Andre Agassi has officially announced he will retire after the US Open.

Adios Andre!

The crowds at the Open this year will be pulling hard for Agassi to go out like Sampras did a couple of years ago. Not sure he is up to it, but then again nobody thought Pete could reach the final either.

[ June 24, 2006, 08:06 AM: Message edited by: George Twins fan ]

Not terribly surprising that Andre is going to shut it down. Perhaps one year too late. He could have gone out after the Open last year.

From everything I read, he had a lot of physical issues just in his normal everyday activities. Most of the stories I read indicate his injuries are a bit chronic at this point.

Also not surprising that he would hold a press conferencc at the beginning of the biggest tournament of the year to announce this information. No better way to get a little of the Wimbledon attention for himself. He is certainly not a serious contender for the title. Him winning would be a big surprise. So, this is the next best way to get the press to cover him for the next three months.

Even as his career is waning, there is still a little of the old Andre coming out. He always has needed the attention. Many of the greatest champions have gone out of the game with subtlety.

oh please, knock it off. you don't know anything.

i'll miss my favorite tennis player of all time.

He is gonna be missed, sorely!!! I am sure they will be many moist eyes after his last match, myself included ....he has been so good for the game over these years!

WoW!

Such hatred about Andre. Maybe he wanted to announce it before being asked at the end of every match- are you retiring, are you retiring, are you retiring?

I mean- Martina sure had a full tour, receiving motorcycles, etc etc....

Chris Evert also made her announcement before the summer tour and the U.S. Open that it would be her last match...

I think we are just being a bit harsh- and as Andre was the first player who got a lot of young men (and women) interested in tennis after a bit of a lull in the late 80s, I say thank you Mr Agassi.

I'll really miss Andre. He was always one of the more interesting characters on the tour, and over the past decade his devotion to the game, and the quality of tennis he played, was amazing. His final match at the US Open is going to be incredibly emotional.

If you really want to hold the media's attention, the thing to do is not to announce your retirement, but just stop playing and pretend you're coming back, just not quite yet. Sampras dragged out the media attention for a whole year that way.

Agreed. It was truly a pleasure to watch Andre mature from an egotistical brat into a true class act. How many athletes can you say that about? How many people of any type, for that matter?

I liked growing up with him (we're close in age). To me, it's sad seeing contemporaries retire. It's always too soon, not so much because I feel like they have "another good year left," but because I miss watching certain people play. Haven't enjoyed watching many people play as much as Agassi, and, like the poster before said, Agassi got me interested in tennis back in 1988, and I've been watching/playing ever since.

Also, I hope he doesn't disappear like Sampras has. And Lendl. Never like Lendl very much, but I think it would be fun to have McEnroe and Lendl call a match together.

Ditto. Next to Johnny Mac, Andre was my favorite tennis player. As I've said before, and taken a lot of flack for saying, I just don't see the same fire, personality, and crowd appeal in America's current crop of male tennis players. And they are certainly less talented than players of the McEnroe, Connors, Sampras, and Agassi eras.

Damn! I'm really going to miss Andre. What will his retirement mean for the state of American mens tennis? Men's tennis is not as popular with the casual viewer as it used to be (everybody loved Agassi, Johnny Mac, and Conners, and Sampras, even Chang and Courier to a lesser degree). Agassi's retirement means that fans of American men's tennis has now lost its one remaining superstar. I think his retirement will have a huge impact on television ratings and popularity.

Houston Gater: Lendl wasn't so bad. I used to hate him too, until I figured out that players who struggle with the English language often appear nervous and unsettled. The only thing that separated a player like Lendl from more likeable foreign players like Edberg, Wilander, Borg, Kournikova, and Guga, was the smile. Lendl never did. The same can be said for Kuznetsova, who is far less comfortable on English-spoken television interviews than her Russian counterparts, Maria Sharapova and Marat Safin.

[ June 24, 2006, 10:59 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Was just reading an interesting article about how Agassi and Sampras and their rivalry rekindled interest in tennis in the 90's. For it to again be really big again, I think the US is going to have someone like Blake win some really big ones, a la Federer, or become so good that he is capable of knocking off Roger occasionally. My sincere hope is that this is Blake. I have many doubts about Roddick at the present time. But one thing I don't hear much talk of is any really promosing young Americans who may be emerging soon..I am talking say younger than Ginepri, in their teens ..one can hope though.

[ June 25, 2006, 05:52 AM: Message edited by: hockeyTom ]

Yes, because Lord knows, Sampras always craved the spotlight.

He did set a schedule with tournaments and pulled out of them the year after his last Open win. Not the best thing to do, but many of those organizers weren't even surprised when he pulled out knowing he was very much at the end of his career and probably wanted to go out on top, which he did. Unlike players who aren't even 25 yet and setting up full schedules and not showing up. *cough* Serena *cough*

[edited to add: and by "on top," I mean with one last bang...one more (last) slam, to make it to 14]

[ June 25, 2006, 08:43 AM: Message edited by: Tennis Guy ]

I don't think the game will suffer without Andre. American tennis will have one less player who can threaten to win big events, but that is all. I mean, Andre has hardly played the past couple of seasons. Roger and Rafa are taking care of keeping the world tuned in, and James is giving Americans someone newer to cheer.

In my earlier post, I was simply trying to point out that most of the top players do not make their departures from the game into major press events. Chris played in one event before her final US Open, and her agent was the one who notified the press she was retiring.

Pete eased himself into retirement and the only fanfare was the USTA honoring him at the National Tennis Center.

Steffi could have given her husband a great example. She won the French and made it to the Wimbledon final and then just quietly announced she was not playing any further when she lost in San Diego that summer.

