Agassi’s hate of tennis was a deep part of his life
November 9th, 2009 - 4:43 pm ICT by ANINew York, Nov.9 (ANI): Tennis star Andre Agassi’s disclosure that he took a drug known as crystal meth and got away with it, is only one of the startling revelations in a new autobiography. What Agassi has to say about tennis is also pretty startling.
He says that it was sport that he didn’t choose and couldn’t escape from, and adds that it was a life that often made him feel empty and depressed, despite having earned close to a 100 million dollars from it.
For both Steffi Graf, his wife, and Andre, tennis isn’t what it used to be.
“It is a little fun. Come on!” Graf replied, laughing.
“Yeah, it’s fun,” he said.
Agassi reveals to CBS that for most of his life he hated tennis with “a dark secret passion” but never let anyone know.
“I think I was just flat out scared. Just didn’t know what people would do if they heard the way I felt,” he says.
“I have to call it like it is. And, hating tennis was a deep part of my life for a long, long time,” he added.
He also blames his father, Mike Agassi, a first generation immigrant from Iran, for driving him so hard that by the age of six, he was practicing four to five hours a day.
“Well, I think he drove me hard because he drove himself hard. Tennis was a passion that he had from when he was a little boy himself. And he saw it as the quickest road to the American dream for his kids. Somethin’ that, you know, he wanted for his family,” Agassi explained.
But according to the book that’s not how he felt. He wanted to quit, but was afraid to tell his father, who he calls “Pops.” (ANI)
- Andre Agassi uses 'nude' image of wife Steffi Graf for charity - Jan 12, 2011
- Graf says Agassi asked whether she wanted kids on first date! - Nov 09, 2009
- Agassi recalls hitting a `big wall' after being on a tennis roll for two years - Nov 09, 2009
- Agassi confessed taking drugs to make people learn from his difficult times - Nov 02, 2009
- Andre Agassi Opens Up His Heart In 'Open- An Autobiography' - Oct 28, 2009
- Aishwarya's Stefi-Andre moment! - Jun 10, 2010
- Agassi book reveals 1997 meth-use drama (Lead) - Oct 28, 2009
- Agassi one of the best tennis players of all time despite dope-taint: Murray - Nov 02, 2009
- Agassi took Brooke Shields' approval for autobiography - Nov 13, 2009
- Nadal says Agassi's 'lying' revelations are "terrible for tennis" - Nov 21, 2009
- Agassi bids to swap private torment for public acceptance - Dec 10, 2009
- Gomez won't change for love again - Aug 17, 2011
- Oz tennis great Newcombe serves up some love for Agassi - Nov 12, 2009
- Agassi, Harry Potter on cricketer's reading list: Survey - Feb 08, 2011
- Brooke Shields 'to get back at Andre Agassi' with own tell-all book - Mar 08, 2010
Tags: 100 million, american dream, andre agassi, autobiography, cbs, crystal meth, disclosure, generation immigrant, iran, long long time, million dollars, secret passion, somethin, startling revelations, steffi graf, tennis star andre