In folklore and fairy tales, beauty often plays a significant role, captivating both characters within the stories and readers. However, beauty can also become a burden, leading to jealousy, envy, and even persecution. Throughout history, there have been instances where individuals, particularly women, have been targeted and labeled as witches due to their extraordinary beauty. The idea of beauty being linked to witchcraft traces back to ancient times, with the Greeks believing that beauty was a gift from the gods. However, during the Middle Ages and the early modern period, this perception changed drastically. As societies became more patriarchal and governed by strict religious beliefs, fear and suspicion arose around women who possessed exceptional beauty.

Boris Becker will coach Holger Rune for the rest of the season

FILE - Former tennis player Boris Becker arrives at Southwark Crown Court, in London, Friday, April 8, 2022. Boris Becker is returning to coaching on the tennis tour with sixth-ranked Holger Rune for the first time since the six-time Grand Slam winner’s release from British prison last year. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)

Boris Becker is returning to coaching for the first time since the six-time Grand Slam tennis winner’s release from a British prison last year, with sixth-ranked Holger Rune.

Becker told broadcaster Eurosport on a podcast published on Thursday that he will work with the 20-year-old Danish player for the rest of the season, starting at the Swiss Indoors next week.

“It makes me a little proud that he asked me. The contact has existed for a long time. Now it was a very good fit,” Becker said. “My calendar allows it and I have always been interested in Holger because he is on the tennis court with so much commitment and temperament.”

Becker signalled he would focus on the mental side of the game and described Rune as “a rough diamond that needs polishing.”

The 55-year-old German previously coached Novak Djokovic from 2014 through 2016. Before his release in December, Becker served eight months in prison for illicitly transferring large amounts of money and hiding assets after he was declared bankrupt.

With a career-high slot of fourth in August, Rune is the highest-ranked Danish male player ever and has reached the quarterfinals of the French Open and Wimbledon.

Since his loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon quarterfinals in July, he has won just one match, including a first-round loss at the U.S. Open and a loss to Miomir Kecmanovic in Stockholm on Wednesday.

Boris Becker makes his return to tennis after serving eight months in prison for tax evasion with the German hired as world No 6 Holger Rune's new coach

Boris Becker has announced he is returning to the tennis circuit as coach of world number six Holger Rune. The pair had a training week together in Monte Carlo and Becker, who coached Novak Djokovic for three years from 2013 to 2016, has now officially joined Rune's team until the end of the season. It marks a first high-profile role for Becker following his release from prison in the UK last December after he served eight months of a 30-month sentence for hiding financial assets and loans.

'I can confirm that I am Holger Rune's coach,' Becker told Eurosport Germany's podcast. 'It makes me a little proud that he asked me. The contact has existed for a long time. Now it was a very good fit. My calendar allows it and I have always been interested in Holger because he is on the tennis court with so much commitment and temperament.'

Twenty-year-old Dane Rune, who previously worked with Serena Williams' former coach Patrick Mouratoglou, is one of the hottest young talents in tennis but he has struggled since reaching the Wimbledon quarter-finals, winning only one of his last nine matches. Becker will join Rune for next week's tournament in Basel, with their major goal ensuring he qualifies for the ATP Finals in Turin next month. 'Holger is a rough diamond that needs polishing,' said Becker. 'I like his emotional outbursts. I have coached a player before, Novak Djokovic, who was sometimes not quite himself on the court, but that is allowed.' As to whether their partnership continues into next season, Becker - who is currently barred from entering the UK - said: 'There's no point in signing a two-year contract now when you've only been cooperating for a week. If you are successful, you usually stay together, no matter what the contract says. If not, everyone goes their own way again.'

Coach rune

Holger Rune has officially replaced Patrick Mouratoglou with former No.1 Boris Becker, and the pair are set to begin working together next week.

Rune has struggled for form and fitness since reaching the quarter-finals of Wimbledon for the first time, winning only one of his last 11 matches.

The Dane’s latest defeat came yesterday, losing in his first match at the Nordic Open to Miomir Kecmanovic, 6(4)-7 2-6.

And now tennis legend Becker has confirmed that he will be the new coach of the world No.6, “I can confirm that I am Holger Rune’s coach.

“It makes me a little proud that he asked me. The contact has existed for a long time. Now it was a very good fit. My calendar allows it and I have always been interested in Holger because he is on the tennis court with so much commitment and temperament.”

When speaking on the Eurosport Germany podcast, Becker spoke about how this partnership came about, “Holger then invited me to a training week in Monte-Carlo. I also had a long chat there with his mother Aneke and his performance coach Lapo Becherini.”

