Tennis

Tennis

Boris Becker yesterday signed a 10-year sponsorship contract with Mercedes- Benz. Becker, who is out of action with a wrist injury sustained at Wimbledon, is to receive an estimated 2 million marks (pounds 866,000) a year starting in 1997 to help find and develop new tennis talent in Germany.

Six British players reached the last 16 of the Manchester Challenger at Didsbury yesterday, with one of them certain to go through to the quarter- finals. Colin Beecher will be battling for a place in the last eight against Norwich's Tom Spinks, who produced the shock of the day by beating sixth seed, Luke Milligan, 7-6, 6-2.