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Name: Open
Rating: 4.5 (46 reviews)
Author: Andre Agassi

Andre Agassi

An Autobiography

4.5 (46 ratings)

20 mins

What is Open about?

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.

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Open
summarized in 9 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 9

What’s in it for me? Take a peek into the life of a remarkable tennis player.

It’s a common belief that those who reach the highest level of fame and success must have an inherent and extraordinary passion for their field. But this couldn’t be further from the truth in the case of Andre Agassi, who first burst onto the scene as a rebellious tennis champion from Las Vegas.

In these blinks, you’ll learn about the unusual life trajectory of this Grand Slam master who’d rather have been penning poetry than playing tennis, and who didn’t know how to handle the fame that came from receiving tennis’s highest honors.

From his early tennis grooming to his endeavors to help at-risk children improve their lives, you’ll get an insight into the highs and lows of Agassi’s celebrated career.

You’ll also learn

how many tennis balls seven-year-old Agassi was forced to hit every day;
why he was taunted for being all style and no substance; and
how Brooke Shields helped him embrace one of his biggest insecurities.

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.

Agassi’s professional career began after a rebellious stint at an oppressive tennis academy.

When Agassi was just nine years old, he famously hustled legendary football player Jim Brown in three straight sets. But that was nothing compared to what happened a few days later. Agassi was beating his father 5–2 in the first set when Agassi senior suddenly abandoned the match.

Playing against older players was nothing new to Agassi. He’d already been playing in junior tournaments against older kids for a year by the time he beat his father.

Agassi struggled with his image as well as his feelings about tennis.

Agassi turned pro on April 29, 1986, his sixteenth birthday. That day, he lost in the final of the Florida Masters tournament. He faced a dilemma. If he accepted the $1,100 second-place prize, it would mean accepting a livelihood as a professional tennis player.

Sure, it was great to have some much-needed money. But it didn’t make an iota of difference to his feelings about tennis. He still hated it, and he’d have to face that for the rest of his career. He took the money.

Agassi is eternally grateful to his trainer Gil Reyes and his spiritual advisor, J.P.

In 1987, Agassi shocked the world by taking home $90,000 from his first tournament win in Brazil. He was just 17 years old. He couldn’t resist splashing the cash and bought a white Corvette.

Success continued apace in 1988. But, after he lost in five sets to world number three Mats Wilander in the semi-finals of the French Open, it was clear his stamina and physical abilities needed to be worked on. He needed a trainer.

Wimbledon success brought Agassi newfound respect; in Brad Gilbert, he found the perfect coach.

Reyes was the consummate professional, and before long Agassi’s game improved rapidly. The trainer even developed specific exercises that took account of Agassi’s lower back problems. Agassi had been born with spondylolisthesis, a slippage of the vertebrae that can be exceptionally painful. Reyes also blended a special sports drink to keep Agassi hydrated during and after matches. This was the famous "Gil Water,” a mixture of water, carbohydrates, salt and electrolytes.

The fundamentals were in place. But a grand slam title was still beyond Agassi's grasp. Achieve that, and he would finally gain the respect of his peers and the press.

His relationship with Brooke Shields turned into a troubled marriage, but much more was wrong.

After his Wimbledon success, Agassi’s life entered the realms of the surreal. The president invited him to the White House, and he had a brief but intense friendship with Barbara Streisand.

He was also introduced to and began dating Brooke Shields, an actress whom he'd had a crush on for years.

Founding a school made Agassi’s life and career much richer.

Soon after he got married, Agassi hit rock bottom. The tennis authorities informed him that he’d tested positive for an illegal drug. He ended up lying his way out of trouble, but he felt dreadful doing so, and his ranking dropped to 141.

But Agassi knew himself well. He needed to set himself a challenge, to aim for something. His goal would be to regain his number one spot in the rankings.

Agassi finally found the perfect match in Steffi Graf, and he made a brilliant comeback.

Steffi Graf, the German tennis great, was also due to play the 1999 French Open.

Gilbert had a hunch that Agassi and Graf would hit it off and so made sure to book Agassi's practice court right next to Graf’s. Things were slow and hesitant at first, just a little small talk, and Graf had a boyfriend whom she’d been with for years.

Agassi’s final years of tennis were some of his most rewarding, and his family was there for it.

In early 2001, Graf was pregnant with their first child. Agassi responded by bouncing around that year’s French Open like a teenager. Sadly though, his body couldn't take the strain, and he crashed out in the quarterfinals to Pete Sampras.

Their first child, Jaden, was born soon after. A second daughter, Jaz Elle, followed in 2003. These two kept him motivated in his last remarkable years of professional tennis, despite the pain he was experiencing.

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Best quote from Open

My arm feels like its going to fall off. I want to ask, How much longer Pops? But I dont ask. I do as Im told.

—Andre Agassi

About the Author

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.

Who should read Open?

Sports fans
People raised by an overbearing parent
Anyone looking for an inspirational life story

Categories with Open

Biography & Memoir

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