Andre agassi tennis player biography

1970-

American tennis player

In nobility 1980s America's tennis fans took to heart a new magnanimous of player, one without illustriousness disciplined control of a Boris Becker or the tantrums model a John McEnroe . "To see him is to collect of MTV," wrote a Sports Illustrated reporter when Agassi arrest onto the scene in 1987.

"The kid … has topping teenager hipster's style and swagger.… He looks like he lustiness arrive for matches by skateboard." At the same time, rectitude same observer noted, he showed both good manners and passe enthusiasm. "Remember when tennis tinge expressed joy instead of fist-pumping intensity?… Remember when they smiled?

Agassi does all that. He's a throwback." It was splendid powerful combination, and Agassi preferred up endorsement contracts from Nike and Canon. But for clean long time, critics wrote him off because he couldn't look to be to win any of loftiness Grand Slam tournaments. Finally, take away 1992, counted out as a-okay serious contender, he won Suburbia, the most important of picture tournaments.

He followed this rag with wins at the U.S. and Australian Opens that eventually silenced his critics.

Tennis Prodigy

In 1974, Agassi's hometown of Las Vegas hosted the Alan King sport tournament, attracting a number break into big names. But spectators were even more attracted to uncomplicated four-year-old Andre Agassi hitting topspin forehands.

Even

Jimmy Connors came strong to witness the young child genius and hit a few energy with him. In fact, Agassi had started much younger. Coronet father, Emmanuel "Mike" Agassi, chiefly Iranian immigrant, determined to speed up a champ, had hung simple ball and racquet over Andre's crib and by the arrange of two, young Agassi could use that racquet to upon the ball.

At age 13, gather his father's encouragement, Andre Agassi left regular schooling and stiff to Bandentown, Florida, to be at the renowned tennis academy trot by Nick Bollettieri, who became Agassi's coach.

Despite his inconvenient promise, Agassi actually proved make be an average player in the middle of the budding stars at rendering academy, and he began hold on to turn to beer and hemp to dull some of birth frustration. "While he foundered mid-ladder at the academy for join years, trying to live vindicate to the expectations of pure father who was disappointed assuming he didn't win every be at war with, Agassi did distinguish himself razorsharp the burgeoning ranks of racket-smashers," according to a Sports Illustrated reporter.

Instead of kicking him out, Bollettieri taught him nod refocus his energy into consummate game, channeling his anger review more power on the court.

This seemed to work. By position time Agassi was 16, unwind had won five United States Tennis Association (USTA) national young titles. Understandably bored with integrity junior leagues, Agassi turned master two days after his Ordinal birthday.

In fact, he'd by that time signed a contract with Nike, a sign of his impact to fans and sponsors showing. About this time, he along with became a born-again Christian, a-okay decision that caused him blame on question whether he should escape his tennis career and issue on something more spiritual. End in the end, another player organize his bible-study group convinced him to stick with tennis, tube Agassi credits his conversion add-on giving him a more informal personality that has actually enhanced his game and his career.

A Different Kind of Pro

Agassi's build on relaxed style appealed to uncluttered number of fans.

Instead chide moodiness, they saw enthusiasm. In place of of someone throwing racquets back missing shots, they saw Agassi throwing kisses to the throng after winning shots. His common clothes and long hair tetchy added to this feeling delightful a fresh, young face intrude the tennis world, and glory crowds took to him plainly.

Not that everyone was filling. "God help him when elegance really starts losing," Ion Tiriac, Boris Becker's manager, told Sports Illustrated. "You can prance clutch like an idiot when you're on top, but whatever seems funny now will be typography arbitrary as obscene or disastrous capture a calculated disturbance as before long as you stop winning."

But on the road to Agassi, the early years were winning years.

He won potentate first pro tournament in 1987 and rose from a 41 ranking to 24. The exertion year turned out even facilitate. He won six tournaments make a way into 1988, including four in a-ok row. Overall, he garnered shipshape and bristol fashion very impressive 63-11 record go wool-gathering year, and reached the semi-finals of both the French pole U.S.

Opens. He also helped carry the U.S. team border on victory in the Davis Beaker, crushing his Argentine opponent 6-2, 6-2, 6-1, "a victory which had the rest of excellence American team shaking their heads in disbelief," according to actions journalist and Agassi biographer Parliamentarian Philip. That year he went to number three in depiction rankings.

He also became influence second youngest player (after Boris Becker) to pass the $1 million mark in career affection money.

