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  • Nov 9, 2009
  • #Biography #Tennis
Andre Agassi
@AndreAgassi
(Author)
www.amazon.com
Hardcover
4.7/5 6.1k ratings
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4.24/5 78.4k ratings
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From Andre Agassi, one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court, a beautiful, haunting autobiography. Agassi’s incred... Show More

From Andre Agassi, one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court, a beautiful, haunting autobiography.

Agassi’s incredibly rigorous training begins when he is just a child. By the age of thirteen, he is banished to a Florida tennis camp that feels like a prison camp. Lonely, scared, a ninth-grade dropout, he rebels in ways that will soon make him a 1980s icon. He dyes his hair, pierces his ears, dresses like a punk rocker. By the time he turns pro at sixteen, his new look promises to change tennis forever, as does his lightning-fast return.

And yet, despite his raw talent, he struggles early on. We feel his confusion as he loses to the world’s best, his greater confusion as he starts to win. After stumbling in three Grand Slam finals, Agassi shocks the world, and himself, by capturing the 1992 Wimbledon. Overnight he becomes a fan favorite and a media target.

Agassi brings a near-photographic memory to every pivotal match and every relationship. Never before has the inner game of tennis and the outer game of fame been so precisely limned. Alongside vivid portraits of rivals from several generations—Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer—Agassi gives unstinting accounts of his brief time with Barbra Streisand and his doomed marriage to Brooke Shields. He reveals a shattering loss of confidence. And he recounts his spectacular resurrection, a comeback climaxing with his epic run at the 1999 French Open and his march to become the oldest man ever ranked number one.

In clear, taut prose, Agassi evokes his loyal brother, his wise coach, his gentle trainer, all the people who help him regain his balance and find love at last with Stefanie Graf. Inspired by her quiet strength, he fights through crippling pain from a deteriorating spine to remain a dangerous opponent in the twenty-first and final year of his career. Entering his last tournament in 2006, he’s hailed for completing a stunning metamorphosis, from nonconformist to elder statesman, from dropout to education advocate. And still he’s not done. At a U.S. Open for the ages, he makes a courageous last stand, then delivers one of the most stirring farewells ever heard in a sporting arena.

With its breakneck tempo and raw candor, Open will be read and cherished for years. A treat for ardent fans, it will also captivate readers who know nothing about tennis. Like Agassi’s game, it sets a new standard for grace, style, speed, and power.

(From Goodreads)

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Number of Pages: 388

ISBN: 0307268195

ISBN-13: 9780307268198

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Alex Wieckowski @AlexAndBooks_ · Jan 12, 2022
  • Curated in 25 amazing books you should read and learn from
David Perell @david_perell · Mar 20, 2020
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This is an excellent biography of Andrei Agassi, the former #1 tennis player in the world. It's an emotional journey through the sacrifices required to become a top-tier athlete. For example, even when he was the world's top tennis player, Agassi didn't enjoy tennis. And as it turns out, the book's ghostwriter named J.R. Moehringer also penned Shoe Dog, the biography of Phil Knight, which tells the story of Nike.
Raoul Pal @RaoulPal · May 4, 2021
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Yes, was a great read.
Trung Phan @TrungTPhan · Jan 12, 2023
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other two books are amazing
Ganesh Kumar 🗽〽️🐕‍🦺 @reachgkumar · Jul 14, 2023
  • Answered to I've read many wonderful biographies, but am realizing that I can't think of similarly good autobiographies. Have you read any that you love?
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    I've read many wonderful biographies, but am realizing that I can't think of similarly good autobiographies. Have you read any that you love?
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