Across The Net: Andre's Week
Posted by Dan Martin on 09.04.2006
One athlete took over the world of sports this week and he did so by fighting against the odds and eventually losing. Andre Agassi will be missed.
What can be said about Andre Agassi that has not already been said in the print and television media? To be honest I am a little too drained from today's match to have the perspective needed to do Andre's career justice. I will do my best and point you toward this article. It is one of the best pieces of sports writing I have ever read and well worth the time. Agassi's career ended today, but my guess is his role in society and tennis will only increase. First, I will talk briefly about how Andre handled defeat. Next I will discuss what his post tennis life might look like. Finally, I will look at his three matches in NY and what the match may have meant for his opponent.
Handling Defeat with Class
A quote from Kipling's poem "IF" hangs outside of Centre Court. It reads "If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same…" Agassi did just that today on Arthur Ashe Stadium Court. Agassi's eyes welled up with tears as he trailed by three match points; he knew the end was near. After the match he displayed a lot of courage and maturity in addressing his own mortality as a professional athlete. It was hard to know he had lost by looking at his reception after the match. Agassi received multiple standing ovations from the NY crowd, a standing ovation when he entered the men's locker room and a standing ovation from the media in his post match press conference. This alone speaks to how well Agassi handled his retirement and defeat.
Life After Tennis
Many athletes do not know when to quit and act like teenagers well into middle age. Agassi seems unlikely to follow that path. Agassi already runs a charter school in Las Vegas that instills great discipline in its students. Agassi has raised money for a high school that will open next year. Agassi will be able to devote even more time to his schools next year. Beyond that one can expect he and his wife Steffi Graf to use their celebrity and tennis ties to further assist the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS and other worthy causes. Agassi and Pete Sampras have quietly backed the tennis channel and likely will be stewards for the game by trying to popularize it. Sampras has been playing some tennis recently and one can expect the two to stage a set of exhibition matches in the not too distant future to raise funds for charity and promote tennis. I also would not be shocked to see Agassi as a member of congress from Nevada. I think candidate Agassi is unlikely, but I do think he will increase his efforts to raise attention to the local and international issues that are important to him. Tennis may have lost a great player today, but I would expect tennis and humanity to have gained a full time advocate as well.
What Agassi's Three Matches Meant to his Opponents:
Agassi d. Andrei Pavel 6-7, 7-6, 7-6, 6-2: Pavel is 32 years old but owns some big hardware in tennis. He won the 2001 Masters Series Canada title over Patrick Rafter and defeated Andy Roddick earlier this year in a five set Davis Cup thriller. Pavel was no gift of the draw for Agassi. As a rugged veteran with no fear of big names, Pavel did exactly what was expected of him and pushed Andre Agassi to the limit. At one set all and Pavel leading 4-0 in the third set it looked as though Agassi was finished. However, Andre raised his game and in a battle of guys in their thirties proved to be more fit at the end. Pavel will likely have another two solid years on tour and this loss will only cement his status as a tough draw.
Agassi d. Marcos Baghdatis 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 7-5: Baghdatis was the runner-up at the Australian Open and semifinalist at Wimbledon this year. In many ways the former world #1 Junior announced his presence as a threat at the slams this year in a big way. Baghdatis has wins over world #3 Ivan Ljubicic, #4 David Nalbandian, and former world #1's Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt. Baghdatis should have finished Agassi off in the fifth set, but then again Agassi was leading 4-0 in the fourth set and lost that set. Baghdatis who is oozing talent could learn a lot from Agassi. He needs to be more focused and play with more purpose. If Baghdatis had developed a better game plan he likely would have won the match in 4 sets. Instead he tried to out slug Agassi for two sets and only started using his variety and touch in the third set. At that point he was down two sets to none. Baghdatis has all of the tools to push both Nadal and Federer. He simply needs greater focus. Agassi's coach Darren Cahill is a great strategist who just reentered the job market. Baghdatis should call Cahill in order to harness his talents to their full potential.
Benjamin Becker d. Andre Agassi 7-5, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5: This win means huge things for Becker. The 25 year old German played three qualifying matches just to enter the U.S. Open. The prize money and computer points he has received from reaching the round of 16 likely mean no more qualifying matches for a long time. First round losers still receive prize money and computer points. Becker no longer needing to play three matches prior to entering the main draw ought to make his life on the tour much more sustainable. Also, Becker will likely gain greater attention from the German Tennis Federation and German Davis Cup team. By being able to enter main draws without three fatiguing matches and not having to worry so much about the next pay day, Becker may have made a career for himself today.
Finally, I can say I was not an Agassi fan at many stages of his career. I did not like when he beat an older Jimmy Connors. I did not like that he always seemed to get the best of Boris Becker. I did not like many things about Agassi early in his career, but the guy grew up and got it. He is a model for how other stars and athletes should conduct themselves. I have been watching Agassi since the French Open of 1988, and I feel a real sense of loss by no longer being able to watch him play. Well done is all I can say.
