Winning, Losing and Starting Again: The new memoir by tennis legend Boris Becker

Sitting in the prison classroom each morning, reading the pages in my book, listening to the teacher, I could feel myself slowing down. I had achieved greatness. I had won three Wimbledon titles, two Aussie Opens, the US Open, two Davis Cups, an Olympic gold medal.

But where was I now?

Sitting in the prison classroom each morning, reading the pages in my book, listening to the teacher, I could feel myself slowing down. I had achieved greatness. I had won three Wimbledon titles, two Aussie Opens, the US Open, two Davis Cups, an Olympic gold medal.

But where was I now?

Either I was some strange exception, a great man surrounded by lesser men, or I was not an exception at all. I fitted right in. And if I did, why was that?

Wimbledon champion at 17, six-time Grand Slam winner and former world number one - Boris Becker achieved unparalleled success, fame and wealth throughout his tennis career. But in April 2022, everything changed when he was sentenced to 30 months in prison over bankruptcy charges.

Inside offers a raw and unflinching account of Becker's life behind bars, detailing the brutal realities of surviving two of the UK's toughest prisons and the unexpected lessons in resilience that kept him going. Stripped of fame and fortune, Becker faced an entirely new world as inmate A2923EV, where nothing came easy.

More than a story of survival, Inside is about profound transformation. With brutal honesty, Becker reflects on the choices that led him to prison, confronting his mistakes and the price of fame. Through new relationships, hard-learned survival skills and the philosophy of Stoicism, he embarks on the difficult journey of rebuilding his life and shattered reputation.

This is the story of a legend who lost it all - how he survived, started again and found light in life's darkest moments.

Autorentext

Born in Leimen, Germany, Becker's journey to tennis stardom is nothing short of remarkable. At 17, he became the youngest Wimbledon champion in history, claiming the title in 1985 and sparking what would become a legendary career.

Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, Becker continued to dominate the tennis world, capturing a total of six Grand Slam singles titles, including three Wimbledon championships.

Following his retirement from professional tennis, Becker transitioned into coaching and commentating, notably coaching Serbian tennis maestro Novak Djokovic, who won six Grand Slam titles under Becker's guidance.