Biography of Andre Agassi

Accelerate to win

April 29, 1970 Andre Kirk Agassi was born on 29 April 1970 in Vegas by American mother and Iranian father (Assyrian and Armenian origin), who moved to America after being Olympic boxer for Iran in the 1948 and 1952 Olympics. The father's name is Emmanuel Mike Agassian, which becomes Agassi once obtained American citizenship. Big tennis fan, Mike (which once boxing career he worked in a Las Vegas megaresort belonged to Kerk Kerkorian (Andre's middle name derives from the friendship between the two) dreaming for Andre and his three brothers a future champions. And so, the young Agassi already in two years is holding a racket; not that the early days are happy, indeed: he hates the sport, especially during puberty, because of the pressure of his father, who would like to see him become a champion at any cost. He in any case already at fourteen years ago practice together with players like Jimmy Connors and Ilie Nastase, before moving to the Court of Nick Bollettieri, Florida, in the school that saw champions like Monica Seles, Boris Becker and Jennifer Capriati. It is, as said, to years rather unhappy with the strict discipline imposed by Mike and Nick that arouse in him a rebellious spirit. For this Andre wears ripped jeans, and deliberately you put paint my toenails just to piss the father homophobe. The coach of the Academy one day asks the 15-year-old Andre: "What would you do for a living?". The boy answered, without hesitating: "becoming a professional. Leaving from here". And Agassi succeeds, although already at sixteen participates in a professional. Is the 1986: in La Quinta, California passes the first round against John Austin, but was later defeated by Mats Wilander. At the end of the year, in any case, the teenager by Iranian sources is already part of the top 100 in the world rankings. In 1987 the first victory of a tourney, and the year ends with the 25th position in the ATP rankings. Agassi is now one of the best players in the world: in 1988 has already won six tournaments and earned one million dollar prizes: merit also of semifinals won at Roland Garros and the US Open, which earned him a place in the top ten in the world. Meanwhile becomes a character beyond the fields of play: his image, characterized by long hair, gaudy uniforms, fans and its conquest help to make him known worldwide. After one season, that of 1989, devoid of satisfaction (the only victory coming against Brad Gilbert in Orlando; the rest are the disappointments of the defeats in the semi-finals at the US Open and in the final in Rome), the 1990 offers the conquest of the first Master Series: Andre in Key Biscayne win against Stefan Edberg after they had defeated him in the final at Indian Wells. Defeated in Paris by Andres Gomez and at the US Open by a certain Pete Sampras WINS in Washington and Frankfurt; the following year, however, winning Washington and Heathrow, but goes out in the first round at the U.s. Open and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. In the final at Roland Garros, losing to Jim Courier. In 1992 Agassi triumphs at Wimbledon (although London is considered a grass surface hostile to him), beating Becker in the quarterfinals, John McEnroe in the semifinals and Ivanisevic in the final. then he won the tournament in Atlanta and the Masters Series in Toronto. Wrist surgery conditions 1993, which he still win tournaments in Scottsdale and San Francisco, but losing badly in Grand Slams (even in the first round in the Usa). After repeated in Scottsdale in 1994, the American tennis player wins at Paris Bercy and her second Grand Slam title, winning the US Open. Following the best year of Agassi, the 1995, which brings on the Board seven titles. Presented at the Australian Open (the first of his career) with a shaved head (later confess that her mane that had made him famous was in reality a toupee), defeating Pete Sampras in the final, the eternal rival; then WINS Cincinnati, Toronto and Key Biscayne, before winning the Davis Cup with the us team. Agassi impresses the looseness of her game, and for the habit to follow the ball only with your eyes, not moving your head: exceptional reflections at the base of his best shot, namely the answer in advance, they plan to hit the ball while it is rising, taking advantage as well of the higher kinetic energy due to the bounce and with less time in the push down the ball. As a result, there is an unpredictable and quick shot, which does not leave the opposing player time to move. In short, the American tennis player is a striker from outstanding Fund, hates shots interlocutors and finds its strength in the reply, can call into play even on 240 kilometres per hour service of Andy Roddick. The year ends with 72 hits and Sun 10 losses: on 10 April becomes for the first time Atp number 1, a position he holds for 30 consecutive weeks. It happens, so that in 1996 Agassi is one of the hottest players on the circuit. However, expectations are disappointed, since it does not reach any Grand Slam final: he is consoled, however, with WINS in Cincinnati and Key Biscayne, and especially with Olympic gold got to Atlanta. It's the calm before the storm, meaning that the 1997 represents the lowest point of the sporting life of Agassi: blame the wrist injury suffered four years earlier, and which again be affected, preventing him from playing more than twenty-four meetings throughout the whole year. From the point of view of privacy, in any case, things are better: comes the marriage to actress Brooke Shields. The tennis player, thus, becomes a character from cover, and career suffers. In November, Agassi is 141° in the world rankings. According to many experts (or assumed), it is an athlete now finished, due to the increased attention paid to social life rather than at practice. In 1998, however, the marriage begins to give the first signs