Boris Becker's nightmare: The former tennis player in tears after prison and death threats
Eight months in prison. Eight months of fear and anguish. Becker, the former tennis star who was arrested for tax fraud in England, recounted his terrible experience in an interview with Sat1. He also revealed how he saw death in his face when two inmates told him they wanted to kill him.
"One explained to me exactly how he was going to do it," said Becker.
Becker was sentenced to two and a half years, but only did eight months. He spent three months in what is considered to be Britain's toughest prison, HMP Wandsworth, before being transferred to Huntercombe, where he remained for the last five.
In the talk the six-time Grand Slam champion described his prison experience, what these months were like and how he came to receive death threats.
"A prisoner named John told me that if I didn't do this or that, he would kill me," he explained, adding that he had managed to gain the trust of three other prisoners "who saved my life".
"In October, another prisoner wanted to kill me and explained exactly how he would do it. Luckily he knew of those three comrades and came to apologise," he added tearfully.
The treats turned his stay in prison into a real nightmare, to the point of admitting that he had 'gone mad': "I had two big worries, the shared cell, I was fucking scared. And also the shower. Movies didn't help me, when you see soap falling on the floor...".
In prison, the former champion recalled how you had to take care of yourself: 'It's extremely crowded, extremely dirty, extremely dangerous, with murderers, sexual offers, drug dealing, all kinds of things... and you have to take care of yourself because the guards won't do that".
Becker also revealed that former coach Jurgen Klopp tried to visit him, but the prison authorities refused his visit.
"I am very good friends with Jurgen and he wanted to come and see me. I gave the name to the government, but then came the answer that he could not visit me because he is too well known".