Gym’ll fix it for Boris

BORIS Becker could become a prison gym instructor, according to a former governor of the London prison he is occupying after he was handed a 30-month prison sentence for hiding millions of pounds in assets to avoid bankruptcy debts.

The German began his induction period at Her Majesty’s Prison Wandsworth in south London nine days ago – the prison is a six-minute taxi ride from his old stomping ground at Wimbledon.

Becker would have spent the first 10 days in the induction wing before being released into the prison’s general population.

It then takes about six weeks of good behaviour before inmates are allowed any coveted working roles.

The jail’s former governor, Jerry Petherick, told the London Sun newspaper he believed Becker could be lined up to become the prison’s gym instructor.

“Gyms are very popular in prisons. It’s a job a lot of prisoners want,” Mr Petherick said.

Becker could also be moved within weeks to a low grade ‘open’ prison for non-violent crimes, wher ehe is expected to serve about half his sentence before being released on licence.

But he could then face deportation from the UK because he does not hold British citizenship.

Foreign nationals serving prison sentences longer than 12 months are often deported ‘at the earliest opportunity’ as it is deemed ‘conducive to the public good’, according to the British Home Office.

Becker, 54, has lived in West London since 2012 but never got around to applying for citizenship, despite stating his intention to do so seven years ago.

NICK Kyrgios has spoken this week about a dark time in his life in 2019, when amid depression, he abused himself on alcohol, and stings and even cut himself in frustration and anger.

“In 2019 I experienced a very serious and really worrying moment. At some point I suffered from self-harm, the people around me worried about me, but I isolated myself from everyone,: he told Australia’s Wide World off Sport.

“I didn’t listen to anyone and I abused alcohol and drugs, it was a difficult time.

“Fortunately, I’m fine now, I don’t drink as much as I used to and I tend to drink at most one glass of wine at dinner. I have much healthier habits, I tend to train a little more, I eat a good diet and I have to say that the pandemic has helped me in a way!”

Kyrgios then spoke of the criticisms received from the tennis world over his court antics: “At one point they treated me like a madman and didn’t respect me, I felt useless and I hated my whole life,” he said.

“I cut myself and went through one of the darkest moments of my life. Fortunately, what does not kill strengthens.”

ANDY Murray has reportedly teamed up with former Chelsea Football Club doctor Eva Carneiro in a bid to extend his career.

The former world No 1 has struggled with injuries after hip surgery. There had been rumours that Murray was planning to retire.

But the former world No.1, now almost 35, has entrusted his revival with the ex-Chelsea medico, 48, who worked for the Premier League side between 2009 and 2015.

IS this the changing of the guard moment as Alcaraz beats Nadal on the Madrid clay.

“Of course it’s a handover,” Nadal said.

“If it’s today or not, we will see the next months. I’m happy in that regard. He has been better than me in several aspects of the match and several aspects of the game, and I need to improve.

“I have a chronic foot injury which has no treatment. That’s part of my life.”

And of the young gun? This is what Rafa had to say: “He doesn’t have to look up to me any longer; he is now the star and he is already doing impressive things.”

STAYING in Spain, six players have been given bans after they were convicted of match-fixing.

The players were convicted in Spain as part of an ongoing case involving organised crime and all six pleaded guilty and were given two-year suspended prison sentences.

Marc Fornell-Mestres, Jorge Marse-Vidri, Carlos Ortega, Jaime Ortega, Marcos Torralbo and Pedro Bernabe Franco were each fined 450 euros by the court.

The bans from tennis range from seven to 22 years.

The ITIA also fined the players, with Fornell-Mestres fined 250,000 euros of which 200,000 euros was suspended, and Marse-Vidri fined 15,000 euros with 5,000 euros suspended.

SERENA Williams revealed on TV last week she enrolled her daughter Olympia for tennis lessons, but didn’t tell the coach she was the mother of the child.

“I don’t have the patience to teach tennis,” Serena told Ellen Degeneres.

“It’s so weird but I don’t really like to play with people who don’t know how to play tennis well … it drives me nuts.”

“So you enrolled her in tennis classes with a coach, but you did not tell the coach that you were the mother of that child. That is just cruel,” the host joked.

Serena did admit that the woman she hired did had her suspicions.

She said that while the teacher was in a class with the toddler, Serena went on her Instagram account to tell her followers she was enrolling Olympia in tennis classes.

Serena then revealed: “The lady followed me, so she was like, ‘It could be me,’ so she didn’t know it was gonna be her but she was like, ‘I must be in the running of that.’ She kind of had a feeling about it.”

Fans on her IG account responded with: “I’d be a ball of nerves trying to teach that baby,” and “No pressure coach … no pressure.”

WORLD No. 11 Emma Raducanu has revealed she is still suffering from a back injury after she lost to Anhelina Kalinina in Madrid last week.

“I would have given myself a five per cent chance of winning that match, and for it to almost happen, I think that was a positive thing,” Raducanu said.

“I was kind of struggling a bit with my back, to be honest.

Throughout the week I have been carrying some niggles, and it’s kind of just taking its toll, all of the matches at this kind of level. “I think that’s a good thing that I feel like I’m going through this and my body is building with each match I play”.

Raducanu could skip Rome which starts next week.

“I’m not sure what I will do yet, whether I will go home yet or straight to Rome. The plan right now is to still go to Rome,” Raducanu said.

“I’m not sure when I start. Maybe Monday or Tuesday. I hope it’s enough time because it would be a real shame to miss it.”

THE prize money pool for this year’s French Open will be increased by about 6.8 per cent compared to pre-pandemic prize pools of 2019.

A total of 43.6 million euros ($46 million) will be distributed by the French Tennis Federation with the biggest increase in first round matches.

Those participating in the first round will receive 62,000 euros (a 35 per cent increase compared to 2019 and a 3 per cent increase on what was offered last year during Covid restrictions).

“The increase in prize money for the first round of the singles main draws and the qualifying competitions is designed to help the players who have suffered the most as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic,” the FFT said.

This year’s singles champions will each take home €2.2M, slightly down on the €2.3M that was offered in 2019.

This year’s French Open main draw will get underway on May 22.

2022 French Open Prize money breakdown

Champion €2.2M
Runner-up €1.1M
Semi-finals €600,000
Quarter-finals €380,000
Round 4 €220,000
Round 3 €125,800
Round 2 €86,000
Round 1 €62,000
Qualifying – R3 €31,000
Qualifying – R2 €20,000
Qualifying – R1 €14,000

AND when will the draw take place?

The tournament will see 128 men and 128 women placed in the singles draws.

Both singles draws at the French Open consist of 104 direct entries, 16 qualifiers and eight wild cards.

The 2022 draw is expected to take place on May 19. The women’s singles final will be played on June 4 with the men’s final a day later on June 5.