Becker always had to “look over shoulder” as he shared prison with murderers

28 March 2023 , 13:13

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Becker has admitted he had to surround himself with strong characters inside (Image: ITV)

Tennis legend Boris Becker has opened up on his time in prison and admitted he regularly had to 'look over' his shoulder amid fears over his safety.

Former Wimbledon champion Becker, 55, was jailed in April 2022 after failing to hand over assets and trophies to repay debt after declaring bankruptcy. He initially spent time at HMP Wandsworth before being moved to a facility for foreign criminals at Huntercombe.

Becker served eight months of a 30-month sentence and in his first UK TV interview since leaving prison he has opened up on just how daunting he found his time inside.

Speaking to ITV's This Morning, he said: "Nobody can prepare you. I watched a movie or two about prison life before but nothing in my wildest dreams could prepare me for that.

"You have to survive day-to-day. Every day is dangerous. Prison is a very tough place and is a real punishment, anyone who says it is not the case are lying.

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"You have to surround yourself quickly with the strong people inside as you need protection. I was surrounded by murderers, rapists, drug dealers, but we are all inmates and we all share the same canteen. You have to always look over your shoulder as you don't know who is in the next cell."

Becker revealed he would spend 22 hours inside his cell a day and relied on his mental resilience, developed during his tennis career, to get him through.

Becker served eight months of his sentence (DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

And the former world No.1 also believes he was able to use his achievements on the court to win over some of his fellow inmates. He added: "A lot of them were tennis fans so they liked me. My sporting history helped me survive but fame can play against you.

"The only thing you have is your character and personality, that is your currency. If you are exposed or they think you have money, you have a problem. That wasn't an issue for me!"

Becker completed the interview from Dubai and remains banned from re-entering the UK for an undetermined period as a result of his early deportation. That means he is unlikely to be present at this year's Wimbledon tournament, having worked as a pundit for the BBC in recent years, although he recently revealed he was in talks over a potential return.

Liam Prenderville