Boris Becker's wife Lilly has spoken out about the moment she had to tell their 12-year-old son that is father had gone to jail.
In April, the three-time Wimbledon champion was jailed for two years and six months for flouting the terms of his bankruptcy by hiding £2.5million worth of assets and loans to avoid paying his debts.
Becker, 54, was declared bankrupt in June 2017, owing creditors almost £50million over an unpaid loan of more than £3million on his estate in Mallorca, Spain.
The former tennis player transferred around £390,000 from his business account to others, including those of his ex-wife Barbara Becker and estranged wife Lilly.
In May 2018, Lilly and Becker announced that they had separated after nine years of marriage, but the couple share their 12-year-old son Amadeus.
Speaking about breaking the news to their child about his father's conviction, Lilly told the Daily Mail it was the "worst thing I've ever had to do".
"My instinct was to say it as it is: 'Your father is in jail. He has f***ed up'," the 45-year-old revealed.
"But you can't say that to a 12-year-old child, can you? Not when you are the mother, the Tiger Mother whose job on this earth is to protect that child."
Amadeus wasn't aware that his famous father had been facing a jury at Southwark Crown Court last month, and Lilly enlisted the help of a friend on how to tell her son.
"We told him in his play room, where he feels safe. It was one of the worst things I've ever had to do," she recalled.
"I will never forget looking into his blue eyes - as blue as Boris's - and watching them just go from left to right and back again. He was flabbergasted. He just couldn't get a grip on it."
She explained that Amadeus wanted to left alone, but came downstairs 20 minutes later to be with his mother.
Lilly said she has told her son that is father "is not a criminal", but understandably the youngster has many questions.
"Amadeus is doing better now. He's asking questions - what will Papa be eating? Will he be able to watch films?" she said.
"So I just have to answer as best I can, but no, it is not fair that I am in this position. It is not fair that Amadeus is in this position."
Lilly's comments come after it was reported that Becker has complained about the food and lack of hygiene in prison.
Becker is expected to spend just 15 months locked up, and serve the rest of his time on licence.
Prison sources said he is struggling to adapt to the food on offer, or lack thereof as he is using his £10 weekly allowance to top up meals with chocolate, biscuits and bananas from the canteen.
They also mentioned he found the overcrowding difficult to adjust to as well as suffering from a lack of sleep in his six square metre cell.
A source told the Sun: “He is having a rough time and the worst thing of all is the food. He cannot believe how bad it is and how small the portions are.
"One of his first meals was corned beef, which wasn't good. But he will have to get used to it. He is also shocked at the lack of hygiene at the prison because it's so overcrowded," they added.
