Ex-tennis star looks back
Becker in custody for time: “Painful and degrading”
04.09.2025 – 8:32 p.m.Reading time: 1 min.
Germany’s former tennis idol speaks openly about his time behind bars. Why does this experience not let him go there and what teachings he pulled out of it.
Almost three years after his conviction, the time in prison at Boris Becker has an effect. In an interview with the “SZ magazine”, the 57-year-old explained that the experiences behind bars would probably accompany him permanently. “You never get rid of the time,” said Becker. The prison is taken into new life.
The former tennis professional spoke openly about the conditions during his detention in England. This was “painful and degrading”. He had to learn to cope with the simplest circumstances. “You are a number, no one left,” said Becker.
Time forced him to think. “I was suddenly cut off from everything,” said Becker. There was no longer applause or headlines – just himself and the question of how it should go on for him.
In April 2022, Becker was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in London. He had concealed assets in the millions. He was released again in December of the same year. After his release, he was deported to Germany immediately and is not allowed to enter Great Britain for the time being.
Today Becker lives with his partner Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro in Italy. The couple awaits a child.