Becker continued, “The three of us are responsible for Holger from now on. Unfortunately, I can’t be at the tournament in Stockholm this week because of previously arranged appointments.

“But I will be there in Basel at the latest, and afterwards, I will play Paris-Bercy with Holger – and hopefully help him to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. That is the big goal and that is the task.”

The German has only previously coached Novak Djokovic, and Becker has compared Rune to his former client, “Holger is a rough diamond that needs polishing. I like his emotional outbursts. I have coached a player before, Novak Djokovic, who was sometimes not quite himself on the court, but that is allowed.

“The question is: how quickly do you find your way back into the match, are you focused again? In the end, it’s not about sending your mother out of the stands, but winning the match. I love tennis and when one of the best 20-year-olds in the world asks me if I’d like to coach him… anyone who says no doesn’t have much to do with the sport.”

He added, “Of course, it’s all about attitude, even if it’s so easy to say that. But it is the main reason why tennis matches are won or lost. For me, it’s about: what is Holger’s motivation and the reason to go to China, for example. Is it just to win the first round or the tournament, is it for ranking points?

“That has to be discussed and it has to be very clear what the motivation is. I have some ideas on what can be improved. It starts with attitude, mentality, psyche – and I have a little idea about that.”

Becker has confirmed that he will work with Rune until at least the end of 2024, and he has revealed what he wants to get out of the relationship.

“It would be b******* to claim now that Holger will become No. 1 or win the French Open,” said Becker. The fact is that he is one of the best young players in the world. He plays in a concert with Alcaraz and [Jannik] Sinner or soon [Ben] Shelton and [Sebastian] Korda.

The six-time major winner continued, “My ambition is to find the best Holger Rune. To do that, the tournament schedule has to fit. If he plays every week, he will eventually get tired.

“That’s why I have to have a big say in this, according to the motto: ‘Here we have to insert a training week, here we have to regenerate, and maybe you go on holiday with your girlfriend for 10 days’. That is part of the planning, because in the end, I am jointly responsible for the success.”

Rune will begin his partnership with Becker next week at the ATP 500 event in Basel, where he was runner-up to Felix Auger-Aliassime last year.

Inside the baseline…

Rune needs something to change, as his chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals appear to be slipping away with his current form. Although Becker has not coached many players previously, his track record with Djokovic was excellent having won six Grand Slams, 14 Masters 1000 titles and two ATP Finals with the Serb. It will be very intriguing to see how Becker’s first coaching role in seven years works out with the talented young Dane.

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As societies became more patriarchal and governed by strict religious beliefs, fear and suspicion arose around women who possessed exceptional beauty. These witch hunters, driven by their fear of the unknown and desire to maintain control, often targeted women who were considered the epitome of beauty in their communities. These women were believed to possess supernatural powers, capable of seducing men and causing harm to others through their enchanting looks.

Their beauty became a symbol of danger and temptation rather than admiration. The persecution of beautiful women as witches was not limited to a specific region or culture. Across different continents, women found themselves facing accusations simply because they were deemed too beautiful. In Europe, the witch trials of the 16th and 17th centuries saw countless women condemned to death for their alleged beauty-linked sorcery. In North America, the Salem witch trials in 1692 echoed this phenomenon, as accusations were often directed at attractive women within the community. This persecution emphasized the notion that beauty was inherently evil or associated with dark forces. The stereotype of the beautiful witch infiltrated literature and art, perpetuating the idea that beauty was a dangerous trait in women. These depictions further contributed to the societal distrust and fear of exceptionally beautiful individuals. It is important to recognize that this persecution stemmed from societal insecurities and entrenched beliefs rather than any actual magical abilities possessed by these women. The beauty seized by witch hunters was, in reality, the beauty of individuality and uniqueness. While society has progressed since the time of witch hunts, remnants of this excessive scrutiny towards beauty still persist today. Media and society often place unrealistic beauty standards on women, causing feelings of inadequacy and promoting a superficial understanding of beauty. It is crucial to challenge these beliefs and redefine beauty as a celebration of diversity, rather than a reason for suspicion or discrimination. In conclusion, the beauty seized by witch hunters represents a dark period in history where exceptional beauty became a curse rather than a blessing. Through fear and misunderstanding, women throughout the ages have faced persecution and accusations due to their physical appearance. It is necessary to promote a more inclusive understanding of beauty, one that embraces individuality and rejects the irrational fear associated with exceptional beauty..

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