"The problem is being allowed to return to the country": Becker admits he is banned from entering England

Adrien Guyot

le 25/09/2025 à 09h20

2 min to read

Becker

Boris Becker, three-time Wimbledon champion, now faces a major challenge: returning to the prestigious tournament after serving a prison sentence.

Tennis legend Boris Becker won Wimbledon three times during his career (1985, 1986, 1989), the first at age 17. However, the former German professional player, who ended up bankrupt after retiring from playing, later served prison time for intentionally hiding £2.5 million in assets and loans to avoid paying his debts.

Initially sentenced to two and a half years in prison, he ultimately spent eight months in a London prison between April and December 2022 before being released. While his autobiography 'Inside' was released in recent months, Becker admitted he has been unable to return to Wimbledon because he is currently banned from British soil.

"First, I need to be allowed back into the country, because due to my deportation, I'm not permitted yet. I'm working closely with the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice to provide them with sufficient reasons for my return. I love London, I love Wimbledon.

I believe once I'm allowed to return, I'll discuss with tournament officials, but I don't think that will be a problem. The real issue is being permitted to re-enter the country.

It's been two and a half years since I was imprisoned at Wandsworth Prison, which is just three kilometers from Wimbledon's Centre Court, but they are two completely different realities.

One is the best place in the world for a tennis player, the other is one of the most dangerous prisons in the world," Becker stated in an interview with Talk Sport.