Former German tennis player Boris Becker served eight months of a two-and-a-half year prison sentence in the UK ©Getty Images

Six-time Grand Slam tennis champion Boris Becker has been released from prison in the United Kingdom after serving eight months of a two-and-a-half year sentence, and has reportedly been deported from the country.

In April, the 55-year-old German was convicted of four charges under the United Kingdom’s Insolvency Act linked to his bankruptcy in 2017, including transferring hundreds of thousands of pounds from his business account, failing to declare a property in Germany worth £1.3 million ($1.6 million/€1.5 million) and hiding a €850,000 (£740,000/$901,000) bank loan and 75,000 shares in a tech firm.

According to the PA news agency, he was expected to serve half of his two-and-a-half year jail sentence, but has been released from prison and flown to Germany.

PA also reports that Becker has been deported.

The UK Home Office would not comment on Becker's case, but in a statement reported by Reuters said: "Any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity."

He qualifies for automatic deportation as a foreign national without British citizenship who received a custodial sentence of more than 12 months.

Becker's lawyer Christian-Oliver Moser said in a statement that he "was released from custody in England and has left for Germany today."

Becker was declared bankrupt five years ago when he owed creditors almost £50 million ($61 million/€57.4 million).

Boris Becker won six men's singles tennis Grand Slams, including three at Wimbledon ©Getty Images
Boris Becker won six men's singles tennis Grand Slams, including three at Wimbledon ©Getty Images

At the April trial, Becker was acquitted of 20 further charges, including nine counts of failing to hand over trophies and medals that included two of his three Wimbledon men’s singles trophies.

He had lived in the UK since 2012.

An Olympic gold medal is included on his list of tennis honours, winning the men's doubles title for Germany with Michael Stich.

That followed on from three singles triumphs at Wimbledon in 1985, 1986 and 1989, a US Open title in 1989 and an Australian Open victory in 1991.

He went on to add a further Australian Open in 1996 before retiring from the sport in 1999.

Since retirement, Becker has worked as a commentator for the BBC and had a spell as coach of Serbian 21-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic.

Becker was also head of men's tennis at the German Tennis Association before stepping down in 2020.

He has previously been convicted of tax evasion in Germany in 2002.