Tennis icon Boris Becker has revealed the grim reality of life in prison after he had been sentenced to two-and-a-half-years in jail earlier this year.
The six-time Grand Slam winner was released last week, having served just eight months in prison, and deported back to Germany as part of a 'fast track' scheme to reduce the demand on British jails.
The 55-year-old revealed his "brutal" move to prison life during an interview with German television station Sat TV tonight.
After being shown a picture of a solitary prison cell, Becker said: "It's never that clean." There was a small television in Becker's prison cell. He added: "That was very important. Somehow you have to survive the hours."
The only other thing in the former Wimbledon champion's cell was a ventilation hole for fresh air.
He added: "That's it. This was my home. What we don't have in the cell is a mirror. You can break it and use it as a weapon. When I saw myself for the first time after detention, I was frightened."
Becker was reportedly paid £435,000 for the exclusive interview which is being aired tonight.
The three-time Wimbledon champion was jailed for concealing £2.5million worth of assets after being declared bankrupt in 2017.
After being sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison, Becker described the transfer from the court room to jail, he said: "It could hardly be more brutal."
He spoke about the stark reality setting in when the prison cell door closed and said it was the 'loneliest moment I've ever had'.
He added: "When the cell door closes, the whole world collapses. This is the loneliest moment I've ever had. There are only you with your thoughts. There's a carousel in your head, of course. You try to breathe calmly. I was afraid, I didn't cry."
Becker's partner Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro had stood by the former tennis champion throughout the court case.
The German said the hardest part way saying goodbye to his girlfriend. He added: "I said to her 'you don't have to wait for me, you're a young beautiful woman". She told him: 'Don't talk that s***, we can do it.'"
