Boris Becker, a famous tennis player, says he feels humbled after his difficult experience in prison. He was released and deported from the UK at the end of last year, and during a recent interview he compared this journey to playing tennis. He said that so far it’s been like winning two sets, but that now he needs to win the fifth set in order to come out on top.
– Winning Wimbledon as a teenager meant dealing with fame and money without a guide.
– Being in prison was hard and not like it is portrayed in the movies.
– Spending time in jail has made him a stronger, better person.
The interview will be aired on Saturday’s 5 Live Breakfast show.
“Going from Grand Slam Champion to Prisoner
Boris Becker is known for being a very famous tennis player who became popular in 1985 when he won a grand tournament called Wimbledon at just 17 years old. Last year, he was found guilty of four charges that related to his bankruptcy. This happened because Boris had borrowed a lot of money (over £3 million) to buy an expensive house in Mallorca, Spain and hadn’t been able to pay it back.
Before the release of a new TV series about him, Boris Becker said that when he was 17 and won Wimbledon, he didn’t know how to handle all the fame and fortune that came his way. He admitted that even after his tennis career, he made some bad decisions because he never studied business or finance.
In 1985, Becker became the youngest man to ever win Wimbledon when he only 17-years old. After being convicted, he spent his first weeks at Wandsworth Prison in London and then most of his sentence at Huntercombe Prison near Oxford. Becker said that prison life is difficult and not easy – something nobody should lie about.
I was surrounded by lots of really bad people, like murderers, drug dealers, rapists and people smugglers. everyday I had to be tough, otherwise I’d get hurt.
Being a famous tennis player wouldn’t help me at all while I was in prison – it just made things worse if you think you’re better than everyone else.
When you’re “inside” (imprisoned), what really matters is the kind of person you are and how you treat others, not things like being a tennis player. That’s because the only thing that you have to work with on the inside is your character and personality.
At first, you won’t have any friends, so it’s important to figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are to help make up for feeling alone.
Boris Becker’s Surprise Return to the SportNewsCenter Show
When Boris Becker was released, he had to go back to Germany. He won’t be allowed to visit England again until 2024. He misses going to London and Wimbledon, however he won’t be able to attend this year. Thankfully, with all the different people in his life he knows who still supports him when times are tough.
Since he was released, people have been really supportive of him. He mentioned: “I’m aware that I’m not perfect but I’m still humbled by how well the public has received me in these last three and a half months. People on the streets and fans have been really nice to me”.
He’s even been asked to commentate for Sports News center at Wimbledon which is amazing!
Becker, an ex-pundit on the SportNewsCenter show, said he spoke to them about being part of their Wimbledon team in the future. He said he won’t be able to this year but will call them up and ask if they want him back on their team if allowed. He also added that he would love to go back and work with them again.
Life’s Unexpected Lessons
Boris Becker has learned a lot from his days in prison. He said that he never thought when he was 17 years old that someday, when he’d be 54, he would be put in jail. So, this experience humbled him and made him realize that everyone who does something wrong and breaks the law will get caught and sent to prison no matter if their name is Boris Becker or Paul Smith.
I thought my life would be good but it ended up bad. Despite everything, I am a survivor and strong because of it. I have made tough choices and suffered punishments, but also enjoyed success which has made me an even better person. With future decisions I will find out if I learned from past experiences.
