Boris Becker makes brutally honest admission about leading cautious lifestyle to avoid reliving past horrors

Boris Becker recently sat down for a candid talk regarding his life after serving time for hiding millions in assets in 2022. The German believes that the worst is behind him, but did concede that the "crisis" he endured back then made him take "refuge" in his "inner self".

The six-time Major winner spent eight months in a London jail, after initially having received a sentence of two-and-a-half years, for bankruptcy fraud. He had reportedly concealed £2.5 million worth of assets, debt, and shares in a tech firm. In December 2022, he was eventually deported back to Germany and has since been denied entry into the United Kingdom.

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Boris Becker looked back on his past struggles as he drew a comparison between his tennis career and life. The 57-year-old also disclosed that the 2022 bankruptcy fraud case cost him virtually everything at the time, thereby forcing him to build resilience.

"Every crisis I've survived in my life has been positive; I've always learned more from my defeats than from my victories," Boris Becker told Sports Illustrated Germany. "But this was certainly a very existential crisis, in which it was important to find myself again. Just like before Wimbledon 1986. I was in a sporting crisis and decided to do what I believe is right. It worked."

"Even during that time in prison, I found myself again. I had no other choice. When you lose everything—your freedom, your family, your money, your house—the only thing that remains is your personality, your character. And that's what I retreated to. My inner self has always been my refuge in difficult times."

During the interaction, Becker maintained that he had endured enough hardship to not wish what he went through on the worst of his enemies.

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Boris Becker: "I'm in a very good phase again, found my feet"

Boris Becker admitted that his prison time brought him great stress. The former World No. 1 has clearly picked himself up since then, though. He served as Holger Rune as the latter's coach for a short period of time in 2023-24 and currently works as a commentator for Sky Sports.

"I think I'm in a very good phase again. Yes, I've found my feet personally, but also professionally," Becker said. "I went through a deep valley of tears, and now I'm doing well. And that's why I'm trying to make my decisions even more carefully than before. Because I don't want to go through what I went through again. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy, and least of all on myself."

Becker is eyeing a possible return to the UK for Wimbledon, which begins in July. The German won three titles at SW19 in 1985-86 and 1989.