Andre Agassi
Born: 01-01-1970
Andre Agassi is a retired American tennis champion known for his powerful playing style and charismatic presence. Born in 1970 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Agassi won eight Grand Slam singles titles and an Olympic gold medal. His candid autobiography, "Open," reveals his struggles and triumphs both on and off the court. Since retiring, he has focused on philanthropy, founding the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education to support at-risk children.
Book summaries for books written by Andre Agassi
Quotes
I play tennis for a living even though I hate tennis, hate it with a dark and secret passion, and always have.
What I hate is the idea of tennis, the idea that this is what I do, that this, more than anything else, is my life.
I always hated tennis, hated it with a passion, and still do.
I hit the ball as hard as I can. I hit the ball as hard as I can. I hit the ball as hard as I can.
The ball doesn't know how I feel. The ball doesn't care. I'm just a man at the center of a court and a ball is just a thing with a felt cover.
I'm not just a person on a court. I'm a person in the world.
I don't play tennis to win matches. That's not the point. I play tennis to play tennis.
The only way to survive the pressure is to embrace it. You have to live for the pressure.
I'm not just hitting the ball. I'm hitting the ball in the face of everything I hate about tennis.
I play every match as if it's my last, and I play it as if it's my first.
Tennis is the loneliest sport. You're out there with no team, and it's all on you.
The challenge isn't winning. It's playing, and playing well.