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Open
An Autobiography
Open (2009) is a revealing account of the turbulent life of one of America’s all-time best tennis players. More than anything else, it’s a story of Agassi’s battle for balance and self-understanding, all while dealing with the constant stream of complications that arose from fame and public scrutiny.
- Sports fans
- People raised by an overbearing parent
- Anyone looking for an inspirational life story
Andre Agassi retired from tennis in 2006. During his career, he was ranked world number one and won eight Grand Slam titles. He is one of few tennis players to achieve a Career Golden Slam, the feat of winning every Grand Slam tournament, as well as a gold medal in the Olympics. He now devotes his time to the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, which improves the lives of at-risk children in his hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Open
An Autobiography
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Synopsis
Open (2009) is a revealing account of the turbulent life of one of America’s all-time best tennis players. More than anything else, it’s a story of Agassi’s battle for balance and self-understanding, all while dealing with the constant stream of complications that arose from fame and public scrutiny.
Key idea 1 of 10
Andre Agassi’s childhood was difficult and dominated by an overbearing father who forced him to practice tennis.
Andre Agassi has been blasting back tennis balls for as long as he can remember. At the age of seven, Agassi faced off every day against a machine that his father had built in their backyard in Las Vegas, Nevada. Agassi called this contraption “the dragon.” It growled and bellowed smoke as it shot out tennis balls like a cannon. Agassi faced up to 2,500 balls a day as his father barked directions at him from behind: “Hit harder!” “Hit earlier!”
In these circumstances, it’s easy to understand why Agassi hated the dragon and the sport of tennis. But Agassi’s father wasn't just determined for his son to succeed. He was prone to violence as well. Agassi didn’t dare resist.
An image of his father’s aggression is still etched in Agassi’s mind. One day Agassi senior, in a fit of road rage, pulverized another driver with his fists and left him unconscious in the middle of the street. Would he die? Or would another car accidentally run over him? All this had happened simply because the other driver had honked his horn.
The pressure was palpable. His father's demands and expectations had a source. He himself had dreamed of becoming a famous tennis player. As a young child in Tehran, Agassi’s father had watched British and American soldiers playing the game. In fact, he’d even acted as a ball boy for them.
Sadly, there weren’t any other kids with whom he could play tennis, and Agassi’s father took up boxing instead. He even represented Iran in the 1948 and 1952 Olympics.
He never won a medal himself, but he was damned sure his son wouldn’t be short of them. He wanted his son to become the best in the world.
Key ideas in this title
- Andre Agassi’s childhood was difficult and dominated by an overbearing father who forced him to practice tennis.
- Agassi’s professional career began after a rebellious stint at an oppressive tennis academy.
- Agassi struggled with his image as well as his feelings about tennis.
- Agassi is eternally grateful to his trainer Gil Reyes and his spiritual advisor, J.P.
- Wimbledon success brought Agassi newfound respect; in Brad Gilbert, he found the perfect coach.
- His relationship with Brooke Shields turned into a troubled marriage, but much more was wrong.
- Founding a school made Agassi’s life and career much richer.
- Agassi finally found the perfect match in Steffi Graf, and he made a brilliant comeback.
- Agassi’s final years of tennis were some of his most rewarding, and his family was there for it.
- Final summary