Boris Becker admits incarceration has had a humbling effect on him as he is hoping not to make the same mistakes in the future. Last year, Becker was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison after being guilty of hiding £2.5m worth of assets and loans to avoid paying debts.
Becker, who rose to fame after he won Wimbledon as a 17-year-old teenager, served eight months in British prison before being deported back to Germany and ultimately released. “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. 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 but I’ve also taken the glory and if anything this made me a stronger, better man.
With my decisions in the future you can see whether I have learned from it or I didn’t,” Becker said ahead of the release of a documentary about his life and career, per the BBC.
Becker on how he has been received since coming out of jail
Becker, a former six-time Grand Slam champion, is one of the best players in tennis history.
Becker, 55, being convicted drew lots of attention – not just from the tennis media. “Nobody’s perfect including myself and I’ve accepted all of that. I’ve been out now for three and a half months and I’m very humbled again by the reception I’ve received from fans, from people on the street from people who have followed the story a little bit,” Becker said.
For many years, Becker was a part of the BBC’s Wimbledon coverage. Due to his conviction, Becker is not allowed to return to the UK until October 2024. Reflecting on his temporary UK ban, Becker admitted he is “missing Wimbledon” and looking forward to returning to The All England Club in the future.
