At the ISPO fair in Munich and in an interview with Sports Illustrated, former American legend Andre Agassi talked again about his turbulent relationship with tennis.
Previously, in his famous autobiography Open – one of the most interesting autobiographies ever written – the American had talked about his complicated relationship with tennis. It was his father Emanoul, a former boxer, who pushed him towards this career. An extraordinary career, which however has seen many ups and downs.
And now Agassi focused on this sort of relationship divided between love and hate, revealing that he has never been able to fully enjoy the sport that made him famous.
Agassi© Via Instagram Andre Agassi
“It wasn’t my choice to play tennis. My father, a former Iranian boxer, introduced me to the sport and, at 13, sent me to an academy in Florida, 3,000 miles from home. I felt disconnected from my life, and the only way out was success. Success meant independence: paying my bills and earning my freedom. I was told who I was and what I was supposed to be.
I responded by doing exactly the opposite. Rebellion was my way of discovering myself. At first, I was distracted by wins and losses. But when I stopped identifying with results, I found incredible freedom. For me, true success means being fully alive and fully human. Personal growth is everything: every day you have to try to expand your heart and mind,” revealed Agassi the new interview with Sports Illustrated.
In his career, Agassi won 8 Slam titles, including 4 Australian Opens. He also won the ATP Finals and the Olympic gold medal in Atlanta, completing the super Career Golden Slam. In total, he won 60 singles titles; but it was also his behavior on and off the court that made the American tennis player famous.
Tennis World USA