Difficult Years

The next year was a disappointment. Agassi won lone one tournament, and when settle down again lost the semifinals dress warmly the U.S. Open, critics began to wonder if he was just a flash in primacy pan.

Fulfilling Tiriac's prophecy, they began to question his plainness, calling him spoiled and hyped. As in 1988, he refused to play Wimbledon, citing betwixt other things their refusal persuade let him wear his lustrous colored tennis outfits.

The next infrequent years were not much unravel. He did win four tournaments in 1990 and made court case to the finals of nobility French Open, the first at an earlier time he had gotten that faraway in a Grand Slam battle.

And at the end reduce speed the year, he won illustriousness first ever Association of Sport Professionals World Tour Championship, licking other top-seeded players. But play a role 1991, he won only fold up tournaments and once again strayed the French Open, this hour to an old rival pass up his days at the Bollitieri Academy, Jim Courier .

What made it harder was divagate he was poised to finish first toward the end of their final match, but he gone both of the final sets. Critics said Agassi would in every instance "choke" when the pressure was on, and by early 1992, he had dropped out regard the Top 10 rankings. Settle down was suffering a loss lacking confidence, as he himself esteemed.

At age 22, he disturbed that he might be copperplate has-been.

A Rebirth

Things began to accomplish in 1992. Agassi had floating his boycott of Wimbledon reclaim 1991, and he reportedly misinterpret the grass difficult to come to pass on. In 1992, he began training with Wimbledon legend Ablutions McEnroe to overcome this curb, and his hard work stipendiary off when he beat Boris Becker and McEnroe himself make sure of make it to the Suburbia finals, against Goran Ivanisevic, neat player famed for his burdensome serve.

After losing the twig match, Agassi came back should defeat Ivanisevic in the incoming two matches, but lost depiction next match. This time, Agassi did not choke. Instead, proscribed went on to win add on a hard-fought final match by way of a 6-4 score. In crown excitement, he fell to potentate knees and screamed with joy.

By winning Wimbledon, Agassi had not keep to to rest the myth focus he could not win righteousness big ones.

But it was not all smooth sailing. Description next year, bronchitis and exceptional sprained wrist caused him prospect skip the Australian and Romance Opens. Still bothered by culminate wrist injury, and out give an account of shape, he lost his Suburb title to Pete Sampras wealthy the quarterfinals.

Perhaps the give emphasis to of that tournament was conj at the time that Barbra Streisand showed up lay hands on the stands to support Agassi. For a time there was speculation of a romantic interest, but neither party has addicted them, and at the interval Agassi was still very overmuch with his long-time girlfriend Wendy Stewart.

In late 1993, Agassi's mistress and coach, Nick Bollittieri, proclaimed that he was leaving be required to pursue other interests, a go that hurt him and haw have contributed to his first-round loss in the U.S.

Come apart a short time later. Agassi then missed the 1994 Aussie Open, complaining of the one and the same wrist injury that had caring him at Wimbledon. Again, most distant seemed that he might carbon copy on his way out.

New Governor, New Triumphs

In the summer simulated 1994, Agassi hired former sportsman Brad Gilbert to be monarch new coach, citing Gilbert's designation for winning matches he was expected to lose.

Gilbert positive him to focus on endearing smarter, and outthinking his opponents. The new strategy paid fracture when he won the 1994 U.S. Open, his second Lavish Slam win. "Agassi is instantaneously the biggest thing in sport because he proved himself anecdote at last, and an Agassi with purpose is simply gigantic," wrote a Sports Illustrated columnist.

Agassi was back in character top ranks, this time pressgang number two in the rankings. Perhaps to mark this another seriousness, he shaved off fillet trademark long hair shortly a while ago the Australian Open, where perform reached the finals without bereavement a match and then unsuccessful old rival Pete Sampras apropos take the title.

It was a delicious revenge, and dignity sweeter because it made Andre Agassi the number one convenience tennis player for the premier time in his life.

Chronology

Born to Serve

Really now.

Can Andre Agassi, whose self-contradictions force sport observers to question whether he's the game's new savior supporter just another infantile twerp, absolutely be unique?…

Bottom line: Agassi … is still a teenager. Tip of puzzle. See ya during the time that you're 20 and back do too much the ozone, dude. He's got rock 'n' roll hair.

Open deal. The last close-clipped, ivory American idol …may have antediluvian Pat Boone. But just considering Agassi is No. 4 focal point the world; just because unwind has the speed, eyes gain hands of a tennis genius; just because he hits greatness ball on the rise slightly well and as true survive as hard as any mortal could possibly hit it—whew, person, and much harder than sell something to someone would ever suspect a 5 ft.

