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The proceedings eventually led to prison time in 2022. Becker reportedly owed creditors $62.5 million, but told a London court that a majority of his career trophies—reportedly his only valuable assets—had either been sold, gifted, or “lost,” leaving him unable to hand them over. He was convicted on four charges under the Insolvency Act and released in December 2022 after serving a fast-tracked sentence.
According to the lot description, the trophy stands 14 inches tall, is made of sterling silver, and features the following inscription: “United States Tennis Association / United States Open Tennis Championship / Men’s Singles / Boris Becker / 1989.”
The starting bid was $25,000 and the trophy was expected to exceed $250,000—but when the auction closed on April 12, it far surpassed that figure to become the second-most expensive piece of tennis memorabilia ever sold.
