Boris Becker’s 1989 US Open trophy fetches $357K in rare auction

Nearly four decades after Boris Becker lifted it in triumph, his 1989 US Open trophy is making headlines again—this time for commanding more than $357,000 at auction.

It's now the most expensive tennis trophy ever sold and the second-most expensive piece of tennis memorabilia ever to hit the market, behind only Novak Djokovic’s racquet, which sold for $450,000 in February.

According to Prestige Memorabilia: “Such trophies virtually never leave the possession of the player who won them. To the best of our knowledge, this example represents the only known US Open Men’s Singles champion trophy from the Open Era ever to reach the public market.”

The trophy was awarded to Becker following his triumph over rival Ivan Lendl in the 1989 final—a victory that marked Becker’s fourth career Grand Slam title and his only US Open championship.

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Crafted by Tiffany & Co., the trophy was previously displayed on loan at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. So how did it leave Becker’s possession?

This unique piece of tennis history comes with a backstory that's just as intriguing:

It all goes back to Becker’s well-documented bankruptcy proceedings. He was declared bankrupt in 2017 following years of financial missteps and a bitter divorce. In 2019, he began selling off trophies and personal memorabilia to raise money for creditors, including his 1989 US Open trophy, 1985 Wimbledon replica trophy, 1988 Davis Cup trophy, and Hall of Fame ring.

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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.