Boris Becker has shared all on his hellish spell in prison including death threats from murderers and the moment his world was collapsing.
The 55-year-old sat down with German TV station Sat TV and gave his first interview since regaining his freedom earlier this month. The chat also marked the first time the former world number one had been pictured since before he was sentenced in April to two-and-a-half years in jail after being found guilty of four charges under the Insolvency Act.
The six-time Grand Slam winner spent time at Wandsworth Prison before being transferred to HMP Huntercombe near Nuffield, Oxfordshire, in May. In a wide-ranging interview with the German media channel, aired last night, the former Wimbledon champion recalled a number of incidents while he was inside, including death threats, grim conditions and the dangerous environment inside.
Highlighting one shocking incident, Becker said a prisoner in Wandsworth called John had said that “if I didn’t do this or that he would kill me. He had tried it with others.”
The German tennis star also revealed how his life was threatened not once but twice during his prison stint – with another chilling chat taking place in Huntercombe with a separate convicted killer.
Becker said: “I thought I would lose my life in Wandsworth, someone - a murderer I later found out - wanted my coat and he wanted money and he said he would kill me if he didn't get it. Then in Huntercombe another murderer said they wanted to kill me, he told me what he was going to do to me unless I let him do my laundry, this was only very recently, in October and when he told me my food tray was shaking.
“But, in the end, the next day he fell to his knees in front of me, apologised and kissed my hand and said he respected me."
While those death threats clearly left a mark on Becker, he also explained how three people had come to his aid inside during the most testing period of his life.
"Three people saved me in prison, they were James, Russell and Bill, they were listeners and they knew their way around and they also wanted to protect me."
The tennis champion also went on to explain how he made sure to watch his back at all times - especially in the shower, even though he had his own cubicle.
“I had two big concerns, one was a double cell, sharing a cell with someone who could attack you or threaten you and then the shower cubicles," he said. "You close the door, take your clothes off and look behind you, it's not human. You have seen the films and dropping the soap but then the governor explained to me that it would be safe, so I was grateful to him."
“When the cell door is slammed shut at 8pm, no one told me when it would open again"
While Becker faced the fear of threats to his life and to his safety during his time inside, the conditions within were also something he spoke about in his interview. It will come as a surprise to no one that it was very different to the life the German star had been used to living beforehand, and that's when he admitted his whole world collapsed.
“It’s extremely full, extremely dirty, extremely dangerous, murderers, sex offers, drug deals, you meet all types," he continued. "You go out of your cell and you have to look after your own skin because the guards don’t do it for you.
“When the cell door is slammed shut at 8pm, no one told me when it would open again and that's when your whole world collapses and you are alone with your thoughts. I was desperate, I was afraid and I bought some books with me to read. The food was always the same during the week - rice and potatoes but on Sunday we would get a roast, usually chicken.”
Becker also recalled how, when he first arrived at HMP Wandsworth after being found guilty, he would try to avoid upsetting anyone else or rubbing them up the wrong way.
“I just looked at the floor a lot. I didn't want to look anyone in the eye and upset them. It was extremely dangerous and extremely dirty. It's just cell after cell and you meet all sorts in there, all criminals from London, murderers, child molesters, drug dealers and rapists.
“I was body searched, because they look for drugs and parts of mobile telephones and then my picture was taken and some people wanted to have their picture taken with me.”
"I wanted to look cool, so I had a hoodie"
Becker was also asked during his his interview what he had taken with him to prison, with the tennis champion explaining he had wanted to "look cool" but he highlighted the importance of not getting noticed inside.
"I wanted to look cool, so I had a hoodie, to look like a gangster for protection and a baseball cap, everything was black," he said.
"But I was told "nice try" and I was given grey jogging pants and a grey sweatshirt but they were all too small. The main thing is not to be noticed in prison."
Despite the harrowing experiences he endured during his prison sentence, the three-time Wimbledon champion claims the time inside helped him get back to who he was before.
“I think I rediscovered the person I used to be. I learned a hard lesson. A very expensive one. A very painful one," he said. "But the whole thing has something important and good for me learned. And some things happen for a good reason.”
