Becker’s US Open trophy sets auction record

The 1989 U.S. Open trophy won by Boris Becker sold for $357,456 at auction, setting a record for a Grand Slam winner’s trophy.

ESPN reported Monday that the sale ranks as the second-highest price ever paid for a tennis item at auction. Major tournament trophies rarely appear on the market, and this marks the first known sale of a Grand Slam trophy from the Open Era, which began in 1968.

The trophy also carries historical significance. Becker defeated Ivan Lendl in the final to become the first German to win the U.S. Open.

A six-time Grand Slam champion, Becker put the trophy up for auction after declaring bankruptcy in 2017. He earned more than $170 million during his playing career but later faced financial difficulties tied to a lavish lifestyle, two divorces and failed business ventures.

The highest price for a tennis item at auction remains the racket used by Novak Djokovic in the 2012 Australian Open final, which sold for $540,000. Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in a five-hour, 53-minute match, the longest Grand Slam final on record.


Bo-Mi Im bom@donga.com