In a recent interview with British media, former tennis icon Boris Becker was heard lamenting, "Life took a dramatic turn after winning Wimbledon at 17. Wherever I went, whatever I did, the conversation invariably went to that one topic. While I'm proud of my three Wimbledon titles, 17 was far too young. That became my undoing. In reality, I was still an adolescent."
Becker found himself behind bars in 2022 for concealing assets to avoid debt repayment. He had to serve prison in Oxfordshire, England. Not being a British citizen, he served five months of a two-and-a-half-year sentence before being deported to Germany. The tennis star's interview also shed light on his experiences during this period.
He recounted, "In 2022, I watched Novak Djokovic clinch Wimbledon while sitting in prison. That victory held immense emotional significance for me." Having once coached Djokovic, Becker's sentiment is quite understandable.
His time in prison was not without its share of adversity. He engaged in poker games with a fellow inmate, using matchsticks as currency. After accumulating a debt of 500 pounds, he found himself on the receiving end of threats from his opponent.
Eventually, he managed to arrange a transfer to settle the debt and extricate himself from the situation. After five months, upon his release, he returned to Germany with his wife, Lilian. Subsequently, the couple embarked on a new chapter of their lives in Milan.