Boris Becker returns to tennis to coach 'diamond in the rough' Holger Rune

Boris Becker has returned as a tennis coach after spending several years away from the game. He has taken over the coaching duties for up-and-coming Danish tennis player Holger Rune.

The collaboration was officially confirmed in the Eurosport podcast 'Das Gelbe vom Ball', and Becker will be alongside the 20-year-old talent for the first time at the ATP tournament in Basel.

This decision marks Becker's return to the coaching role after his time as a TV pundit and his previous successful collaboration with Novak Djokovic between 2013 and 2016. It's also his first key position since he was released from prison in December 2022.

The tennis world was unsure if Becker would ever return to coaching, but the six-time Grand Slam champion might have a point to prove after a tumultuous few years, which included him spending eight months in prison after he was found guilty of hiding £2.5m of assets and loans to avoid paying his debts in 2022.

Becker had been living in the UK since 2012 but was deported from the country following his release. He will not be able to apply to enter the UK for at least 10 years – a bitter pill for the former BBC commentator to swallow. But it seems as though Becker is moving on and enjoying his life and prospects once again.

Holger Rune, who is currently ranked sixth in the ATP world rankings, has recently lost performance due to poor form and recurring injuries.

Because of back problems, he suffered one defeat after another. Therefore, the decision to bring Becker on board as coach seems to be an attempt to regain his form. Becker will primarily serve as a mentor to Rune, helping him deal with the pressure and expectations that come with his young age and rapid rise.

Rune is known for his emotional outbursts on the pitch and Becker's role will be to help the young star keep his cool in the big moments.

He shares some parallels with his new coach, as he is also considered an up-and-coming tennis talent. And Becker too was known for being something of a hot head on the court back in his playing days, so we should think he would have some key advice to pass on.

It's an interesting choice for Becker as Rune has a divisive reputation on the court, with some pundits put off by some of his behavioral issues.

When he makes mistakes, he has been known to start shouting abuse towards his mother Aneke, who is always present, and even once sent her off from the stands.

Becker has a unique understanding of the challenges a player faces, having experienced them himself at the age of 17 when he became Wimbledon champion.

Both sides have already met in Monte Carlo for a week of training and have come to the conclusion that their cooperation is promising.

Rune, described as a “diamond in the rough,” needs the necessary polish to reach its full potential, according to Becker.

Regarding the duration of the collaboration and future plans, Becker and Rune will make a joint decision after the upcoming tournaments, including Basel and Paris.

This cooperation offers Rune the chance to overcome his dip in form and successfully return to the tennis stage.

Becker himself also seems to be very happy that the young tennis star came back to him. He even told Eurosport: “It makes me a little proud that he asked me.”