Boris Becker has announced his return to the tennis circuit as coach of world number 6 Holger Rune.
The pair have had a week of training together in Monte Carlo and Becker, who coached Novak Djokovic for three years from 2013 to 2016, has now officially joined Rune’s team until the end of the season.
It marks a first high-profile role for Becker following his release from prison in Britain last December after serving eight months of a 30-month prison sentence for hiding financial assets and loans.
“I can confirm that I am Holger Rune’s coach,” Becker said in the Eurosport Germany podcast.
“It makes me a little proud that he asked me. The contact has existed for a long time. Now I really liked it.
“My schedule allows it and I have always been interested in Holger because he is on the tennis court with so much dedication and temperament.”
Rune, who previously worked with Serena Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou, is one of the hottest young talents in tennis, but the 20-year-old Dane has struggled since reaching the Wimbledon quarter-finals, winning just one of his last nine matches.
Becker will join Rune for next week’s tournament in Basel, with the main aim of ensuring he qualifies for the ATP Finals in Turin next month.
“Holger is a rough diamond that needs to be polished,” Becker said. “I love his emotional outbursts. I have coached a player before, Novak Djokovic, who was sometimes not quite himself on the court, but that’s okay.”
On whether their partnership will continue next season, Becker – who is currently banned from entering Britain – said: “There’s no point in signing a two-year contract now if you’re only going to be working together for a week.
“If it works, you usually stay together, no matter what the contract says. If not, everyone goes their separate ways.”