Andre Agassi Biography

1970-

American tennis player

In the 1980s America's tennis fans took to heart a new kind of player, one without the disciplined control of a Boris Becker or the tantrums of a John McEnroe. "To see him is to think of MTV," wrote a Sports Illustrated reporter when Agassi burst onto the scene in 1987. "The kid … has a teenager hipster's style and swagger.… He looks like he might arrive for matches by skateboard." At the same time, the same observer noted, he showed both good manners and old-fashioned enthusiasm. "Remember when tennis players expressed joy instead of fist-pumping intensity?… Remember when they smiled? Agassi does all that. He's a throwback." It was a powerful combination, and Agassi picked up endorsement contracts from Nike and Canon. But for a long time, critics wrote him off because he couldn't seem to win any of the Grand Slam tournaments. Finally, in 1992, counted out as a serious contender, he won Wimbledon, the most important of the tournaments. He followed this up with wins at the U.S. and Australian Opens that finally silenced his critics.