By Tiffany Taveras
Andre Agassi was 22 years old when he was in the finals against Garon Ivanisevic . Andre loosing the first set (6-7). Andre determined to win the next two sets . He does so (6-4 6- 4).Ivanisevic was hot. He stormed through the set in seventeen min. (6-1). BRING THEM TO A SMASHING 5TH SET . BOTH PLAYERS MAKING AMAZING SHOTS . But Andre came through wining (6-7 6-4 6- 4 1-6 6-4) Andre falls to his knees crying he had just won Wimbledon Mike Agassi, Andres father, .had a huge passion for tennis . He would always go watch people play . He wanted his kids to be #1 . Andre was born on April 29, 1970 . Mike hung a tennis racket above his crib with a tennis ball tied to the strings . When Andre could sit-up Mike blew up a balloon and put a little bit of water in it . He would through it at Andre tell Andre could hit it . When Andre was 14 he went to the Nick Bollettieri academy . Bollettieri had classrooms, a cafeteria , and 46 tennis courts. At 1:00p.m. they where on the court, that’s where they spent most the day . Nick hoped that at least one or two would become a super star. One day Andre showed up wearing jeans and eye
makeup.
Andre’s first few weeks as a professional tennis player went very well. Even though he was just a sixteen-year old rookie ,he won enough tournaments to earn $11,500 . His older Brother Phillip, was traveling with him from tournament to tournament .He had made sure Andre’s equipment was organized and that he always met schedules for matches and airline travel .
Andre singed a contract with Donny Racket worth $1 million a year for the next 6 year . He was also paid to endorse coolmax tennis clothes , EBEL Watches , rayban sunglasses ,and canon cameras . In
1989 all the contracts meant Agassi would make $2.5 million dollars from endorsements alone! Right now Andre is the hottest endorsement player in sports , period.
Long, hard workouts seemed to be just what Andre needed .By the fall of 1990, he gained 20 pounds of muscle in his arms, legs, and chest. He looked like a new man. Reporters joked that his nickname should be (Andre the giant.)
Finally , Aggassi had the respect of the tennis world . Now he had the grand slam trophy of them all , to go with all the millions of dollars he was already earning . the only person who didn’t seem impressed was his father , Mike the man who had put a racket in his hand when he was still wearing diapers .
While Andre recuperated from wrist surgery , his ranking fell to NO.32 . Agassi . Agassi and the doctors weren’t even sure he would ever be able to play again . What if the pain was still there ? What if the weakened wrist couldn’t be strengthened by therapy and exercise . But he’s o.k. to play.
Andre was confident he would be playing good tennis for to come . ‘’I have a lot more belief in my game now , and I think you need that , because I’m definitely playing better ,’’ he said . ‘To do what you got to do is the key . The downside is you can’t stay on top forever . Eventually , either guys overtake you or you hit a brick wall . I’ve just got to be able to do it as I can.
BY TIFFANY TAVARES