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Andre Agassi recently went down to Melbourne, Australia for the first few days of the Australian Open. He got a lot of attention as a former AO champion and all-around tennis great, although he also got attention for bringing his good friend Justin Gimlestob, who is a deeply problematic person. Anyway, Agassi is the only man in tennis’s Open Era to hit every major marker of tennis accomplishments: he won every major at least once; he won the ATP Tour finals; he won an Olympic gold medal in singles; he won Davis Cup. Each one of the modern greats (Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer) is missing one of those accomplishments. Agassi recently chatted with WSJ. Magazine about life, marriage to Steffi Graff, tennis and pickleball. Some highlights:
His ‘90s style: “I loved it because it was different. I had a need to explore myself. Not knowing who I was, I always had the courage to say, “Well, this is what I feel today.” It was always authentic, even if I was pretending. I went through the colors and the spandex, all the evolutions that came with it.”
On taking his and wife’s pickleball playing to the next level: “I’m really excited that I have something that takes my mind off exercise altogether but is still exercise,” he said. On Feb. 4, he and Graf are taking their game to the next level, competing against John McEnroe and Maria Sharapova in the Pickleball Slam 2 airing on ESPN for a $1 million purse prize.
On what time he wakes up on Mondays, and the first thing he does after waking up: “I’m usually up between 5:30 and 6:30. I just relax into the day. Then I come down and make some hot lemon water and have a cup of coffee and then I’m ready for anything.”
On his typical Monday work schedule: “I do very efficient work for three to four hours a day, and then I get my life in around it.”
On the rise of tennis style for nonathletes: “People go to a tennis tournament, and they dress like tennis players. It would be kind of weird if I went to watch golf and put on a khaki and polo. But it’s kind of cool, too. It speaks to how we’ve evolved. That’s one of the things that hopefully I was able to contribute to—fans who watch the game and how they morph that into their daily lives. And to see the mullet come back in fashion is a kind of fascinating experience.”
On tennis fanatics who resent pickleball for taking over court space: “Listen, I think pickleball and tennis can play very happily in the same sandbox. I’ve seen pickleball take tennis clubs that were on the verge of going under and bring them alive again. Tennis is, I think, the most demanding racquet sport that exists. What can you do at 50-plus years old and still get better at? I love to say this about pickleball.”
On his secret to a happy marriage: “The first is to know yourself. You can’t come to a relationship needing the other to feel complete, or else you’re fighting multiple battles.”
On which tennis players he’s excited about these days: “Just like everyone, I’m loving [Carlos] Alcaraz right now. He brings such an energy. [Jannik] Sinner, I love the way he hits the ball. Watching Ben Shelton come around with his game and intensities. [Daniil] Medvedev, the guy’s tennis IQ is crazy in the way he negotiates the game and 6’6” and plays the way he does is so remarkable.”
On the one piece of advice that’s guided him: “It was told to me by William P. Young who wrote “The Shack.” He talks about future-tripping. We all have a tendency to go to a place in our minds where we’re solving problems that actually don’t even exist. It’s our imagination that’s built out of fear. The advice is counting the times and catching yourself when you future-trip. It happens way more than people think. Regret is the same—living in the past. That’s a guiding principle, trying to stay a lot more in the present.”
I’m surprised he didn’t mention any tennis stars in the women’s game? Does he not watch women’s tennis? Not even Coco Gauff, who is basically the biggest American tennis star right now? But he’s right about Daniil Medvedev, who is my favorite tennis player. Crazy tennis IQ! I’m still depressed about the AO final this year – I think Jannik Sinner is great, but I really wanted Meddy to win. Also: “I do very efficient work for three to four hours a day, and then I get my life in around it.” The dream, honestly. I would love that schedule. I don’t want to do nothing all the time, but four hours of efficient work a day would be perfect.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
Zuschauer macht Selfie mit Andre Agassi in der VIP Loge, Australian Open 2024, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. *** Spectator takes selfie with Andre Agassi in the VIP box, Australian Open 2024, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Copyright: xJuergenxHasenkopfx,Image: 840686621, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Juergen Hasenkopf / Avalon
Andre Agassi und Tennis Australia Praesident Jayne Hrdlicka und ex ATP, Tennis Herren Spieler Justin Gimelstob in der VIP Loge, Australian Open 2024, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.in der VIP Loge, Australian Open 2024, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. *** Andre Agassi and Tennis Australia President Jayne Hrdlicka and ex ATP player Justin Gimelstob in the VIP box, Australian Open 2024, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in the VIP box, Australian Open 2024, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Copyright: xJuergenxHasenkopfx,Image: 840686625, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Juergen Hasenkopf / Avalon
Andre Agassi und Tennis Australia Praesident Jayne Hrdlicka in der VIP Loge, Australian Open 2024, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. *** Andre Agassi and Tennis Australia President Jayne Hrdlicka in the VIP box, Australian Open 2024, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Copyright: xJuergenxHasenkopfx,Image: 840966133, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Juergen Hasenkopf / Avalon
