Andre Agassi hated tennis, took crystal meth, but retired at US Open a legend (2024)

For an American tennis player, there's no better place to bring an end to your career at the US Open.

Serena Williams will doing so at the 2022 edition, while Andre Agassi called time on his career at Flushing Meadow 16 years ago.

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The eight-time Grand Slam winner bowed out at Flushing Meadows in the third round to Benjamin Becker on September 3, 2006.

It was a special moment as the 23,000 crowd at the Arthur Ashe Stadium gave Agassi a four-minute ovation and he delivered an emotional farewell speech.

The American, who was 36 at the time, finally knew it was time to call an end to his career after suffering crippling back pain that required pain killing injections before every match.

It was a short, but dramatic run at the US Open, a place he was twice a champion and four-time runner-up.

A memorable five-set battle with Marcos Baghadits in the second round took it out of him, with his much younger opponent suffering severe cramp in the final set.

As both lay flat out in the locker rooms, they shared a touching moment.

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“I turn to see Baghadits extending his hand,” he wrote in his 2009 autobiography Open. “His face says, We did that. I reach out, take his hand and we remain this way, holding hands, as the TV flickers with scenes of our savage battle.”

The transformation of Agassi during his career was something quite remarkable, being one of the most disliked and divisive players on the tour to one of the most respected and popular stars of the game.

It was remarkable he kept playing until he was 36 having openly admitted he hated tennis, as he revealed in his book.

“I play tennis for a living, even though I hate tennis, hate it with a dark and secret passion, and always have,” Agassi wrote.

He burst onto the scene as a teenager and made the semi-final of the French Open in 1988 and the US Open in 1988 and 1989.

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Out of all the young players coming through, like Pete Sampras, Jim Courier and Michael Chang, he was tipped to be the greatest of them all.

But they all won Grand Slams before he did. He suffered three final defeats before eventually winning Wimbledon in 1992.

The fact that Wimbledon was his first slam came as a surprise as it was an event he skipped between 1988 and 1991 due to the events traditionalism - only adding to the image that he was the rebel of tennis.

The rivalry with Sampras was the greatest of their generation in the 1990s, not least because of their contrasting personalities.

Sampras was more robotic and had a clean cut image, whereas Agassi was perceived as the bad boy of the sport who had a pony tail, earring and dated the likes of Barbra Streisand and Brooke Shields. He later went on to marry fellow tennis star Steffi Graf, herself a 22-time Grand Slam winner.

The pair met five times in Grand Slam finals, with Sampras taking the victory on four of those occasions.

One of the more controversial moments of his career was only revealed after he retired, writing in his book of how he took crystal meth and failed a drugs test in 1997.

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He said: "As if they're coming out of someone else's mouth, I hear these words: You know what? F*** it. Yeah. Let's get high.

"Slim dumps a small pile of powder on the coffee table. He cuts it, snorts it. He cuts it again. I snort some. I ease back on the couch and consider the Rubicon I've just crossed.”

But remarkably he never received a ban, nor was it ever made public by the ATP. He wrote a letter explaining what had happened, filled with lies, and was let off by the ATP, who hushed everything up.

This provoked quite a reaction with some criticising him and calling for some retrospective action.

It did little to dent the opinion of Agassi, who is widely regarded as one of the best of all time.

He won just eight Grand Slams to Sampras’ 14, but he is certainly more popular.

Agassi was also just the second man to achieve a career Grand Slam, after Rod Laver, a feat later achieved by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

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He, along with Nadal, are the only two men to have won a Golden Career Slam as he won a Gold medal at the 1996 Olympics.

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Off the court, since he retired, he set up the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation that has raised tens of millions of dollars for at risk children in Nevada, where he grew up.

It may be 16 years on since he called it a day, but his legacy lives on as one of the most popular and talented players of all time.

Andre Agassi hated tennis, took crystal meth, but retired at US Open a legend (2024)
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