Inside
Winning. Losing. Starting Again.
Published on 25. September 2025
Book
Hardback
352 pages
978-0-00-873779-5 (ISBN)
Description
Winner of the International Book Award at the 2026 Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book Awards
'One of the most incredible and moving books that we've read, ever.' The High Performance Podcast
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.
'It's a memoir, it's a thriller, it's a confessional, it's therapy. This book is unbelievable, [and] beautifully written. It couldn't be a crazier story...it's so gripping, I could not put it down.' Chris Evans
'One of the most incredible and moving books that we've read, ever.' The High Performance Podcast
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.
'It's a memoir, it's a thriller, it's a confessional, it's therapy. This book is unbelievable, [and] beautifully written. It couldn't be a crazier story...it's so gripping, I could not put it down.' Chris Evans
Reviews / Votes
'The most haunting account of going to jail you will ever read' Daily Mail 'Unflinching account of his life in prison' Mail on Sunday 'A searingly honest account of his time in prison. [Boris Becker's] new biography is gut-wrenchingly raw - and utterly haunting' Daily Mail 'Boris Becker reached the top early and time and again hit rock bottom: a fighter, a master of the comeback. He talks about mistakes and forgiveness, about cold nights in prison-and about how to find yourself again when everything seems lost.' Der Spiegel 'What a book. Talk about honest! The book is remarkable.' Lorraine Kelly 'One of the most incredible and moving books that we've read, ever.' The High Performance Podcast, Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes 'It's a memoir, it's a thriller, it's a confessional, it's therapy. This book is unbelievable, [and] beautifully written. It couldn't be a crazier story...it's so gripping, I could not put it down.' Chris Evans 'A compelling, brutally honest read. 4*' The Sun 'A triumphant story of his struggle...a superior sporting book that goes far beyond the rehashing of long-forgotten tennis battles. Becker's depiction of prison life, drawn from the eight months he spent inside, is not just vividly written, thanks to ghostwriter Tom Fordyce, but eye-opening and often harrowing...Not since the excellent BBC prison drama Time, with Sean Bean and Stephen Graham, has the grim reality of prison life been so memorably captured.' - The Observer '(A) classic tale of the downfall of [a] deeply flawed hero who then claws [his] way back to redemption.' The Guardian 'His gripping new book is an often harrowing, yet moving, insight into his time in prison ...[and] makes us feel as if we are in prison alongside him'. -The GuardianMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 34 mm
Weight
580 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-00-873779-5 (9780008737795)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Person
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.
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.