Boris Becker: "I never thought at 17 I'd be incarcerated at 54"

Tennis legend Boris Becker believes his time in prison has taught him a valuable lesson and changed his outlook on life.

Becker was given a 30-month prison term in April 2022 for hiding assets after being declared bankrupt and transferring significant amounts of cash illegally.

However, the German tennis legend was released early as part of a fast-track deportation program for foreign nationals; ordinarily, he would have had to complete serving half of his sentence before becoming eligible for release.

Becker, who cannot return to Britain for the next 10 years, opened up about his time in prison in an interview with the BBC. He said that while a younger version of him never imagined he would be imprisoned later in life, the experience humbled him and taught him that the rules are the same for everyone.

"I never thought at 17 I'd be incarcerated at 54. If anything it certainly humbled me, it certainly made me realise that whether you're called Boris Becker or Paul Smith, if you break the law, you get convicted and you get incarcerated, that goes for everybody," he said.

The six-time Grand Slam winner then stated that being imprisoned made him a stronger and better man, which he claimed would influence his future decisions.

"I never expected the good and I certainly didn't expect the bad but I'm a survivor, I'm a tough cookie, I've taken the penalties, I've taken the incarceration," he said.

"But I've also taken the glory and if anything this made me a stronger, better man," he added. "With my decisions in the future you can see whether I have learned from it or I didn't."

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"Whoever says that prison life isn't hard and isn't difficult I think is lying" - Boris Becker

Boris Becker pictured during an interview.

Boris Becker stated that anyone who claims prison life isn't hard is lying. He said that he was surrounded by rapists, smugglers, and dangerous criminals, among others, and had to fight for survival every day and surround himself with the tough ones to get protection.

"Whoever says that prison life isn't hard and isn't difficult I think is lying. I was surrounded by murderers, by drug dealers, by rapists, by people smugglers, by dangerous criminals," the three-time Wimbledon champion said.

"You fight every day for survival. Quickly you have to surround yourself with the tough boys, as I would call it, because you need protection," he added.

Apple TV+ recently released a documentary series titled "Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker" that explores the German's life, who won the first of his six Majors at the age of 17.