NO GOING BECK
Disgraced tennis ace Boris Becker QUITS coaching role after just three months due to ‘private commitments’
Becker followed Roger Federer's former coach in quitting the world No7's team
BORIS BECKER has quit his role as head coach of Holger Rune after just three months in the position due to "private commitments".
The German, 56, returned to the tour last October for the first time since serving eight months in a UK prison for hiding assets after declaring himself bankrupt.
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The three-time former Wimbledon champion successfully coached Novak Djokovic between 2014 and 2016.
He joined Rune's team with the 20-year-old on a dismal run of six defeats in his last seven matches.
The Dane subsequently reached the semi-finals in Basel and quarter-finals in Paris, booking his place at the ATP Finals in the process.
Rune began his 2024 season by reaching the final in Brisbane, but flopped at the Australian Open by losing to Arthur Cazaux in round two.
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Following Rune's semi-final run in Montpellier last week, Becker announced his decision to quit the role.
He wrote on social media: "I would like to inform you that I will step down as the head coach of Holger Rune with immediate effect.
"We started this partnership with the initial goal to reach the ATP Finals end of last year but moving forward I realised that in order for this to be successful, I would need to be available for Holger much more than I can.
"Due to professional and private responsibilities, I can’t give Holger what he needs now.
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"I wish him only the very best and I’m always going to be his n.1 fan. I truly appreciated this journey together."
After Rune's Australian Open exit, Becker had told Eurosport: "I call him a rough diamond, you just have to shape him a little bit.
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"I was very happy we could have Severin Luthi join the team because coaching Holger is full-time for 52 weeks a year and I have other obligations so we’re going to find a way where sometimes he coaches him, sometimes I do and sometimes we do it together.
"Let’s see how it plays out."
Becker was released from prison in December 2022 after serving eight months of his two-and-a-half year sentence, and immediately deported to his homeland.
He is barred from the UK until October 2024 under the terms of his license and will not be able to attend Wimbledon this year.
Last week Roger Federer's former coach Luthi, 48, also quit Rune's team, having only joined up the week before Christmas.
The world No7's mum Aneke confirmed: "Don't want to make a big deal out of it, but the timing with Severin was clearly not right.
"It would be too few weeks for Severin to be able to cover for the continuity that Holger needs."
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Rune retired from his Montpellier semi-final clash with Borna Coric with an arm injury last week.
His injury isn't thought to be serious, however, and he is expected to return to action at UTS Oslo tomorrow.
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