“No matter where you are in life, there is always a journey ahead.” Nelson Mandela.
As the 20th anniversary of the Agassi’s 1999 French Open Championship approaches, I wanted to talk about how Andre Agassi went from rags to riches. When I mean rags to riches, I do not mean financially. I mean how Andre became rich spiritually and emotionally. Andre became a better man and matured in front of the eyes of many tennis fans.
Andre Agassi is a loving husband, father, philanthropist, giving, and loving person. He is also a legendary tennis player and perhaps my favorite tennis player. Even though I am impressed with his game, Andre is my favorite tennis player because of the person he became.
Andre took us all on his emotional journey both on and off the court. He started as a lost soul, an underachiever, and someone who could not deliver in the big moments. Despite his comeback in 1998, many so called experts believed Andre flushed his career down the toilet as the 1999 French Open began. Yet, Andre proved many critics wrong and defied the odds.
Previously, Andre had to great opportunities to win the French back in the early 90’s. Both times, he was the favorite and both times he lost. The way he lost too was devastating and made many people question his heart and grit. In 1990, he was the overwhelming favorite. Yet, he barely showed up and lost to veteran Andres Gomez. In 1991, he was up two sets to one on fellow American Jim Courier and lost the match in 5 sets. This time he had the match on his racquet and completely surrendered it.
To have another opportunity to make the finals, Andre had to get through the defending champion in Carlos Moya in the 4th round. Moya took the first two sets and appeared on his way to an easy victory. However, Andre changed things up and started to serve and volley. This confused Moya, and Agassi came back in dramatic fashion to win in 5 sets.
Andre had a couple of other tough manages, but gained a birth in the finals 8 years after his previous one. His opponent would be Andrei Medvedev. Unfortunately, it appeared the script was going down the same path as the previous two French Open Finals. Andre was tentative and a deer in headlights. Andre played two very lackluster sets and got behind two sets to love. However, Andre started to relax and just took things one game at a time. He changed his approach and started to volley and kept Medvedev off balance. All of a sudden, Agassi won the 3rd set and was back in the match.
The last two sets, all his demons, all his heartaches, and all his frustrations came to the surface. Andre overcame all of them. Andre found himself serving for the match, and he became the French Open Champion. Tears of joy overcame Andre as he had conquered what seemed to be lost many years ago. It was his first major in four years, and it also gave him the career slam winning all four majors.
Andre became a tennis legend. More than that, he rode that momentum on and off the court. He stayed fit and never let himself go again. He found his soulmate and married tennis legend Steffi Graf, and he opened up the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy.
After being down and out two years earlier, Andre was on top of the tennis world and became the zen master on and off the court.
How did Andre turn his career and life around? Here is how he did it.
- Andre found his “Why” and “Purpose” in life. Andre found himself playing tennis for something that was much bigger than him. His purpose is to change and drastically improve the education system. Tennis became a team sport for him because he was playing for his school which is something that is much bigger than him. He was playing for children to get a top quality education where otherwise they would not have the opportunity to do so.
- He found a role model or better yet words of wisdom. During the toughest of times, Andre got the privilege to meet Nelson Mandela. The words and wisdom shared by Mandela shaped and altered Andre’s life forever. The message Andre got was to be a better person and to step up. From Andre’s autobiography, “Open”, Andre shares the following from his visit with Mandela: We must all care for one another. But we must care for ourselves which means be careful in our decisions, careful in our relationships, and careful in our statements. We need to live life carefully in order to avoid being victims. I feel as he’s speaking directly to me, as if he’s aware that I’ve been careless with my talent and health.
- Andre found love. Andre fell in love with female tennis legend Steffi Graf in 1999. Steffi and Andre are perfectly aligned with their values and have created an incredible institution. Andre is now a father of two very beautiful children.
- The ability to give. Andre was one of the first big athletes and celebrities along with Oprah to open up a school. Andre asked himself how he could give more. He realized that opening a boys and girls club which he did was only putting a band-aid on the problem to the poor education kids were getting in Las Vegas. Andre knew he had to get to the source of the problem and had to create an education program that would create higher standards and great opportunities.
Watch Andre Agassi’s 2011 Hall of Fame Speech:
1999 French Open Analysis: