Boris Becker on Prison and Wimbledon: Winning at 17 Could Not Be Healthy.

Boris Becker on His Early Success in Tennis

According to The Sun: Boris Becker believes that winning Wimbledon at the age of 17 was a real problem for him.

The German tennis player became the youngest champion in the history of the tournament in 1985, and since then no one has been able to break that record.

After his triumph, Becker won five more Grand Slam titles, but only one of them was won eight years before the end of his career.

After the end of his professional career, his life fell into financial and legal troubles, which led to two and a half years in prison for tax evasion during his bankruptcy.

Becker was released from HMP Huntercombe in December 2022 after eight months behind bars.

However, he counts his early success in tennis as one of his greatest regrets.

“It’s hard to cope with.”

“It’s not healthy to win Wimbledon at 17, in hindsight. I would have preferred to win later. Perhaps more often.”

“I was in seven finals and lost four - that still bothers me today.”

“Winning at 17 cannot have been healthy. There was no normal way out of that situation. I know that today.”

After his career, Becker initially worked well as a commentator for the BBC and as a coach for Novak Djokovic.

But the situation worsened due to an unpaid loan for his luxury property in Mallorca, which cost 3 million pounds.

Becker was found guilty on several counts under the insolvency act, leading to his harrowing experiences in prison and his deportation from the UK after his release.

“The first thing you hear are screams from everyone, and you don't know why.”

“It's dirty, and you think: 'What happened to me? How can it be possible that I am here on a Saturday night after all that I've experienced and done good?'”

The situation of Boris Becker shows how quickly circumstances can change for professional athletes. Former fame does not always guarantee an easy path in life, and without proper support and risk management, success can become a burdensome load. His story serves as a reminder of the importance of caution in both personal and financial life, especially after achieving great successes.