Amongst all the autobiographies that I have read so far, the one that I would love to go back and read again is the life story of Andre Agassi written in his own words. This book is a brutally honest account of his life events bordering to the point of self criticism.
It will come as a shock to many when they read through the book is the bittersweet relationship Andre shared with tennis. It is ironical to discover that the tennis champ actually hated tennis at one point in time, not the game in itself but the pressure and the expectations that it brought along literally crushing him. The scenes where he describes how his father pushes him for vigorous practices against his will and the father wanting to live his dream through him are moving and one that almost each one of us can relate to considering the competitive world we are living in.
It will come as a shock to many when they read through the book is the bittersweet relationship Andre shared with tennis. It is ironical to discover that the tennis champ actually hated tennis at one point in time, not the game in itself but the pressure and the expectations that it brought along literally crushing him. The scenes where he describes how his father pushes him for vigorous practices against his will and the father wanting to live his dream through him are moving and one that almost each one of us can relate to considering the competitive world we are living in.
The book also talks about his relationship with his wife Brooke Shields, the supermodel of that time, the divorce and then his marriage with Steffi Graff. The revolutionary fashion sense he brought into the game, starting from his hairstyles to the jeans shorts that he used to wear to the court and the infamous drug scandal he was in are some other spicy add ons.
The above are just some of the interesting instances; the book itself is a page-turner. Apart from his personal conflicts and dilemmas, the matches that he has described in the book are sure to arouse interest in any sports fan. Whether it is the second Grand Slam semi final in 1990 against Boris Becker or the final against Pete Sampras, his greatest nemesis, each match has been illustrated with so much detail that one will almost feel as if watching it from the stands. The rivalry between these two American players became the dominant rivalry in tennis over the rest of the decade.
The book gives an interesting insight into a sport person’s life. Not only is it a fascinating read but it also can act as a guide to live life. The courage, determination and the bold demeanour that Andre puts on is commendable. Few quotes from the book that are my personal favourites:
“It's no accident, I think, that tennis uses the language of life. Advantage, service, fault, break, love, the basic elements of tennis are those of everyday existence, because every match is a life in miniature. Even the structure of tennis, the way the pieces fit inside one another like Russian nesting dolls, mimics the structure of our days. Points become games become sets become tournaments, and it's all so tightly connected that any point can become the turning point. It reminds me of the way seconds become minutes become hours, and any hour can be our finest. Or darkest. It's our choice.”
“Now that I've won a slam, I know something very few people on earth are permitted to know. A win doesn't feel as good as a loss feels bad, and the good feeling doesn't last long as the bad. Not even close.”
“Hate brings me to my knees, love gets me on my feet.”
If this book can instil interest in tennis in a non-sports person like me, I am sure it will be a much more enjoyable ride for an ardent sports follower. Thanks to the book, now I follow tennis, football and badminton with a lot of enthusiasm. I hope it will be a secret between us, when I confess that the only reason I picked this book up to read was to know about the affair of Andre with Brooke and Steffi (don’t blame me, in the end, I am a woman!) and look where it has brought me to ;)
