EVERYONE was looking forward to this boom-boom interview!
Ex-Tennis Legend Boris Becker (55) joined on Wednesday evening OMR-Festival in Hamburg in front of decision-makers and employees in the digital and media industry. His talk? A highlight during the XXL trade fair with around 70,000 visitors.
Becker entered the main stage at around 6.20 p.m. to applause and spoke to OMR founder Philipp Westermeyer and a journalist.
Boris Becker with girlfriend Lilian on Tuesday on the way to the OMR 100 dinner in Hamburg
Becker seemed calm during the interview and allowed his interviewer the “Du”. Around 1000 fans, critics and marketing experts in the well-filled hall saw that after his release from prison, Becker almost looks like the old man again.
During his performance, the former tennis hero confirmed the news that BILD reported exclusively: The tennis hero secretly left Germany and now lives in Italy.
Most recently he lived in Stuttgart in the apartment of a friend and business partner. As BILD also reported, he was drawn to Milan with his partner Lilian.
About his decision to leave Germany, he says on the OMR: “I moved to Italy. My girlfriend is Italian – and I practically moved to her home country. My mother always said: ‘Happy wife, happy life.’ I didn’t understand that for years, but I’ll do better now.” Becker continues: “I’ve learned to listen.”
He wouldn’t have any adjustment problems. Becker jokes: “The Italians like my lifestyle.” Apart from Germany, he is also very well known in Italy, which is “both a blessing and a curse.”
During the hour-long performance, Becker also talked about how chess gave him the Time in prison made it easier: “I’ve always played a lot of chess to bridge the rain breaks in tennis. That was good for me in prison,” reveals Becker.
Becker in London on the way to court with girlfriend Lilian and son Noah
what does he mean with that? “You always have to bridge the time. At one point I was the best in my prison wing. By the way, the best one was called Ballack.”
The prisoners therefore trusted him because of his good chess skills, and he had become an “advocate for the prisoners”. “Because of my success in chess, I got a position in prison that made my life there easier.”
Boris’ girlfriend Lilian watched in the audience and listened to his hour-long speech
Becker also emphasized that he had learned his lessons from his time in England prison: “If you don’t feel remorse, don’t deal hard with yourself, then you haven’t learned anything. That’s what prison teaches you. You are alone in the cell for 18 to 20 hours.”
Becker goes on to say: “I can’t blame anyone, even if I was given the wrong advice.” He pleads guilty alone! But Becker doesn’t want to give up: “Everyone can fall, but the secret is to get up again.” There was applause for that.
Boris Becker and Lillian de Cavallo (she was born in Italy9 on the red carpet of the Berlinale 2023
Funniest moment: When asked where Becker was coming from in the direction of Hamburg, the tennis legend stuttered at the beginning of his speech. “Yeah, where was I just now” Small pause for thought. “Not from London.” Again a pause for thought. “I was in Paris at the weekend.”
︎ Becker traveled from Paris with his girlfriend Lillian de Cavallo for his performance at the OMR Festival, where he took part in the “Laureus” gala on Monday.
Boris Becker (right) in conversation with OMR founder Philipp Westermeyer
And what is the native of Leimen planning for the future?
Boris: “I want to end my private bankruptcy as soon as possible. It’s not just me, it’s the insolvency administrator’s fault. It’s not much anymore, it’s manageable. I hope to announce good news soon.” And further: “I’m out of the rough with my private bankruptcy.” So you don’t have to worry about him financially.
Becker burns with zest for action: “I have understood how the Boris Becker brand works, nationally and internationally.”
Becker at his appearance at the OMR in Hamburg. He spoke for about an hour
Before his stage performance, Becker accepted the invitation from organizer Philipp Westermeyer to the exclusive OMR 100 dinner in the starred restaurant Nikkei Nine in Hamburg on Tuesday evening. In addition to sponsors and partners, the 100 most important guests at the marketing fair also included Katja Krasavice (26), “Lion’s Den” investor Carsten Maschmeyer (64) and Robert Geiss (59).
