver cup me by jeweller Tiffany for his 1989 victory over Ivan Lendl, will also be included in sale.

indebted 51-year-old champion was declared bankrupt in 2017.

In June 2018, he claimed he h diplomatic status and refore immunity, thus stopping sale of his trophies and personal souvenirs at last minute.

former world number one claimed that he h been appointed by President of Central African Republic as a sporting, cultural and humanitarian "attache" to European Union.

But Central African Ministry of Foreign Affairs replied that passport brandished by Becker was a fake one, coming from a batch of "blank passports stolen in 2014".

'Very substantial bids' 

Becker finally ended this bizarre episode in December by waiving his right to immunity in a London court specializing in insolvency cases, leing auction house to put trophies back on market.

first attempt "attracted very substantial bids," Mark Ford, one of three trustees of Becker's bankruptcy estate, said in a statement.

However, sales will t be eugh to cover debts valued at millions of pounds. Becker has alrey h legal difficulties with Spanish courts over unpaid debts for work carried out on his villa in Mallorca.

pastor who married him in 2009 also took him to court in Switzerland and German courts in 2002 gave him a two-year suspended sentence and a fine of 500,000 euros ($570,000) over 1.7 million euros in unpaid taxes.

six-time Grand Slam winner, nicknamed "Boom Boom" Becker for his devastating serve, won 49 titles and more than 20 million euros in prize money during his career.

He w focuses on his tennis activities, particularly commentating, as he attempts to use his fame to wipe out his debts.