It is completely in character for Andre to call a big press conference and try and get some of the media attention currently being given to Roger/Rafa/James/Andy (and his poor year to-date). I don't think that is hateful -- it is just an honest analysis of Andre and his personality. There are a large number of examples throughout his entire career of Andre acting out when he thought the world was not paying enough attention to him.

well, the U.S. OPEN is going to be pure hell.i'll bet dick enberg is already preparing his puke-inducing eulogy for andre. this is the first day of wimbledon, and they're already laying it on as thick as molasses.

UGH!

I really cannot believe that some of you think that Agassi announcing his retirement at Wimbledon a mere three and a half months before his last match is somehow considered selfish or in bad taste.

Bitter much?

Here, here....and I'm getting worried we're agreeing so much lately, WWCD.

Go Andre!

Patrick McEnroe just made a great comment about how Andre skipped the Aussie Open until 1995 and just imagine how many Slams would he have racked up if he showed up in Oz sooner. Oh well, shoulda woulda coulda. Does anybody else find PMac quite dreamy?

Oh yeah, I'm off track again. Go Andre!

Off track for one last thing....Please Tim, finish Soderling off quickly....no more drama!!!

[ June 27, 2006, 08:23 AM: Message edited by: goodguy1106 ]

Well, goodguy, we were agreeing until you mentioned "PMac" and "dreamy" in the same sentence!

how about cute?

How about "he's a good commentator"? Let's leave it at that.

I was never a fan of Andre Agassi's. I didn't like his style of play when he tried to hit flashy winners through an entire match and I didn't like his style of play when he became "I'll outlast you/hit down the center of the court/be fitter and win and outthink you" man either. I also have found him to be kind of phony, in terms of personality.

That said, I have no greater respect for any other player in the game than Andre Agassi. And I think the only players who have done more for tennis as a whole were Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe.

What Agassi did throughout his career took guts, coming back to fulfill his potential - and taking an ego hit to play in the "minors" to get there - and maturing into quite an advocate for the game of tennis and its history. Not to mention the charitable work he does off the court with his Foundation. His on-court work ethic in the latter half of his career is mirrored in his work off the court to promote the game and use his fame/success as a positive. And I think all of that speaks to how much he loves the game of tennis. Truly, deeply, passionately loves it. It was such an unexpected metamorphasis, but truly great to see.

Different players retire differently. Some choose to quietly walk away (Graf, Sabatini) and some have prolonged farewells (Navratilova, Edberg) and some never say goodbye but just fade out (McEnroe, Seles?). This is how Andre chose to announce his retirement, so rather than question his motives, I choose to salute a man who I as a tennis lover have no choice but to admire.

Well said, Gaga. But I love Andre's style of play now. I love the way he stands firm on the baseline and uses the entire court until he finds an opening that he can exploit. Even though it can take him many shots to develop a point, he's definitely not a "hit down the center of the court" kind of player.

And I think it's gonna be a while before we see another baseliner with such flawless stroke technique.

Shaky start for Andre, but I was very pleased with the outcom eof his first match today. Want to see him do really well, if possible at Wimbledon.

Perhaps that was a slight exaggeration. ha ha.

AHHH! No wonder you like him ... ZZZzzzzz. ZZZzzzzz. ZZZzzzz.

Perfection is never boring.

That could be a Rolex commercial. The advantage of a two-handed backhand is, obviously, power. But also you can change the direction of the ball in a split second.

And I like that.

Did someone mention two-handers? Agassi's on return of serve is a beaut.

I'm with you on the pluses and minuses of Andre, G4G. Never been a huge fan but have come around to rooting for him in recent years because of what he's done off the court. I wish he wouldn't blow his nose on the court constantly but since my current fave has buttpicking OCD maybe I shouldn't talk; it's funny how both tone it down in old Wimbly. Announcing his retirement really doesn't seem like a selfish hype gesture, he's the last surviving legend of an era and he deserves to play the gracious diva. Here's hoping for a great third-round duel on Saturday -- I'd be happy whatever the outcome.

Bruce Jenkins who writes for the SF Chronicle out here wrote some great, funny articles when Agassi had his US Open run last fall. In one he compared Agassi to Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton because of how quickly he waddles from one side of the court to another between points. He and Nadal could be a comical contrast between turtle and hare in terms of playing habits.

Ditto, Gaby, on all points....

Although Agassi is still 'show biz' to me sometimes, and I don't think he's anywhere near as genuine as someone like Blake, but his tennis and his dedication are sublime, and I have definitely grown to appreciate him over time.

And I don't think anyone here is spouting hatred when they talk about the timing of his retirement announcement. Those are perfectly legitimate and arguable comments.

I'd still like to know if he and Steffi just go hit balls sometimes? You know, like in the backyard?

It's funny you bring that up Bryan, I was just talking about that with someone last night. He and Steffi must play sometimes. This Monica fan has to say that Steffi is looking fine at this tournament, much better hair than in recent years.

I agree, she looks very good...

I was never a Steffi fan, but my god. The hair is fantastic now. Still a big crooked nose and a sour expression. But who cares!?!? It's all about the hair.

The "Daddy Rocks" necklace has to go.

LOL WWCD.

Ugh, when ESPN had a close-up shot of that necklace I almost broke out in hives.

Andre............probably stayed 2 years too long.

agassi vs. nadal

GO ANDRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It should be really interesting, at least I hope. I liked Andres thinking on the interview he had yesterday, hoping that because the surface is grass it should help negate Nadal's heavy spin. I for one hope so, and will be rooting for Andre.