jellybean
06-09-2006, 09:42 AM
Interesting story in the Courier Mail (Brisbane) yesterday re Andre Agassi’s US Open performance and retirement. Agassi apparently played with the worst pain he’s ever been in (3 anti-inflamm injections into his back in 72 hours in an effort to relieve a sciatic nerve problem and assist him to play in his last tournament). The story also highlighted the importance of being able to choose when to retire from your “life’s focus” (rather than having an event such as injury or someone else, e.g. selectors, choose for you), the importance of transition; and the influence of parents – good and bad. (It doesn’t matter how old you get, you’ll always be your parent’s child!!).
Tears flow for Agassi
By Paul Malone in New York, September 05, 2006
ANDRE Agassi yesterday achieved his US Open ambition to retire without allowing anyone to call him a quitter and then sobbed during a three-minute standing ovation after losing his last tennis match.
The shock of surrendering his life's focus at the age of 36 combined with the ringing applause and hollering from a 23,000 Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd drew a cascade of tears from Agassi after his chronic back and German qualifier Benjamin Becker had teamed up to eliminate him 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 6-4.
Agassi's bid to hold off retirement for another day with the help of a third anti-inflammatory injection in less than 72 hours faltered when he did not receive the relief from sciatic pain he had been told to expect.
Lleyton Hewitt said in tribute that in years to come Agassi's gutsy and spectacular second-round win over eighth seed Marcos Baghdatis would be remembered more than his final loss to a qualifier while moving in pain, but Agassi pinpointed a non-tennis highlight.
Agassi, an hour after coming off court, admitted he was already happy his career was over.
"I will remember most the applause from the fans and the applause from my peers as I walked back into the dressing room. Those were the memories I'll keep with me forever," Agassi said.
"It's a transition and saying goodbye to each other was a necessary evil.
"I went out there not feeling terrible pain, but the pain came quickly and then you know it's going to get worse, sometimes very quickly get worse. After my win over Baghdatis, I was worse than I've ever been."
Agassi, who had a tennis ball dangling over his cot by his ambitious father Mike to promote hand-eye co-ordination, said his father had been instrumental in his career even if he was an irritant to the last by saying publicly last Friday that he should have already retired.
"If I wanted to quit, I would have done that a lot earlier," Agassi said.
"There's a difference between retiring and quitting.
"What we've gone through, our moments of not seeing eye to eye has been his journey and my journey. I am thankful for my father giving me this game."
The Las Vegas entertainer took one of his trademark post-match bows after Becker had ended his 21-year career and then, like a Broadway trouper, was coaxed out for an encore bow once he threw behind him a towel into which he had cried a flood of tears.
In a voice breaking with emotion, Agassi told the crowd over a public address system: "The scoreboard said I lost today. What the scoreboard doesn't say is what it is that I've found. Over the 21 years, I have found loyalty.
"You have pulled for me on the court and also in life. I have found inspiration. You have willed me to succeed, sometimes even in my lowest moments.
"You have given me your shoulders to stand on and reach dreams which I could never have found without you."
Becker, in his second Grand Slam main draw and ranked No. 112, suffered minor cramping because he is accustomed to no more than three sets, but he served brilliantly with 27 aces and generated enough winners from his forehand to create uncertainty in the flagging Agassi.
Tears flow for Agassi
By Paul Malone in New York, September 05, 2006
ANDRE Agassi yesterday achieved his US Open ambition to retire without allowing anyone to call him a quitter and then sobbed during a three-minute standing ovation after losing his last tennis match.
The shock of surrendering his life's focus at the age of 36 combined with the ringing applause and hollering from a 23,000 Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd drew a cascade of tears from Agassi after his chronic back and German qualifier Benjamin Becker had teamed up to eliminate him 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 6-4.
Agassi's bid to hold off retirement for another day with the help of a third anti-inflammatory injection in less than 72 hours faltered when he did not receive the relief from sciatic pain he had been told to expect.
Lleyton Hewitt said in tribute that in years to come Agassi's gutsy and spectacular second-round win over eighth seed Marcos Baghdatis would be remembered more than his final loss to a qualifier while moving in pain, but Agassi pinpointed a non-tennis highlight.
Agassi, an hour after coming off court, admitted he was already happy his career was over.
"I will remember most the applause from the fans and the applause from my peers as I walked back into the dressing room. Those were the memories I'll keep with me forever," Agassi said.
"It's a transition and saying goodbye to each other was a necessary evil.
"I went out there not feeling terrible pain, but the pain came quickly and then you know it's going to get worse, sometimes very quickly get worse. After my win over Baghdatis, I was worse than I've ever been."
Agassi, who had a tennis ball dangling over his cot by his ambitious father Mike to promote hand-eye co-ordination, said his father had been instrumental in his career even if he was an irritant to the last by saying publicly last Friday that he should have already retired.
"If I wanted to quit, I would have done that a lot earlier," Agassi said.
"There's a difference between retiring and quitting.
"What we've gone through, our moments of not seeing eye to eye has been his journey and my journey. I am thankful for my father giving me this game."
The Las Vegas entertainer took one of his trademark post-match bows after Becker had ended his 21-year career and then, like a Broadway trouper, was coaxed out for an encore bow once he threw behind him a towel into which he had cried a flood of tears.
In a voice breaking with emotion, Agassi told the crowd over a public address system: "The scoreboard said I lost today. What the scoreboard doesn't say is what it is that I've found. Over the 21 years, I have found loyalty.
"You have pulled for me on the court and also in life. I have found inspiration. You have willed me to succeed, sometimes even in my lowest moments.
"You have given me your shoulders to stand on and reach dreams which I could never have found without you."
Becker, in his second Grand Slam main draw and ranked No. 112, suffered minor cramping because he is accustomed to no more than three sets, but he served brilliantly with 27 aces and generated enough winners from his forehand to create uncertainty in the flagging Agassi.