Boris Becker spent most of last year in prison.
A tennis legend Boris Becker has opened up about his time in prison in a recent interview.
In April of last year, Becker received a two and a half year prison sentence for hiding his assets from creditors. The German, who earned tens of millions in his career, was convicted of embezzlement in 2017.
Becker spent the first weeks of his sentence in Wandsworth Prison in south-west London until he was transferred to Huntercombe Prison in Oxfordshire, from which he was released at the end of the year.
– Anyone who says prison life isn’t hard or difficult is lying, the three-time Wimbledon winner says for the BBC.
– I was surrounded by murderers, drug dealers, rapists, people smugglers and dangerous criminals. Every day you fight for your survival. You quickly realize that you need to surround yourself with tough guys because you need protection.
According to Becker, a sports hero is not some kind of mermaid in stone.
– If you think you are better than others, then you will lose. Inside, it doesn’t matter that I was a tennis player. The only currency there is your character and personality. That’s it, nothing more.
Becker says that the hardest part of all was being alone, because in the beginning there are no friends.
– You really have to dig out your qualities and strengths but also your weaknesses.
No business for Wimbledon
The German star has spent the beginning of the year in his home country, because he was deported from England after his release. The next time he will have the opportunity to return to the island is in October 2024.
– I miss London. I really miss Wimbledon and I won’t be able to go there this year, the man worries.
On the other hand, there are reasons to be happy, because after the castle sentence, life goes quite well. The legend, who works as a tennis commentator, has been asked to be my advertising model, despite his problems in civil life.
– I am lucky that I can survive on my own and none of my partners have abandoned me. The last five, six years have been very difficult for me. When you’re in the lowlands, you really get to know who’s with you and who’s not.
Boris Becker was in prison with hard class criminals. PDO