London — Former German tennis star Boris Becker has been declared bankrupt by a court in London after failing to pay a "substantial" long-standing debt since 2015. Laywers for the three-time Wimbledon champion pleaded with a Bankruptcy Court registrar on Wednesday to allow Becker a "last chance" to pay off the debt. But registrar Christine Derrett, who recalled watching Becker play on Centre Court, ruled there was a lack of credible evidence the outstanding payment would be forthcoming and refused to adjourn the case. "One has the impression of a man with his head in the sand," she said of the six-time major winner after making the bankruptcy order following a brief hearing. The bankruptcy application was made by private bankers Arbuthnot Latham in connection with a judgment debt owed to them by Becker dating back to 2015. The German’s lawyers had argued there was sufficient evidence to show that he would be able to pay the debt soon through a refinancing arrangement, involving re-m...
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