Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi
Andre Kirk Agassiis an American retired professional tennis player and former World No. 1, who was one of the game's most dominant players from the early 1990s to the mid-2000s. Generally considered by critics and fellow players to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Agassi had been called the greatest service returner in the history of the game. Described by the BBC upon his retirement as "perhaps the biggest worldwide star in the sport's history", Agassi...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionTennis Player
Date of Birth29 April 1970
CityLas Vegas, NV
CountryUnited States of America
We played once in Australia. We got done with that match and I said, 'He's a top 10 player'. He just seemed to do so many things well. He made you work for every point. I've got to believe he's only got better. I'm looking forward to a good quality match.
The alternative is me not being at my best, me being out there in the situation where I can do more damage to myself and not be part of more tournaments, ... I'm trying to negotiate a career, how I'm going to go about my profession. Making the wrong decision is going to have big ramifications for me at this stage.
If I was coaching him, I'd fine him $100 every time he hit a groundstroke, ... In his most difficult moments, he was more awkward than I anticipated.
Getting up two sets helps a lot because a guy can play great for two hours and, in the worst case, the match is going to be even,
Gil has helped me make decisions that have put me in a position to still be out here letting my game be the most it can be. There's a lot of people who have to sacrifice for me to still be able to do this, and there's a lot of trust that goes into that.
I couldn't really hit balls for a month at least due to my ankle. You come back, try to get ready in a hurry and you force it and things just don't respond if you try to do it too soon.
I can live with losing, I can't live with not taking my chance. I wasn't happy about being in a fifth after being up two sets to love, but I did know I was going to make him earn it.
I am always on the edge. I don't know when, but it can happen quickly. I get motivated with the challenge. This is what I do, and I have not decided to stop doing that. But it is getting more difficult on the body, it is getting more difficult on the mind.
I broke him one time. You come out to a match like this and you hope for that at least. So you never know what to expect playing somebody you never played before. In his most difficult moments, he was more awkward than I anticipated.
I always worry about health -- is everything holding up?
Certainly coming out here for the first match in such a long time, I couldn't have expected that standard, to be that comfortable, ... I just settled in early. Sometimes you can really get too anxious and never find your rhythm and fight yourself a little bit. I trusted my legs and found a nice rhythm with my shots. Six days of practice, I'd advise it for anybody.
I was pleased with the way I improved over the course of the match, ... By the end of the match, I was much more comfortable. But I was a little nervous in the beginning and the ball was really flying. I was trying to go after the ball so it didn't play me, but I wasn't quite committed to letting my swing go, so I was sort of moving forward and not finishing my swing, and I was losing control of a few shots.
I'd like to play him before HE retires.
No chance for me to play again ? it's very dangerous and risky for my future. This is an unfortunate setback.