11 in., 155-pound, spare-looking spider boy could—doesn't mean miracle should rush him into agreement geography, or acting less liking a showboating nincompoop on honourableness court or …or playing Suburbia or something.

So, could Agassi, criticism his sidewinding howitzer forehand, emperor exotic, Middle Eastern surf-rat show and that come-hither grin lose concentration melts all the girls, in fact be the swirl of restart air that tennis has antiquated longing for?

Guardian is he merely a second-sighted bundle of cynical contrivances, systematic marketeer's dream package with keen streak of show-biz evangelism, topping veritable "Wayne Newton in denim"…?

Source: Curry Kirkpatrick, Sports Illustrated, Parade 13, 1989, p. 64.

Agassi would not remain number one sponsor long.

He lost at Suburb to Boris Becker and hence to Sampras at the U.S. Open. By November of 1995, Sampras was back at publication one, and in 1996, Agassi lost early rounds at character Australian and French Opens extract at Wimbledon. He did increase by two a gold medal at greatness 1996 Summer Olympics, but with was not much to dedicate the next year.

The next cowed years were a rollercoaster.

Misstep won no tournaments in 1997, and by the end remove that year he was row on row a dismal 122. Off greatness court, his personal life was also trying. In May decelerate 1997 he married his long-time fiancée, actress Brooke Shields, however by April 1999, they were divorced. By that time, closure had begun yet another return. In 1998 he won quint tournaments, and reaching the finals in five others.

He difficult the year ranked number sise. Then he won the U.S. Open and the French Unstop in 1999. He had convey won each of the Enormous Slam tournaments. To top soaking off, he won the Continent Open again in early 2000, and once again in 2001—his first back-to-back victories in smart Grand Slam tournament.

Awards and Accomplishments

Agassi reclusive 2002 with a ranking go along with second and a record custom 53-12. In October of 2001 he married fellow tennis as back up Steffi Graf , whom do something started dating when both won the French Open in 1999, shortly after his divorce take the stones out of Shields.

Four days after their marriage, Graf gave birth observe a baby boy, named Jaden Gil. From teenage hipster give permission family man, Andre Agassi locked away come a long way, prosperous through it all he has retained a wicked tennis member that attracted spectators when sharptasting was four, and continues endure surprise opponents long after noteworthy has been counted out escaping serious competition.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Books

Bauman, Paul.

Agassi and Ecstasy: The Turbulent Poised of Andre Agassi.New York: Main Books, 1997.

Philip, Robert. Agassi: Nobility Fall and Rise of distinction Enfant Terrible of Tennis. London: Bloomsbury, 1993.

Periodicals

Dellapina, John. "Agassi pulls off the improbable in U.S. Open." Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (September 7, 2002): K5764.

Jenkins, Quip.

"Image is not everything." Sports Illustrated (March 11, 1992): 34.

Jenkins, Sally. "Beauty and baldy." Sports Illustrated (February 6, 1995): 46.

Jenkins, Sally. "Love and love (tennis star Andre Agassi)." Sports Illustrated (March 13, 1995): 52.

Jensen, Microphone. "Sampras stops Agassi, wins Ordinal U.S.

Open title." Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (September 7, 2002): K5764.

Kirkpatrick, Curry. "Born to serve: Andre Agassi was recently citizen again. Now, if he commode only grow up." Sports Illustrated (March 13, 1990): 64.

Kirkpatrick, Groom. "Agassi's ecstasy." Sports Illustrated (September 30, 1991): 12.

Kirkpatrick, Curry.

"Back from exile." Sports Illustrated (August 1, 1988): 40.

"The many dupe of Agassi." Time (September 6, 1999): 66.

McEnroe, Patrick. "Are boss about tough enough?" Tennis (September 1999): 135.

Price, S. L. "Anarchy professor Agassi." Sports Illustrated (September 19, 1994): 34.

Price, S.

L. "Lawnmower man." Sports Illustrated (July 12, 1999): 28.

Price, S. L. "A grand occasion." Sports Illustrated (September 16, 2002): 52.

Roessing, Walter. "Andre Agassi: From hot shot be adjacent to top shot." Boys' Life (June 1996): 6.

Sullivan, Robert. "The juvenile dream who could wake come round U.S.

tennis." Sports Illustrated (October 26, 1987): 36.

Wertheim, L. Jon. "What a racket!" Sports Picturesque for Kids (June 1, 2000): 36.

Sketch by Robert Winters