of crisis: for Andre, is an opportunity to concentrate on the sport and start from scratch. He won several Challenger tournaments and shows a different attitude towards opponents, so that audience that until recently seemed about to start hating him accepts him as an idol. Dates quickly in the rankings, ending the season at number 6, after winning five tournaments and reaching the final of the Grand Slam Cup. The final return is fulfilled in 1999: in spite of the elimination in the second round at the Australian Open, Agassi WINS in Hong Kong and especially on Roland Garros, defeating Andrei Medvedev after an incredible comeback. Won the last Slam that he missed (previously only Fred Perry, Don Budge, Roy Emerson and Rod Laver had managed to do poker), arrives in the final on the grass of Wimbledon, where he is beaten by Sampras. Back atop the Atp rankings for three weeks, wins the US Open defeated Todd Martin, before beginning a great 2000: wins the Australian Open after beating Sampras in the semifinal and in the final, Kafelnikov; then, after the setback of Paris (eliminated at Roland Garros in the second round), arrives in the finals at Wimbledon (lost to Rafter), and Masters Cup (WINS Brazilian Kuerten). Agassi, in short, is back to before: despite an impeccable service (also because of its unstable) and underpowered, presents a reverse two-hander definitely effective, especially in fiber, and a law that allows him to take uncommon paths too. Coordination and speed of Agassi, who enrich the technical heritage because of its perfect timing is able to impose its rhythm game to opponents, often putting their feet into the field. Is the network game his Achilles heel, despite invitations to advance that Brad Gilbert, one of his coach, makes him: the final blow is used solely as volleys to close the point. But on the other hand, he managed to win even without that feature. In 2001, for example, back to success at the Australian Open, and gets the double of Indian Wells and Key Biscayne. After defeating Sampras in Los Angeles, was defeated by the opponent ever in the quarterfinals of the Us Open. The 2002 does it record victories in Key Biscayne, Madrid and Rome, but especially the last game played against Sampras: US Open final, Agassi has lost in four sets. This is the twentieth victory by Pete, against the fourteen won by Andre. The 2001 was also the year in which marries Steffi Graf, former German Champion in world tennis: from their relationship will be born children Jaden Gil and Jaz Elle. Agassi, in any case, he was able to bounce back in 2003, when he won the Australian Open again, this time against Rainer Schüttler. Another tournament of the heart is to Key Biscayne, won for the sixth time and the third row: is so set the record of 18 straight WINS in the tournament. Back at number 1 of the April 28, becomes the oldest player, at 33 years and 13 days, to achieve this objective; a record that will be beaten again on 16 June (in the meantime had lost the scepter at the hands of Australian Lleyton Hewitt), when will remain at the top for three months. The year ends with the defeat in the final in Masters Cup, beaten by a certain Roger Federer. Now 35, in 2004 Agassi confirms champion by winning the Cincinnati masters: a victory that earned him a record 17 Masters Series charmed (leadership that will be beaten by Rafael Nadal). That same year, exceed 800 WINS (before him have managed just five other players). The 2005 opens in eighth place in the standings and with elimination in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open under the blows of Federer. The American tennis player, while proving to be extremely competitive, loses shine and WINS first tournament only to Los Angeles. Defeated in Canada by Nadal, wins the final, against all odds, at the US Open before being defeated again by Federer: a sort of passing of the torch, looked at the hip injury that affects Andre and that prevented him from finishing the Tennis Masters Cup. In 2006, finally, Andre Agassi retires after losing in the third round against Benjamin Becker at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Him Rino Tommasi said: "If the image of Agassi has become over the years-gone hair, more chastened clothes-have remained identical features, player, who has invented a new style of play. Once the attackers went network, the regolaristi were at the bottom, Agassi was a striker, a type of game made possible by its primary qualities, an extraordinary, unique sense of advance supported by an exceptional coordination. Coming before the ball could find angles and trajectories that allowed them to dominate the game and dictate the times. " After retiring, Agassi enters the eye of the storm because of his autobiography, "Open," in which he confesses that he consumed methamphetamine and having avoided by deception a disqualification of the Atp after he was found positive in a doping control in 1997: at that time, had claimed to have drank a cocktail in which it was contained without his knowledge. The world of tennis has unanimously disapproved the behavior of the American: Federer has confessed to being disappointed by him, while successive condemnations came from Rafael Nadal, Martina Navratilova and Boris Becker; Sergei Bubka has asked to penalise him explicitly. In career, Andre Agassi has captured around 60 Atp titles and total premiums of 31 8 Slam, for millions of dollars (which should be added the one hundred and fifty obtained thanks to sponsorship). First on the chart for 101 weeks, won seventeen Master, and still is the only male player to have won the Olympic gold medal in the singles, the Davis Cup, the four Grand Slam tournaments and the ATP World Championship: this is another reason why he joined, on 9 July of 2011, the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

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