Tennis champion Boris Becker says an inmate tried to kill him during his time in jail

Tennis champion Boris Becker described an incident from his incarceration during which a fellow prison inmate made an attempt on his life.

In a recent interview with German outlet Sat 1, the six-time Grand Slam champion recalled an altercation during which "John," allegedly angered by Becker's friendship with black inmates, made threatening statements to him in which he described a string of violent acts to which he planned to subject the tennis star.

"I was shaking so bad," Becker said. "I shouted loudly and immediately the inmates came out and threatened him."

"He was dangerous. He couldn't understand why I was so connected with black prisoners," he went on. John was in prison for murdering two people when he was 18.

Becker said he called out for help and received the aid of roughly 10 prisoners, most of them black men, who threatened John with violence unless he left. He later indicated that John returned and asked for forgiveness, which he gave. 

The professional athlete spent eight months in prison for hiding money from the government after filing for bankruptcy. He has since been released and resides in Germany.