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Quick Facts
- NAME: Andre Agassi
- OCCUPATION: Tennis Player
- BIRTH DATE: April 29, 1970 (Age: 43)
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Las Vegas, Nevada
- Full Name: Andre Kirk Agassi
- ZODIAC SIGN: Taurus
Best Known For
Andre Agassi is best known for his strong, smart playing style, which helped him win tennis championships throughout the 1990s.
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Play NowAndre Kirk Agassi. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 11:07, May 22, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/andre-agassi-9177078.
Andre Kirk Agassi. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/andre-agassi-9177078 [Accessed 22 May 2013].
"Andre Kirk Agassi." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 22 2013, 11:07 http://www.biography.com/people/andre-agassi-9177078.
"Andre Kirk Agassi," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/andre-agassi-9177078 [accessed May 22, 2013].
"Andre Kirk Agassi," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/andre-agassi-9177078 (accessed May 22, 2013).
Andre Kirk Agassi [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 22] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/andre-agassi-9177078.
Andre Kirk Agassi, http://www.biography.com/people/andre-agassi-9177078 (last visited May 22, 2013).
Andre Kirk Agassi. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/andre-agassi-9177078. Accessed May 22, 2013.
Synopsis
Born in 1970, Andre Agassi won several USTA junior national titles before turning professional at the age of 16. In 1992, Agassi won his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon. More victories soon followed with a U.S. Open win in 1994 and the Australian Open in 1995. After a career slump, Agassi returned to top form in 1999 with wins at the U.S. Open and French Open. He retired from competition in 2006.
Early Life
For 20 years, tennis legend Andre Agassi was one of the dominant players in his sport. He first picked up a racket when he was a toddler at the insistence of his father. His father, an immigrant from Iran and a former Olympic boxer, served as his first coach, making Agassi practice for hours at the family's Las Vegas, Nevada home.
In his mid-teens, Agassi abandoned his education to train full time. He moved to Florida where he went to the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. Agassi proved to be one of the top junior players in the sport, winning several U.S. Tennis Association national titles. At the age of sixteen, Agassi decided it was time to compete in the big leagues. The young tennis player turned professional in 1986.
Young Tennis Star
When he first arrived on the tennis scene, Agassi turned heads and raised eyebrows with his wild hair and bright clothing. The boisterous athlete quickly had an endorsement deal with Nike before even winning a title. Some wondered whether there was any substance behind of his youthful good looks and flashy style. While Agassi won his first competition in 1987, but he failed to clinch a major title during his early career. In 1992, Agassi silenced his critics with a win at Wimbledon, his first Grand Slam title.
After his Wimbledon win, Agassi had several more Grand Slam victories in the early 1990s. He took the top spot at the U.S. Open in 1994. He was victorious at the Australian Open in 1995, which helped him climb to the top of rankings that year. Clearly at the top of his game, Agassi won a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta, Georgia. Off the court, charismatic Agassi's personal life became a popular topic in the tabloids. He was romantically linked to singer Barbra Streisand before marrying actress Brooke Shields in 1997.
Career Comeback
Beginning in 1997, Agassi went through a difficult patch, both professionally and personally. He failed to win any tournaments that year, and the former number-one player dropped significantly in the rankings. According to his autobiography Open, Agassi had been introduced to crystal meth by a friend. He tested positive for drugs in 1997, but he told the Association of Tennis Professionals that his drug use had been accidental. Agassi claimed that he had "unwittingly" drank a drug-laced beverage belonging to a friend. Speaking about his drug use, he later told People magazine that "I can't speak to addiction, but a lot of people would say that if you're using anything as an escape, you have a problem."
Eventually turning his life around, Agassi launched an impressive comeback in 1999. He won two Grand Slam titles that year—the French Open and the U.S. Open.
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