Former Wimbledon champion Boris Becker has revealed that his estranged wife has banned him from using the nickname ‘Lilly’ he made up for her.
The former Wimbledon champ – freed from jail after eight months behind bars for fraud – came up with the pet name when they were a couple.
Now – he has revealed in a TV interview – she insists that he must call her by her real name, Sharlely.
The 55-year-old shamed star told Sat1 host Steven Gaetjen, 50, in an interview that his relationship with his estranged wife Lilly, 46, can be difficult.
It was Becker’s first public appearance since he was jailed in HM Prison Huntercombe in Oxfordshire.
But he then shocked the host after he revealed that the 46-year-old Dutch model had banned him from using the nickname ‘Lilly’.
The couple split up after nine years of marriage in 2018, but technically are still married and have a 12-year-old son named Amadeus.
Boris explained: “Sharlely – I call her by her real name.
“She asked me not to call her Lilly anymore. Because that was a name I made up. It was then adopted by the German public.”
He went on: “We have a difficult relationship. And I didn’t want to put too much pressure on either Amadeus or Sharlely.
“I’m grateful to her for giving me Amadeus. But… I’m not the type to talk negatively about a relationship or an estranged wife right now.
“A gentleman doesn’t do that.”
Sharlely made headlines in May when she openly criticised Becker while he was still in jail.
She then said: “In a way, I feel a little sorry for him. He had everything – all the money, the women, the fame. He had it all and he screwed it up.”
She also claimed that Becker’s time in jail was tough for her and her Amadeus
But Boris said of his son: “I spoke to him a few times. Too little.
“He wanted to visit me in prison, but I didn’t want a 12-year-old son to visit his father in prison.
“I talked to other prisoners and they all agreed that this was not good for the boy.
“I don’t know if I could take it when he’s around my neck and the guard comes and wants to take him away, so to speak.
“Of course I miss him a lot and [I would like to see him] as soon as possible – I can’t go back to England at the moment.
“He’s only twelve. So they have to organise how he can then fly alone.
“At some point, we’ll see, but we’ll manage it somehow.”
Sharlely has so far made no public comments concerning her estranged husband’s interview.
In recent interviews after he was jailed but before he was released, Sharlely had said that she and Becker were still married after the couple was the subject of divorce reports in May 2018.
