Boris Becker steps down as coach for No. 7 Holger Rune ESPN

Six-time major winner Boris Becker said he has stepped down as coach of Denmark's world No. 7 Holger Rune, effective immediately, due to "private and professional responsibilities."

Becker returned to the tennis circuit last October to coach Rune, who went on to compete in the eight-player ATP Finals in Turin where his debut in the season-ending championship ended in the group stage.

"We started this partnership with the initial goal to reach the ATP Finals (at the) end of last year but moving forward I realized that in order for this to be successful, I would need to be available for Holger much more than I can," Becker wrote in a social media post on Tuesday.

"Due to professional and private responsibilities, I can't give Holger what he needs now. I wish him only the very best and I'm always going to be his n.1 fan. I truly appreciated this journey together."

Becker, 56, was released from a British prison in December 2022 after having served eight months of a 2½-year sentence for hiding financial assets after he was declared bankrupt.

The three-time Wimbledon champion, who coached Novak Djokovic from 2013 to 2016, is barred from entering the UK.