
Britain's Salisbury and Skupski reach third round
Britain's Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski have progressed to the third round of the men's doubles at Wimbledon.The French Open runners-up, seeded sixth at the All England Club, defeated Colombian Nicolas Barrientos and India's Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli 6-4 7-6 (9-7).They will face Argentine 12th seeds Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni for a place in the quarter-finals.But all-British pairings Sonay Kartal and Jodie Burrage, and Mimi Xu and Ella McDonald, were eliminated from the women's doubles competition.Kartal, who will face Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova for a place in the quarter-finals of the women's singles on Sunday, and team-mate Burrage lost 6-3 6-1 to Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia and Germany's Laura Siegemund.Xu and McDonald fell to Americans Sofia Kenin and Caroline Dolehide 6-2 6-3.In the mixed doubles, Marcus Willis and Alicia Barnett were beaten 7-5 6-1 by Mexican Santiago Gonzalez and Slovakia's Tereza Mihalikova.
Salisbury is a four-time major champion in men's doubles, with each of those successes coming alongside American Rajeev Ram, while Skupski triumphed at Wimbledon alongside Dutchman Wesley Koolhof two years ago.Having joined forces at this year's Australian Open, where they exited in the second round, they reached the Roland Garros final but lost out to Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos.They settled the first set with a single break of serve before prevailing in a 16-point second-set tie-break, during which they saved three set points to avoid being taken to a decider.Also in men's doubles action on Saturday are British fifth seeds Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool, who face German Hendrik Jebens and France's Albano Olivetti.

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North Wales Chronicle
12 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
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North Wales Chronicle
12 minutes ago
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Wales Online
23 minutes ago
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Wimbledon champion had to flog trophies and £9m mansion in huge fall from grace
Wimbledon champion had to flog trophies and £9m mansion in huge fall from grace Boris Becker won six Grand Slam titles and amassed a fortune of around £100m, but his reckless financial decisions and legal woes led to him being declared bankrupt Boris Becker is piecing his life back together following a period of financial and personal instability (Image: IMAGO/UPI Photo ) Boris Becker, the legendary tennis figure who claimed Wimbledon victory three times, was once an international superstar, amassing a fortune through Grand Slam triumphs and lucrative endorsements. At the height of his success, his net worth was believed to be around £100million. However, a string of poor financial choices and mounting legal issues ultimately led to his financial collapse and a stint in prison. He had to part with his prized trophies and give up his extravagant mansion in Mallorca, as his once-glamorous lifestyle disintegrated. This is the tale of Becker's dramatic downfall and his ongoing effort to recover. Becker's tennis career was remarkable by any measure. Making a sensational debut in 1985, he became Wimbledon's youngest men's singles champion at just 17 – a record that still stands. Known for his explosive serve-and-volley tactics and fierce determination, he secured six Grand Slam titles: three Wimbledon crowns (1985, 1986, 1989), two Australian Opens (1991, 1996), and one US Open (1989). His magnetic presence and style turned him into a household name, attracting multimillion-pound sponsorships. After hanging up his racket in 1999, Becker pivoted to coaching, most prominently working with Novak Djokovic between 2013 and 2016. Under his guidance, Djokovic claimed six Grand Slam championships, reinforcing Becker's status as a brilliant strategist and tennis intellect. He also became a regular voice at Wimbledon through his role as a BBC commentator, where his deep insights and personal experience made him a favourite among viewers. Article continues below Becker used to be a regular at Wimbledon, either as a coach, a commentator or a pundit (Image: Getty Images ) His downfall began in 2017 when he was declared bankrupt over an unpaid £3m loan linked to his luxurious Mallorcan villa, referred to as "The Finca." Purchased in 1997 for £500,000, the sprawling 10,000-square-foot property in Alaro came with seven bedrooms, a pool, tennis and basketball courts. Once valued at £9m, the estate became a burden. Becker spent millions refurbishing it, but by 2018 had deserted the property, which had turned into a "dilapidated ghost house" – its walls defaced with graffiti and its roof partially caved in. In 2020, Becker relinquished ownership of the home to a British bank in an effort to reduce his mounting debt, marking a significant low point. His situation worsened as he was forced to sell off his treasured tennis memorabilia – tokens of his six Grand Slam titles. Becker hit rock bottom when he was sent to prison in 2022 (Image: Getty Images ) In 2018, 82 items – including a replica of his 1985 Wimbledon trophy – were auctioned for £700,000. The sale was a stark indication of his decline, as he let go of symbols from his celebrated past to satisfy creditors. His financial problems were worsened by legal entanglements. In 2022, he was found guilty of concealing £2.5m in assets and loans to avoid repaying debts, breaching UK insolvency laws. The hidden holdings included a £1m German residence and shares in a technology company. Convicted on four counts, Becker was handed a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence. He served eight months in HMP Wandsworth and Huntercombe before being released and deported to Germany in December 2022. The court case exposed his mismanagement, as prosecutors detailed his efforts to maintain extravagance while deep in debt. His personal affairs have also seen turmoil. Married twice, Becker is a father of four from prior relationships. Just last month, at age 57, he revealed that he and his 35-year-old wife, Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro, are expecting their first child together. Becker was forced to auction off his replica trophies (Image: Getty Images ) The pair, who wed in a lavish Italian ceremony in 2022, have endured public scrutiny, but Lilian has remained a loyal partner during Becker's legal and financial troubles. Despite everything, Becker is working to rebuild. Since regaining his freedom, he has resumed his tennis broadcasting work, and his family – especially Lilian – has become the cornerstone of his rehabilitation. Nevertheless, the ruined Mallorcan property and missing trophies linger as painful symbols of his former life. Article continues below Becker's tale – from Wimbledon's youngest champion to a striking example of overindulgence – is a powerful reminder of how quickly fame and wealth can slip away. With a new baby on the horizon and his bankruptcy behind him, he now finds himself at a pivotal moment, striving to reclaim his legacy with the same intensity that once made him a legend on the court.