Feb 24, 2001 07:19 PM
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Looking at his flair for fast sports cars and long hair, not many people believed that Andre Agassi would ever go down as one of the very few lucky people to earn victory at each of the professional Grand Slam Tennis Tournaments: The US Open, The Wimbledon, The French Open and the Australian Open. But then, the immense talent that this Las Vegan born showman possessed, silenced all his critics.
Andre Agassi was born in Las Vegas, Nevada. Trained by his father, a former world-class boxer, he began playing tennis as a toddler. By the time he was 12 years old he had practiced with noted professional players such as Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors. After receiving coaching at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida, Agassi turned professional in 1986 and won his first title in 1987. He became known for his powerful, aggressive forehand, and in 1988 he won several tournaments, including the Volvo International and the United States clay court championships. He continued his success over the next few years, rising in the professional rankings, winning Wimbledon in 1992, and playing on the U.S. Davis Cup team in 1991 and 1992.
Although Agassi could be temperamental and his play was sometimes erratic, he became popular with fans. His flamboyant personality and on-court success gained him lucrative product endorsements. In 1993, however, Agassi's ranking dropped after he underwent surgery and was unable to maintain a full schedule of tournaments. He subsequently rededicated himself to tennis, winning the 1994 U.S. Open as an unseeded player.
In 1995 Agassi continued to moderate his public image and to improve his play. He won the 1995 Australian Open and played on the U.S. Davis Cup team. At the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, Agassi won the gold medal in tennis. In 1999 he won the French Open, joining Don Budge, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, and Fred Perry as the only players to win the men's singles title at each of the four major tournaments. Agassi continued his success by winning the 1999 U.S. Open and the 2000 and 2001 Australian Open.
All said and done, looking to the great success that Agassi has enjoyed as a tennis player, I would not mind his off the court affairs, whether it be Brooke Shields or Steffi Graf. Isn’t it?
